The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-21
LOYALTY.
REV. JOHN RICHARDSON.

Few of our people feel the Importance
ofloyalty to our Convention, our colleg-
es and our Publishing House. 1t is not
uncommon for Universalist parents to
send their children to colleges I'M
friendly to our cause, to gain some sup
posed advantage, when we have insti-
tutions Of our own of very high order.
A proper appreciation of our own in
situations of learning would soon make
them, (if indeed they are not already
so,) second to none in our land. Some
of our earnest Sunday-school workers
pay literally to secure Universalist
preaching, and then put into the hands
of the children the literature of par
tialists because it can be secured for
few cents less-thus poisoning the
minds of the young, supporting false
teaching and literature, and withhold
ing from our 2wp Publishing House
the patronage that rightly belongs to
it. Our literature costs little more
because it is worth more; but if the
Universalist Publishing House had the
support and patronage to which it is
entitled, it might not only give us the
high order Of literature now given, but
might also give it at ''prices as low as
the lowest.n
Some of our ministers never speak
word in their churches for the Conven-
ton. " ~oatr.hr.'on is asked for
the Convention, these ministers make
no effort to secure it, and in some in
stances discourage giving.
When the Convention undertakes
some important work these ministers
fail to cooperate, and even discourage
the work by actual opposition to it or to
those charged with its execution. 1t
seems thing incredible that any
Universalist, and especially minister,
should make remarks in public, calcu-
lated to bring the Convention into dis
repute, yet this is not uncommon.
A few of the churches bear no part
of the expenses of the Convention
and contribute nothing toward its
work. They ignore all its appeals.
Communications from the officers or
committees of the Convention to min
listers or clerks Of churches are of ten
treated with silent contempt"
These things ought not to be so. An
application for license to preach, or for |
ordination, is virtually pledge to be
true and loyal, not only to the church,
but also to its institutions. Church
membership pre-supposes loyalty and |
conservation to the church's institu-
tions.
AS the Convention is the only organi- |
cation by which ministers and churches
are bound together and the only author |
ity instituted by the churches for
their general government, opposition to
it is anarchy, and must tend to disor-
ganiZation and chaos. 1t is ingratitude |
on the part of ministers and disloyalty |
in all, whether churches, ministers or
laymen, who, by their opposition, Grip
pie and handicap the Convention. Its |
usefulness, and the amount of good &C
complished with given amount of |
labor and money are in inverse proper
ton to such opposition.
Possibly our church polity is not as
good as it might be, but it is the best |
we have, and furnishes no just cause
for disloyalty to our institutions, or dis
respect for them.
AS the elections and business mat
tiers are under the direct control of the
people, neither the personnel of our Off
GERS nor their acts furnish grounds for
continual warfare on the Convention.
The Convention is ours and will always
be just what we make it. Properly
appreciated and supported, it will
prove an instrument powerful for good
in the hands of God and his people.
Neglected, condemned, betrayed, it
must be miserable failure, and with
its failure must come great injury to
our cause.