The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-28
CHARITY IN THIS WORLD AND IN
THE NEXT.

The late Methodist Quarternian
Conference established new order of
ecclesiastics. Henceforth they are to
have deaconesses in their church. What
enthusiasm over the establishment of
the orderl How unanimous the vote
The gallant DR.. Thoburn waxed eloquent
in eulogy Of women. The new order
of sisters were likened unto the angels.
II think" said he, "that 1 hear the
tread Of angels on the streets of all our
great cities. They are coming by the
thousand with cooling draughts for
parched lips, with tender touch for ach-
ing brows, with helping hands for the
needy, with cheering words for bur-
dened hearts" This is beautiful The
whole Conference was moved as under
a great spirit. The eloquent Doctor
had given brilliant and clean-cut pic
ture of charity at one heat. 1t fell
from his lips as golden coin from a
die of the mint. The image was so
beautiful that the assembly burst out
into applause unconsciously, and
wholly without heed or hindrance.
Like the sight of good deed in a
naughty world, responsive sympathies
cut through the dark banks of Metho-
dist doctrine as the flashes of candle
cut through the darkness. The new
order of deaconesses will be kind of
Protestant Sisters of Charity. The new
movements an official recognition of
the need of more charity in the church.
1t is glowing tribute to the worth of
charity itself. In the great scramble
for doctrines charity has been pushed
aside. AS timid maid on the borders
of great rabble, her hands have been
empty. She has had no part in the
fray. No one has told her what to do.
But now and henceforth charity shall
be queen. She weareth royal robes.
She is like unto an angel. And all who
behold her face shall rise up to bestow
deserved honor.
But why did this image and figure of
an angel rise up SO quickly in DR.. Tho
burns mind and fall from his lips?
Are angels conspicuous for charity?
Are angels the embodiment of those
merciful virtues which would help the
needy, relieve the sick, cheer the sad,
and comfort the bereaved? Do angels
minister to the sinful and rejoice when
they become sinless? All! yes; to be
sure they do. In the Bible, as in tradi-
tion and church doctrines, the faces of
angels shine forth as gentle, merciful
beings, who are never SO happy as when
they make others happy-never 50
blessed as when they make others
blessed. But hold Are angels the
same to all unfortunate beings in
their own world as they are to
unfortunate beings in this2 Or are
they changeable, tickle, all merciful to
spirits in the flesh, but wholly indiffer-
ent to suffering spirits out of the flesh?
This little problem might be wrought out
by some of the doctrines of the Evan
gelical Church. But we fear that the
angels would come out in sorry repute
after the problem was finished. The
good, sound, church doctrine of no pro-
baton after death, for instance, would
make sad work with angelic charity in
the future life, such work as the wolf
makes with the lamb, or the eagle with
the fawn.
That Mr.. Grattan, who inserted his
mournful Jeremiad in the Springfield
Republican, believes that the doctrine
of the universal salvation of infants
was the thin edge of the wedge of her
esy which has entered into the modern
church. That doctrine and a second
probation he declares to be. "two of Sat
ans most delusive snares of souls"
What then about charity to suffering
infants in the future state? No doubt |
the great Methodist Conference would |
be glad to so multiply its thous ands of |
Protestant Sisters of Charity, likened |
unto the angels, that there should be a
universal charity to all the motherless
infants in the country. But could not |
the real angels be as charitable in the |
other world as angelic deaconesses
in this? And must charity there be |
confined to helpless and infantile inno-
cence, while the senior sufferers shall
have no pity.
What of the consistency between
charity and the doctrine of eternal
damnation? Hospitals, asylums, infrm-
aries, homes for the friendless, and the
other numberless bosoms of charity to
which the suffering are invited in this
life, are the glory of the Christianity of
this age. But will the charity Of earth
shame the parsimony of heaven2 Jesus
told the lawyer to doas the Good Samar