The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-05-05

munity; he is also preacher among
his people. l sought an interview with
him, and found him c9lcred Socrates
in appearance his head is large,
massive, and we'll formed; bis forehead
corrugated with lines of thought; his
face serious and strong and his entire
appearance that of man of mental
power and moral force, = such man as
with opportunities in youth and favor
ing circumstances of future might
have stood high-highef than many a
favored child of affluence who has made
an honorable record. Sixty years of
age and not looking more than forty;
serious, respectful, and yet self-respect-
ing; well spoken except for the univer-
sal patois among the colored people of
the South, and with some OF the white
race also, he seems to me noble speci-
man of manhood, who, for some mex
plicable reason was wRY.3ering in exile
and wearing for time disguise con-
cealing his real self. r have seldom
been so interested in man. never in
one whose eyes were opened to our
faith, for it seemed to me it must
mean so much more toone of his ante
cedents than to almost any one else,
and 1 found myself listening to his
words with a fascinated interest
can remember little of his CONVEX
sation to relate it, but I do recall one
of his experiences sufficient to give its
substance. Could L report his words,
and give them their setting it would be
the most readable communication 1
could give.
He had been among his people, and
had endeavored to give them an idea of
the new treasure he had found. He
spoke to unheeding ears-to minds
that could not appreciate the great
truth he had grasped, hut. he bore his
testimony substantially as follows:
GIVE been lookin' for the old doc
trine of endless punishment, about
which we hear so much, but / can't
find it anywhere. I've looked all
through the hymn-book, but it isn't
there. You first look, and see if yo,,
can find it in the hymn-book. You
can't sing that doctrine if you try. II
,Con't sing. When you sing you've al
ways got to sing about salvation. You
can't sing damnation, and SO they never
put it into hymn, and the doctrine
is not anywhere in the hymn-book
I've looked all thro1 gh t % hymn book,
and the old doctrine isn t in it And
it ism in the Discip'ip. there's not a
word of it in the Disciplin'. You just
read the DiSciplin' all through, and you
can't find a word of it there.
"And I've got the fourth volume of
Wesley's Sermons, and it is not there.
And now want you to see if it is
in the Bible. Hear this ! AS in Adam
all de They all die in Adam, don't
they (Yes, yes, from the audienee)
Yes, they all die in Adam, everybody
dies in Adam, all dead in Adam. Now
listen, Even So that is just the same
number Of people in Christ, and if
any man is in Christ he is new crea
ture, old things are passed away, and
all things have become new'-'In
Christ shall all be made alive The
same number, all of them, that die in
Adam, are made alive in Christ. Just
the same number that die in Adam, all
mankind, shall be made alive in Christ. !"
Here the audience protested against
the new doctrine by exclaiming, {" But
-but-but-," whereupon the speaker
calculated: ''LoOk here now, you go to
bmting agin the Bible that way, and
you'll find you'll get the worst of it y
AS heard him talk, and thought of
the millions of his people as yet far
down the scale of religious progress
and then thought what an unspeakable
boon it would be to them to look for
ward to the grand consummatiOn that
gladdens our hearts, how earnestly l
desired that some avenue might be
opened through which our Gospel could
be given to them; that their deliver
ance from physical bondage might be
supplemented by that greater freedom
which the Gospel in its fullness be
slows, free indeed with the liberty
wherewith Christ makes free. And
my heart leaped in my breast as l re-
membered the promise, Ethiopia shall
stretch forth her hands to God.