The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-16

as well as every Christian rite. The di-
vine spark did not kindle the fire on the
altar and it went out, while had it been
carefully tended by an active church
membership, such as we have indicated,
it might have been steady flame of
holy influence in the community. Let it
be legend of the past forever. GA church
society but no church membership"
Our future prosperity as church, like
that of our government, or, indeed, Of our
civilization, depends upon the young.
Make the church, therefore, attractive to
the children. Bring them in q conse-
Grated spirit; let them help to make the
service helpful and inspiring, and in
turn make the Sunday. school an attract
i've place for adults.
Let us bear mind in further that god
ly men are in just as great demand in the
work as sincere women, and the church
roll should contain the names of both
men and women. The church enjoys
at best only a struggling, fitful life if
there be any lack of Hurs and Aarons
to hold up it's hands.
As church we can and must commit
ourselves to every good work, but we
cannot tolerate heresies of all sorts, and
every untried, improved hypothesis, de-
luding ourselves with the belief that the
banner of Universalism can float whole
navies of doubtful opinions and disputa-
tions. We must have positive faith
and belief. Negative doctrines will never
establish a church. Negative morals
growing out of these doctrines will never
perpetuate church. While we can
stand committed to all good things we
cannot afford to drag along anything
which will not bear investigation in the
plain light of Gods revealed word
Let the church stand for morality, phi
lanthropy, the reforms Of the day, and
with love for truth and faith in God, it's
future prosperity is assured. The build
ing up OF the church is, under God with
in our own control. With spiritual
minded, devout membership, with re-
igious family training supplemented by
that OF the Sunday school, establishing
the young in the faith, with well-dedned
principles of belief, we cen come finally
into the broad acceptance which our
name Universalism-
At the close Of this paper the committee
on resolutions submitted the following,
which on motion were accepted. The
resolutions are hereby appended. They
were adopted seristim. Quite an earnest
debate took place over the adoption of q
part of them, participated in by several
members of the council and by Br. J. Ell
Swan, who had arrived during the morn
ing, and had been invited to a seat in the
Convention.
The hour of noon having arrived a re-
cess was taken until after the memorial
services in the afternoon.
AFTERNOON sEssIoN-THURsDAY.
This was the time set apart by the pro
gram for memorial services appropriate
20 the death of two ministers, who had
been many years in the State, A. G. Barry
D. D., and Rev. M. G.. Todd. The re.
port of these very impressive and tender
services is in hand and will appear al
soon as possible.
At the close of this service, the Conven'
ton was called to order and the considera
ton of the resolutions submitted by the
committee which had been interrupted by
the noon hour, was resumed, and they
were adopted in full.
Resolved, That the executive committee
be requested to arrange for a series of Con-
ference meetings in different parts of the
State the coming year.
RESOLVED, That the executive committee
be requested to call the attention of parishes
to the importance of having their church
properly decided to the State or General
Convention.
RESOLVED, l. That we the representatives of
the Universalist church in Wisconsin, in an
nual convention assembled, re-affirm our in
terest in and sympathies with the great NOR
al reforms of the day, and with whatever
tends to better the condition of man, ma
terially, mentally, morally and spiritually.
2. That we re-affirm our hostility to the
liquor traffic, and denounce all attempts at
regulation by means of any form of license,
high or low, as tending to. entrench the traf-
fic more firmly in the selfishness of the voters,
and that as the liquor traffic is a great sin
and wrong, all partaking in its profits in.
wolves the community in the sin and wrong,
and the only way in which the individual can
purge himself of it is to oppose such parta k
ing of sinful profits in all ways possible.