The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-04-28

Wow VI ohO dOuOi, ou0 dObIdCOlfcucSS
of the Saviour's life, the hatefulness
of sin and the loneliness of virtue, make
the Christian life attractive to him,
and you will touch his heart, melt him
to repentance, start him in the better
way, and the man becomes changed.
And this change that is wrought in
him is called Conversion or the New
Birth.
S. Conversion, therefore, or the New
Birth, as Universalists understand it,
is simply a turning about, a change in
ones purposes, and mode of living. 1t
takes away no old faculties, adds no
new ones. The same soul is there, the
same powers to think, love, act and
worship. But they have become quick
ened into newness of life, aroused to
activity, set flowing out toward God
and all that is good. Or, if active be-
fore, they are turned into the ways of
Righteousness, instead of the ways of
sin, as in the case of Paul. Paul was
the same identical person after his
conversion that he was before, with this
differences: All his thoughts, loves,
activities are now On the side Of the
truth, right, humanity, and God in
stead of error, hate and persecution as
before. When a man has undergone
this change he has passed from moral
death to moral life. And when this
occurs man is saved.
6. But what do Universalists believe
Of Rewards and Punishmentsp We
believe that virtuous life always
brings reward, and sinful life always
punishment. "To the righteous there
is sure reward" "Glory, honor, and
peace to every man that worketh good"
But 'tribulation and anguish upon
every soul of man that doeth evil'
"He that doeth wrong shall receive for
the wrong which he hath DONE" Such
are the teachings of the Bible. We
accept them. Such is the law of God
written in our very natures. Happiness
follows obedience misery, disobedi-
ence. If we violate physical laws we
suffer the consequences. The same is
true if we violate moral laws. AS the
soul was made in the image of God,
nothing will give it peace and satisfac-
ton save those things which are born of
God, such as truth, wisdom, goodness.
love. And so when a man does that
which is wrong, it brings to him degra-
dation and wretchedness. And this is
mans hell.
7. Universalists, therefore, believe in
hell. "The wicked shall be turned
into hell, and all the nations that for
get God. David, when he did wrong,
found this hell. Says he, "Great is thy
mercy toward me, o Lord, for thou
hast delivered my soul from the lowest
hell" Every wicked man is in hell, OF
hell is in him; and he cannot escape it
till he changes his life. And every
pure and noble soul is in heaven. And
men, while wicked, are devils or satans,
and while good and pure are angels.
But no church is more emphatic in
declaring the absolute certainty of re-
wards and punishments than the Uni
versalist. In fact we do not believe it
possible for man to do right without
experiencing joy and satisfaction as
result; nor for man to do wrong
without retribution overtaking him
sooner or later, in time or eternity. We
do not believe that even repentance
can deliver man from just retribu-
ton. We believe in
s. Repentance aud forgiveness, but
repentance and forgiveness of sin. He
who violates Gods laws must expert
ence regret, sorrow, contritiOn, and
seek divine forgiveness before he can
find the peace which the heart Graves
But forgiveness does not turn aside a
just retribution for sins already COM
mited. "Thou vast God that for
gavest iniquity, transgression and sin,
and will by no means clear the guilty.
says the record. 1t is the sin that God
overlooks, and not its just deserts.
The demands Of justice are memorable
Let no man, therefore sin, thinking he
can escape it's sad consequences by re-
pentance.
8. But while Universalists believe in
the absolute certainty of punishment
for all sins, they yet believe God is
good, and therefore, his punishments
are inflicted to correct the offender, as
a good earthly parent Furnishes his
child. "God chastiseth us that we may
afterward yield the peaceable fruits of
righteousness, says Paul. Punish
ment, therefore, is just what wicked
man needs, as a sick man needs medi-
cine. 1t brings him to himself, as in
the case of the prodigal. 1t is not only
just that he be punished, but mercifu
also. Unto thee, o Lord, belongeth
mercy, for thou renderest unto every
man according to his works." says one
of old. Punishment never saves
man, but only gives him a start in tho
right direction. 1t is through Chris
tian faith and life that we are saved.
But divine punishments, administered