The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-21

to be said, and have been said, over and
over again, with reference to our State
Conventions in every part of the coun-
try. But it is the lesson that our lay
men especially need to Tread, mark,
learn and inwardly digest" If they
would serve our church the more eff
GENTLY, they should move to the front
of their own organization, and embrace
the privileges which are their own.
The Conventions belong to our church
es, are democratic and representative
in theory, and should be made SO in
fact. No aristocracy of the ministry
should be encouraged or tolerated in
connection with them. 1t is only as
our churches neglect their duty to be
represented by delegates at the annual
meetings, that there is any preponder-
ance of the clerical element in their
proceedings. 1t is the misfortune,
where it exists, of the general situa-
ton.
1.-The Permanent Fund, this also
is a need in every Western State. In
several of them, as in Ohio, there is
beginning made, but the work Ian
cuisines. Whatever argument is used
for increasing such fund in Ohio, and
in regard to the duty of Universalists
to remember their organizations in
"Beqdests,' applies equally to Indiana,
Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Mime
sofa. Then let the reader consider the
plain-spoken article, Loyalty" This
also enforces a general lesson that is
needed. 1t unfortunately happens that
in other States beside Ohio, we have
specimens of the genus Malcontent-
the chronic disloyalist and Perpetual
Stumbling block, unwilling themselves
to join in the forward movements of
the church, and exercising their con-
stantly lessening influence against the
organization and the discipline of the
church. Shame on all such disloyal
Universalists, and special shame on the
minister engaged in such work as John
Richardson describesl
The necessity of "The Circuit Sys-
tenn is also felt in other States-more
particularly in Indiana-to provide our
smaller congregations with a regular
and economical administration of the
gospel. 1.-The State Superintendent
needs just the explanation of it's eff
cheney and practical operation as a mis-
sionary fundamentally which is given
in behalf of Ohio; while in matters of
Church Work, estate Quotas" and
"The Ministry" We need in all di-
rections precisely the infusion of sound
common sense and practical admins
tration in State and parish work that
these representative articles suggest.
The word in regard to Isolated Uni
versalists" is again of general applica-
ton, and the same may be said OF
several other articles.
We congratulate the Ohio brethren
on the excellent matter they have pro-
vided for our columns on all these top.
les. We benefit not alone Ohio in pub
fishing them, but our entire Western
Zion. The revelation they bring home
to us is that the substantial needs OF
our church are everywhere largely the
same. This is the lesson we draw from
the Ohio message. 1t can be read in
each separate article, and in all together
We commend the various articles to the
attention of our readers, and ask that
they be we'll pondered by the Univers.
alists into whose hand this Impression
of the paper will come. Let them be
read outside of Ohio, with the key to
their general usefulness furnished in
this article-an Ohio number of THE
UNIvERsALIsT, indeed, and most truly;
but also in general usefulness, well
adapted to the wants of our people
throughout the interior and the great
| Northwest.