The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-02-25
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.
BY REV. I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, N. Y.

that the church which Christ organized
is the "only divine institution and that
"there never should have been any other
established on this EARTH" But Mr.. Mel
ish refrains from informing us whether
this church is now in existence and where
it may be found. We infer from the leo
ture he administers to sectarians that he
considers himself to have escaped the
deadly sin of schism. How inconsider-
ate, not to say cruel, of him not to let us
know how we can also purge ourselves
from disgrace.
The Rev. Hugh o. Pente cost gives in
the Christian Union his reasons for leav-
ing the orthodox church. They are good
reasons. He has, after somewhat pro-
tracted period of study and debate with
himself, ceased to be orthodox in be-
lief, or to have any further sympathy
with the aims and activities Of the ortho-
dox churches. We Judge that he is nearer
in agreement with the non.orthodox
churches, intellectually, but quite as far
AAOAA1 ohCA split h6 HI
the churches under common and afaict-
i've bill. Much of his accusation is true.
He only says in more caustic and un-
qualified way what we are all saying.
The church comes far short, very far
short, of being the exponent and embod-
iment of the ideas and spirit of Jesus.
But the whole truth is not perceived
and is not told by Mr.. Pentecost. The
whole truth is, that the church, while
faulty as he says and in the respects which
he alleges, Is, still, the only institution in
our world that exists with the one avowed
purpose Of conforming human society to
the ideal set forth by Jesus; and it is the
only institution organized on a plan large
and practical enough to hold its course
amid the other institutions of the world.
Ii Mr.. Pentecost attempts to establish
something else to take the place of the
church he will meet with sure, il not
swift disaster. II his purpose is to go
out and start reformed church to shame
the old church into better behavior, he
will have success commensurate with
his own wisdom and personal power and
with the sincerity, steadtastness and high
aims OF those he is able to join with him.
Prof. E. d. Morris, of the Lane
Theological Seminary, proposes novel
solution of the question which DR.. With
row thought it waste of time to discuss
viz: What becomes of dead heather?
Prof Morris is becomingly shocked at
the idea of allowing any of them "another
probation" At the same time he feels
the force of the plea, that it would be
awfully unjust to send the whole mass of
unconverted heather to hell, when they
never had chance to learn the way to
heaven. He, therefore, suggests that the
exigency Of their peculiar case calls for
tmbas paganoruna, shaving its closest
analogue in that limbWs infantum where
according to the Church of Rome un-
baptized infants are placed"
Not exactly "the easiest room in
hell" but one Of the easier rooms, is the
provision which, according to Prof. Nor
ris's conception, the divine compassion
must make for unbaptized pagans. This
is boon for which we have no doubt the
pagans will be grateful to Prof Morris.
To be sure there is no Scripture for it; it
is what the Independent and it's reaction
airy fraternity deride and dread so, "a
speculation" But whether it makes dead
heather any more comfortable or not it
must relieve the minds of living ortho-
dox Christians immensely. We hope DR..
Morris will lose no time in bringing out
patent on his hnabus paganorums.
1t is not altogether creditable to hu-
man nature that so soon as the fall of a
man hitherto reputable is made public,
great number of persons make haste to
tell whatever evil they know of him. 1t
is to be feared that they do not always
confine themselves to what they know.
Some OF the busiest of these informers
sustained confidential relations to the
fallen, and offer this as certificate of
authenticity for what they now disclose.
They appear not to be abashed by the
public knowledge that they were confed-
crates in iniquity. II they had not known
SO much the public would have better
opinion of them. 1t looks as il they were
quite the equals of their late associate in
villainy, and inferior to him in decency
The report of the Secretary of the
Treasury contains an interesting table on
the subject Of American shipping. 1t
gives che value of the imports and ex-
ports carried in American vessels, and in
foreign vessels each year since 1856. In
that year the value was $641, 604, $50.
Nearly five hundred millions of it, or
more than seventy-five per cent, was car
| ried in American vessels. In 1887 the
total value of our exports and imports
amounted to 81 500, 979 something
more than double the value of 1856. But
in 1887 American vessels carried only
1886, TAG, or not quite IA per cent.
The decline has been remarkably regular
from year to year. Our foreign COM
merce grows with encouraging rapidity;
but our share in transporting it dimin-
ishes in immense ratio.
Admiral Porter supplies in his report
on the Navy table which may be stud
led with profit in connection with the one