The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-04-21

tirely lost, and man is, therefore, not
totally depraved. But while Universe
lism denies that mans depravity is total,
it recognizes and emphasizes the awful
fact of his universal sinfulness and con-
sequeut separation from God, and the
necessity OF his salvation at the same
time, confidently affirming the dignity
and possibilities of human nature, and
that there is in every child of God that
which Is capable of salvation, and worth
saving, and will be saved.
The Bible.
In its Profession of Faith, Universal
ism affirms its belief that ''the Scriptures
of the Old and New Testaments contain
a revelation Of the character of God, the
duty, interest and final destiny Of man."
1t denies verbal inspiration, but holds
to the belief that the Bible contains the
inspired revelation of Gods truth. To
get at this truth, it is necessary that il be
interpreted dramatically, historically.
in the light of reason and common sense.
and the key to the whole Bible, as to life
itself, Is the Fatherhood of God,
The Atonement.
The atonement does not mean the VIC
arious sacrifice of Christ to reconcile God
to man, but it means that God was, in
Christ, reconcilmg man unto himself.
Christ's sacrifice was not to effect
change in God, but to change man and
make him atone with God.
And the power of Jesus to endure the
Cross came from the conscious certainty
that his work and sacrifices were not in
vain; that he should see the travail of his
soul and be satisfied, and In the glorious
thnnnht thof thne avryEar ILL.,
him would sometime, not only be ade-
qustely punished, but would come to
love him, and. with the redeemed race.
call him Lord, to the glory of the Father
The Holy Spirit.
Universalism believes in the Holy
Spirit, not as the third person in the
Trinity, not as personality at all, but
as medium of expression of Gods ma
ture and will to men, the Comforter, the
illumination. The Spirit of God in men
makes mems lives like Gods. In pro-
portion as We have the spirit or DISPOSE
ton OF God, we approach unto his per-
lection. We therefore pray that His
Spirit may come and prevail in our
hearts, and pray with faith, believing it
will come universally.
Salvation.
Universalism differs from other theolo-
! gical systems, especially in it's definition
of the nature, method and extent of sal
walton. 1t is held in this faith that the
nature of salvation was defined in the
announcement OF the coming of Jesus,
who was to "save his people from their
SINS" Matthew i. 81, rather than from
the consequences of sin; not to save from
just and needed punishment, but to save,
in which salvation punishment is fac
tor of no little importance,-from the
darkness OF evil into the light of right
eousness, from poverty of soul into the
riches of spiritual life. Salvation is hol-
mess. 1t is not a process of changing the
disposition Of God, but of improving the
character of man. Its great object is to
make man perfect, even as the Heavenly
Father is perfect. Salvation is, there
fore, not something external, not from
one place into another, not mechanical
or magical transformation, but the growth
of the spiritual life, as simple and natural
as the development OF the mind.