The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-01
SOME OLD PAPERS.


In these days when there is multi
plicity of interesting and profitable read
ing in our daily and weekly papers,
both secular and religious, we find a
growing disposition to regard this read
ing matter too lightly. Much that is
valuable is allowed to become waste.
1t is nothing but a newspaper. 1t can
ornament pantry shelf-just the place
where it ought not to be-or it will
serve to light the kitchen fire. There
is a lack of appreciation of the labor in
preparing matter for the public print,
and still greater lack in regard to the
matter itself.
For many years my father was sub
scriber for the Oliue Branch, published
in Boston, and I well remember the
pleasure and profit that centered around
the hour when the paper made its
weekly advent. For years the papers
were preserved. Fanny Fern'' was
writer for its columns, and her alti-
cles were among the first that received
attention. The ''tooth of time" finally
proved too powerful and one by one
the numbers vanished until finally fire
destroyed the last vestige Of them with
eleven volumes of The Independent
New York;, and several volumes of
| The Christian Leader.
Time forbids to mention the worth
of these papers and the loss entailed by
their destruction.
Two years ago it was with pleasure
| that I received from a Universalist
lady and friend, four copies of the
Herald and Era, bearing the date of
1857, and one copy of Aug. "a, 1851
the year of the commencement of the
war of the great rebellion. The papers
have been cherished for years. Pleasant
memories clustered around them. And
this leads to the objective point regard
ing these papers of thirty-one and
twenty-seven years ago.
Thirty years ago was crucial period,
not only in politics and what concerned
the fate of a great nation and liberty
and equal rights, but also in theology
and religious freedom. Thirty years
ago and slavery was maintained and
defended by the professed followers of
Jesus. Thirty years ago the position
and mission of this same Jesus were
greatly misunderstood. and the dog
ma of eternal damnation was loudly
proclaimed. The ''nerve" Of Christian
effort was receiving tonic treatment.
Thirty years ago the Herald and Era
was published and edited by that great
man. I. D. Williamson, D.. D.
This paper was ably conducted, as
the few issues at hand strongly testify.
And that is what made them worth
preserving. This is fitting place to
say that any paper not worth preserv-
ing should never find admittance with
! in the outside door of any home, much
less within the family reading circle.
Time will not allow the presentation
of the full worth of these old papers.
They are brim full Of the virtue and
meaty substance that make the strong,
hearty, loving and lovable Christian.
The issue of Aug. %, 1S57,-Vol.
| VIII-may be taken as characteristic
number. On the first paper is found
the Pulpit depal tment, containing an
! interesting address on "Free Masonry
AN aid to the Christian Religion" by
VIM. Matthews, M. D., when and
Where should we be Devotional" and
other matter Of interest. But with de-
light we turn to the editorial page and
find it profuse with interesting and in
structive matter from the pen of 1. D.
Williamson. Two articles attract at
tention, namely, 'The intellectually
of Christ" and "Rudiments of Theol-
ogy." No. L. In the former is found
complete answer to the skeptics in
particular, and all skeptics in general,
who said she locked upon the writer's
of Scripture precisely as he did upon
other men, and he did not see anything
remarkable about them. Moses was a
man of some pats, for that age. Solo
mon was man of no uncommon pow
ers Of mind. The prophets were men
Of moderate minds; and Jesus, though
good man, was not as talented as
many of the present day."
After speaking of the great law pro-
mulgated by Jesus, the law of love, and
referring to it as a greater triumph
than Newton achieved, and answering
the man as to the intellectual endow-
ments of Jesus and other men in the
Scripture, DR.. Williamson says: "And
so it seems to US that every candid man
who reads the Scriptures must admit
one of two things. Either there is the
inspiration of God, or there is the de-
velopment of the mightiest intellectual
power that the world has ever seen.
For ourselves, while we think we can
discover evidences of profound intel
lectual capacity in many of the sacred
teachers, yet we do not believe that
any mere intellectual efforts ever dis
covered the great truths they announce,
and we can account for their announce
ment, especially in ages of darkness,