The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-25
JESUS
BY REv.C.L. wAiaE.

tiOn Of certain faiths and ideals of
ChristendOm, and certain features Of
Christian history, is to be found in the
historic reality Of Jesus; in the fact
that there must have been at the fOun-
tain head of the Christian movement
such a person as the Gospels portray in
giving their account of the words and
works of Jesus; and so accept the New
Testament portrayal, and teach that
he was the Christ; the most perfect
revelation Of God; the divinely ordained
teacher and guide Of humanity; that
his mission was to save man from sin
by teaching truths and illustrating
principles Of conduct as the means to
lead mankind to repentance, reforma-
tion and holiness of life; that he comes
to bring new spiritual impulses to hu-
manity; to lead men to the worship
thai lis in spirit and in TRUTH to
train men to obedionce 10 that law of
conduct which is built upon love to
man and aspiration for holy char
acteI; 10 kindla within men faith in
God as the Universal Father, and faith
in the universal brotherhood; to pro-
mote mans growth in truth and good
ness, and so bring him into harmony
With God.
Universalists believe that the oneness
which Jesus claimed with the Father
was spiritual unity making him one
with God in spirit and purpose), rather
than any personal identity; that seeing
him was seeing the F.ther because he
was a revelation of the divine character
and purposes. UniversaEsm believes
in Jesus as the Mediator between
God and men" not j, the sense that
implies that his mission was needed to
increase the love and solicitude of the
Heavenly Father for his children, but
the Mediator i'll the ssnse that he is q
medium for giving Us knowledge Of
God and the divine 9alities; for the
Universali5t believes that it was man
and not God who reeJed to have his
feelings changed; that man needed to
be shown the FatheJ. and the way to
the Father, and 50 his ldea of the Med
iator is that just as tie polished lenses
OF the telescope bring nearer to our Wis
ion the wonders ana beauties of the
midnight skies, 50 Jeus, in his moral
perfection, is the mel nm which brings
God nearer to our spH tual vision and
reveals the harm IA me truth
He is also medium of approach; the
way TO God through fellowship of his
spirit; the Mediator in the sense that
he is the guide to lead us to higher
SUBMITS of life and broader visions of
duty and hope.
Universalism teaches that Jesus did
not come to save men from the just
punishment of their transgressions, for
it teaches that there is no escaping
any just penalty; but it teaches that he
came to lead men into the way of life
that should not deserve penalty, by
teaching them to love God and love
each other, and, as a consequence, to
DO those things that would naturally
follow from such love to God and man;
that he came 90 establish that kingdom
of God which was to consist in the di-
vine quality of the souls life, where
God, by his truth and love, reigned
within the soul; that ne came to bring
to men that "eternal life" which is the
condition of the soul in which right
eousness reigns; that he came to give
them that salvation which is spiritual
health.
The Uniyersalist believes that Jesus
established the final and universal re-
ligion of humanity; that a higher
teaching than his, in regard to God and
duty, or a more perfect type of charac-
ter, is inconceivable; that he made final
and f-evidencing statements of re-
ligious truth, saw into the depths of
the human soul, fathOmed mans deep
est need, and so read the true law of
salvation for all time"
The UniveIsalist believes that dis
cipleship of Christ's spirit is of far
more Importance than speculative theo-
ries about his person, his relation to
the Father, or the exact nature of his
wonderful works. He believes in the
divinity of Christ's character and teach
ing; that the spirit of his life and teach
ing is binding upon all professed disci-
pies; that the law of the spirit of life
in Christ Jesus" is the law we need to
follow for our own spiritual we'll being;
the only sure deliverance from the
bondage of sin and death. So Univer-
saliam teaches that there is no other
salvation than ,hs salvation through
Christ; that only q life cOnfurmed in
spirit 10 his life can bs in 5hat spiritual
condition in which salvation consists.
The Uuy6Isalist believes in Jesus as
both Sln of God and son Of Man; he
Heyirg that these titles in the gospel
records are suggestive Of important
truths in regard to his official character
and the work that ne had come to do;
that, as Son of God, he reveals the
moral perfections of the Infinite, show