The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-07
EDITORIAL BRIE FS.
BY REV, l. M, ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, N. Y.

The Christian Registers inquiry
"What has Jesus Christ done for hu
mauity?' brought out responses enough
to make a unique Christmas number.
The inquiry wss addressed to Unita-
rians exclusively, and the res ponses are
interesting as giving what may be call
ed a consensus OF Unitarian opinion as
to the value Of Jesus Christ to man
kind. Thirteen of the laity and nine
teen of the clergy unite in the SYM
postum. The reverence for Jesus and
the appreciation of his transcendent work.
average higher with the laymen than
with the ciergymep. The only really
radical utterances are from three of the
ministers. On the whole, the "prom-
inent" Unitarians do not fall much be-
low any equal number of equally intelli-
gent people in the most orthodox denom-
nations, in their estimate of the value of
Jesus Christ to mankind.
The response of Judge Hear, of Con.
cord, is the bIiefest of the thirty-two; and
that of Senator Hoar is not much long
er. Both are admirable for condensed
comprehensiveness. That of Senator
Hoar has seldom been equaled: "What
has been the influence upon humanity of
perfect example of duty, love and
truth, commended to mankind as such
by the Creator Of the universe, and Of a
perfect statement, sufficient for all hu-
man occasions reduced to rule and Illus
trated by parable, within the comprehen-
sion of all sane understa andings, of the
moral law and of human duty, accom-
panied by the promise of an Immortality
in which compliance with that law shall
bear fruit in the loftiest happiness Of
which human nature is capable?"
The Rev. George @. Adams, of st,
Louis, details in the AdUance the expe-
rience of his society with an architect,
Mr. Laurence B. Walk, of New York. Mr..
Walk was selected from a number of
competitors because of his positive opin-
ion that he could build for the sum
named by the society. He entered into
contract to furnish plans and specifica-
tions for a chapel to cost q sum not ex-
ceeding $4,000. He was paid for the
plans when furnished. The lowest bid
on his plans was $3500O He took
month to reduce the plans, but the low
est bid on the reduced plans was $22, 900.
The society had no recourse but to
abandon Mr.. Walk and his plans and lose
both the time and money wasted on him.
Such is the story OF the pastor
This is not good showing for Mr..
Walk. and it is to be hoped that he does
not fairly represent the useful profession
to which he belongs. Over against this
incident might be placed several Others
running thus: The pastor, or the church
building committee, probably both, call
on the architect; consume a good deal of
his time in inquiries and in conference;
finally ask him to make sketch of a
plan with estimates; call again, look at
the sketch, discuss it, make suggestions,
and at length order him to furnish plans
and specifications. These are taken be-
fore Ia larger meeting of the committee
or the parish, discussed, and perhaps
condemned as unsatisfactory. The com
mittee and the pastor, under instructions
or otherwise, go to another architect and
repeat the process. Time passes; archi-
feet No l hears nothing from the COM
mittee. He writes to know what they
are doing or proposing to do, and is in
formed that they are about to build from
another design. He probably sends in
his bill for services. Pastor and COM
mittee look at each other in blank sston-
ishment, and calculate, simultaneously,
'preposterousw
-Br. Barrows, of the Christian Regis
ter, will feel suitably penitent, we know,
when he learns how the inaccurate phil
ologY Of his Christmas question shocked
us and hurt our Boston pride. He asked
"What has Jesus Christ done for human
ity?" Now the primary and proper mean
ing of humanity, is the quality which con-
stitutes one human. It is sometimes
used when a synonym is wanted, as the
equivalent of mankind. But that the &C.
curate and elegant editor of the Register
should so use it at first hand and without
provocstion, almost merits a trial for
heresy.
The death of man in the midst of
his years and his usefulness adds an ele-
ment of peculiar sadness to the grief in
seperable from the loss of those wa love.
We learned of the departure las week of
two valued personal friends and men,
bers of our household of faith. The
death of Wilmot l.. Warren was an
nounced last week. Only day later the
summons came for the Rev. Orlando A.
Rounds, late pastor of the church in
Utica, n. Y. Both of the men we're yet
young; both were finely equipped; both
were industrious, studiouR, growing, and
both we're men of high character. Such
men are not plenty; and it takes so long
a time to produce them and so great a
cost, that their loss is public misfor-
tune.
H.. . A. II