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

evolution is or is not 1.-The golden key
to true knowledge of human and ami
NAL life." Faith alike demands that,
behind every form of life, behind every
theory of life, the presence and power
of the divine life shall be acknowl-
edged. Science must be forbidden to
substitute evolution for God. 1t has
the right to say that God works by
system which the theory of evolution
describes, but no more. In saying SO
much it is entitled to respectful hear
ing. But it must not go further and
sap the foundations of religion. Evo-
luton does not annul the law of cause
and effect. Even if you make the sue
eession infinite; when you have made
it infinite it brings you necessarily to
God the infinite, who is behind all;
above, beneath and through all.
Hence let the great students, the
deep thinkers so state the results of
their work as to enable the common
mind to follow them without being led
into the spiritual death of atheism. If
the evolutionist has found new wine
let it be provided with new bottles.
Let it be given a statement that will
quicken the pulse of our religious life
and bring us more lovingly near to
God. If it is true it can be made to
vindicate more conclusively than ever
the divine-wisdom and benefcence. 1t
cannot, must not lead back to the con-
clusion that 'gife begins in the mere
clash of particles of matter" The
question would still arise, Who made
the particles of matter and who made
them clash into living beingsp We re-
fuse to own that in the grave upon
which our affection plants flowers and
waters them with our tears, we have
buried all that we love, though we
have deposited there the particles of
matter among which once dwelt the
kingly intelligence, the tender SYM
pathies, the warm devotion, the grand
aspirations which so enchanted our
hearts. If otherwise, why did the par
ticles cease to clash; why do they 70
longer strike out the scintillations of
love, of conscience, will, enterprise,
worship, intellect? They are still the
identical particles that were once the
mortal temple of genius, of power.
Why now so cold and inert? If they
created the genius, why did they not
preserve it?
Better science than that, truer philos-
ophy than that, is the Christian claim
that it was the fire of genius that ami
mated the particles of matter, and not
the particles Of matter that struck out
the fire of genius. If there has been a
physical evolution there must also have
been a spiritual evolution, and the
grand old doctrine of life and immor-
tally remains untouched, unframed.
Let us find a suitable bottle for this
wine. 1t is our business to give to re-
ligion that practical and sympathetic
character which shall disarm the hostil-
ity of science and secure permanent
ally. We must present conception
of God, so la1geS and comprehensive
that science can not make of it a play
thing and hold itup to ridicule; so just
and liberal that science shall welcome
it as the explanation of all which itself
cannot explain, while it is inclusive of
all which itself demonstrates and Illus
trates.
Just here the Universalist church
finds special duty, special warrant
for being. 1t must put new wine into
new bottles. 1t gives to the doctrines
of the Gospel the clearer and larger
statement which the times require. 1t
presents conception of God which
transcends all former representations
of his being and character. The father
hood of God! Until Universalism
spoke, the nearing of these words
was hidden. OR vision of him and our
views of the life that now is and of the
life that is to be, are in the van of the
forward movement of the times, and
capable of preventing wholesale lapse
into atheism with its attendants of
responsibility and immortality. A
life that grows up under the influence
of an unworthy conception of God can
not be truly moral, even if it be CEN
ventionally proper. 1t must be lack
ing in the elements of moral strength.
believe that it can be maintained that
the dishonesty which has disgraced
our times has its secret root in false
notion of God and his government.
The sense of responsibility fades when
it is believed that the vicarious sacri-
flee of Christ provides way of escape
from the consequences of wrong doing.
If on the other hand the right thing is
done, it is not because it is right but
bef ause it is expedient.
But life that is developed under
the nourishing, ripening influence of
large and flial conception of God is
proportionately strong. The triumphs
of the future must be achieved on this
basis. People must be made to under
stand what it means that God is act