The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-21
FALLING FROM GRACE.

Driven to the brickyards under the
whip, drawer of water for the opulent
gardens of the Nile; carving the sphinx
that was seen on every street with her
questioning face; assisting to furnish a
magnificent temple or cutting grand
canal, the Hebrew was everywhere the
same, "a slave who saw in the distant hor
izon prison wall reaching to the skies,
and to whom the fatherland was dream
swiftly fading away. Then came the
providential man, who called this slave
people from the brickysrds; then the
march across the sands; freedom and
the promised land loomed in the dis
tance as they marched with rapid steps,
while "Zion's daughters poured their
lays, with priests and warriors voice
between" Then came the wilderness
with hardship, and now the mind went
back to the brickyards, and they cried
once more for slavery with plenty, ratt
er than liberty and hardship.
This is the fact. The principle has
been illustrated by Prof. Drummond
and before him by Charles Darwin. 1t
is known to scientists as ''reversiOn to
type" 1t is shown in the beautiful rose
that has attained perfection under cult
walton, but left alone returns by steady
degeneration to rimitive type,
and becomes the dog rose Of the hedges.
That was the history of the Hebrew
mind, and is the history of the modern
mind as well.
within hundred years men have
battled with q will for the proper intro
ductiOn Of reason in religion, and hun
dreds have joined the movement at diff
ferent times; but only few can stand
on the picket line and hear the whist
ling of the bullets without disposition
to go back to the tlesh-pots and intel
lectual slavery Of Egypt. "A very hun
CRY wolf said Wendell Phillips, met
very glossy, well-fed dog, and begged
to be taken with him that he, too,
should receive one good, satisfying
meal As they went along the wolf
discovered marks on the dogs neck.
Why is this?' said he. Oh they feed
me well, but they keep an iron collar
on my neck,' Then you may go alone.
Give me freedom and with it hunger,
and take your iron collar and plenty
I will go my way" The men are
not many, however, who are ready
when the struggle comes to stand in that
attitude. More are ready to say: "If
declare that l really believe conser-
vatism Will desert, and after all it may
be better to carry on both shoulders
little, and then shall get the support
of both classes; if l stand on compro-
mise grounds l will draw from both
camps" But remember one thing,
God is rolling this demand for a reas-
enable religion along, and you have only
to examine the articles in that triumph
of modern scholarship, the 'EncyclOpe.
dia Britannica and listen to the dis
cussiOn at Audover and elsewhere to see
the tendency Of the present time; with
or without you it will win; and while
many may refuse to take up the work,
and Others may fail because of hard
ship to stand in tie front during the
battle, the work will not fail until a
reasonable Interpretation of the Bible
prevails, until religion is made broad
by philosophy, which explains ard
gives definition; until the church has
more generous ideas regarding litera-
ture taste and culture, and more lib
eTal view of rational amusements.
Whether We are brave enough to stand
in the battle or not, God is bringing
this time about, and it will surely
come, ,-Rev. W. 5, Vail,