The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-28
Sermon.
FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER
AND HIS SON.
BY REV. A. A. THAYER.
Dosage, Iowa.

with his son, Jesus Christ. IL. John i. 81
The doctrine of Christian fellowship
is pleasant and profitable theme. 1t
is the basis of all religious growth and
success. Fellowship itself is lovely
word. AS pure Anglo-Saxon it means
bound by faith to each other. In its
comprehensive sense it would mean
companionship, association, co-partner-
ship, and cooperation. 1t compre-
hends all those affectionate or strong
organizations known as societies and
corporations. Because in these rela-
tions, all the members are bound to-
gether by some kind of faith in each
other. They are all more or less de-
pendent upon each other. In its larger
sense, therefore, there is fellowship in
Gods affairs, in mans affairs and in
the affairs of our Lord Jesus Christ.
First, as to Gods affairs. From the
very beginning the doctrine of fellow
ship seems 20 have been priced as the
apple of Gods eye. Creation was born
with it. Not anything was created to
dwell alone. All things from the dawn
of time were associated together-born
into fellowship. They were made de-
pendent upon each other. There is an
eternal, and the grandest fellowship In
the things over our heads and under
our feet. The stars in glory are band
ed together in everlasting companion
ship. Cut them assunder and we shall
have chaos and siderial desolation.
United and bound together, God dis
plays in them order and beauty and har-
mony. How wondrous and beautiful
is the fraternity between our sun and
his cluster of planets, and between the
planets and all their satellites! Yea,
and between all suns and planets and
satellites that, like sparkling argosies,
move through the blue ether above.
God never made single sun to dwell
alone. Not solitary planet ever ex-
listed alone. All satellites are connect
ed with parent families Of planets.
And so suns and planets and satellites
journey and sing in eternal fellowship
Thus they are made habitable and pro-
ductive and jfe-bearing, and answer
the ends of their creation. Siderial
partnership, celestial fraternity
stellar incorporation, is the great doc
trine of Gods affairs in the sky. Not
anarchy but unity is the saving and
practical theory of all divine develop
ments over our heads.
And Gods affairs under our feet
preach the doctrine of fellowship no
less nightly. There is fellowship and
unity of purpose in the earth and
water and air and sunlight. They all
cooperate in the grand problems of
vegetation and of animal life. Separate
the links of this mundane co-partner-
ship and not shrub could grow out of
the ground-not tiny insect could
live on the spacious globe. God has
not made an apple, nor a rose, nor a
sparrow, except he began with the
doctrine of fellowship between the
substances which compose the object
which he would create. What is
growth but the divine gathering to-
gether of the particles which are incor-
porated into the structure which
groweth? And what is the structure
but an Incorporation and perpetual
fraternity between all the parts and
particles of the structure. A peach
tree and grape vine and corn stalk,
no less than mouse or an elephant,
are only organizations. And organiza-
lions are composed of sympathetic in
dividualities which consent to dwell
together-which, in a sense, have
faith in each other. And so in Gods
affairs under our feet, and all around
us, the doctrine of fellowship is para
mount. 1t is vital. 1t is universal,
omnipresent and everlasting. Not any
living beings could have bodies to en-
joy or food to eat without it. All the
processes of the world would cease did
these benefcent forces come to an
end. God everywhere, in all of his
affairs, in the skies, the seas, and on
the dry land, has wrought by the rule
of fellowship and cooperation as his
golden rule.
Consider now the beneicent doctrine
of fellowship in the affairs of men.
The human race began with it. The
first organized human fellowship was
in the garden Of Eden. That was con-
nubial and domestic fellowship. 1t
underlies the home. 1t spreads into
neighborhoods and tribes and clans.
And that is social fellowship. And
tribes and clans formed larger affinities
which grew into national fellowship.
And hence nations can exist only
through common laws of fraternity and
cooperation. And fraternity and fell
lowship are the hardpan and soil of
common laws and commonwealth.
So of all the great enterprises of ma
lions. What of public highways. and
bridges and ships and railways and the
shuttles of production and commerce?
What but astounding proof of the util-
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