The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-07

aloof from this plain duty? Why do
30 many hesitate to give public testi-
mony of prayer and praise to the
blessed Father for the gift of life and
all its social and religious blessings?
The church is religious institution,
family gathering Of loving hearts to
give utterance to each other for the
gracious tidings of the gospel of Christ.
1t is an assemblage where we meet as
brethren to encourage each other in
our heartfelt expressions of love and
gratitude for the impartial kindness
of our Creator and Father. 1t is true
we gather in church relation to hear
the gospel preached, but this should
not be all for which we meet. We
should meet for prayer and praise
and to gain, by our individual testi-
mony, the strength and confidence of
working Christians. This we must
not do for time, and then cease in
our Christian labor, but we should
make it life business. No place
should be more desired than the prayer
and the praise meetiDg-a meeting
where we can lay our heads upon the
breast Of our loving Master, and feel
the throbbings of his benevolent heart.
The early apostles used to recline in
this way, and we should feel that we
are always in the Divine Presence, and
are travelling life's journey with our
hands in the hand of Jesus, and are
ever listening to the gracious words he
uttered. Jesus is our elder brother,
and by the power of his gospel we
have been saved from the darkness
which shrouds the unenlightened ma
tions. This should invite us to Jealous
activity in Christian improvement. 1t
should add to the warmth of our souls
in the pleasant duties which engage
both heart and hand. &
Let the same interest engage our
thoughts which engage us inour daily
avocations, and our church would put
on her beautiful garments, and our
prosperity would be assured. How
eloquently most men can talk in pri-
vate and public on the secular affairs
of this world. Whatever will add to
their earthly possessions will loosen
their tongues and give activity to
hands and brain, and incite an ambi-
tion which will overcome every obsta-
cle-and all this for the riches which
fade like the falling leaf. But we
would urge upon all the riches which
never fade-riches which the moth
worm can not destroy, and which must
STAKE ap Ihe wealth of Gne eternal
ages. We would have mind and heart
engaged in seeking the wealth which
is immortal-the riches of the incor-
ruptible inheritance. We are in this
short life enveloped in chrysalis
state, which sooner or later we shall
cast aside as the butterfly does, and
then we shall be clothed upon with
body which will never experience sick
ness, pain or death. We shall then be
like the angels and equal to them, full
filling the glorious purpose of the
adorable Father in our creation. Is it
embarrassing to thank God for the gifts
of this life, and for the invitation he
has made of endless felicity in the
many mansions prepared for us? 1t
is to Him we are indebted for this
broad earth, for it's pleasant fields, for
the organization of the physical uni
verse, for the warm sunshine and the
descending showers. And the more we
think of the things and Gods rela-
tion to T. the more pleasure this
life will =. The frmer our reli-
ance up, therly Benefactor, the
more satis ms ill be our life. This
will tend to venel alton of God and to
the most benignant thoughts of his
character. 1t will cultivate real piety,
or reverence, and cause us to live ac-
cording to his will. This is what we
learn in the church relation-the insti-
tuition of the Church of Christ.