The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-04


had a man ID it,-full-grown, full-bal-
anced in head and heart. Sometimes,
also, he called himself Son of God; for
to him God was not judge or king,
but father. Well, what happened?
Providence allowed this wonderful soul,
this treasure of mankind, to be taken
in year or two, and murdered by ruff
fans. Narrow-minded bigots thought
him in their way, and God allowed
them to kill him. What then? Then
it was shown how goodness is immortal
and cannot be killed, how death turns
into life. What he foresaw and fore
told came to pass: 81 go away, and
come to you." When he went he came.
He who was with you shall be in
you," he said. And SO it was. He
whom they had before outwardly at
tended now became their inward in
spiration, their holy spirit. His death
became the redemption of the world.
His soul passed into the life of
his disciples, and through them in
to the life of the age. 1t leavened
the whole lump of human nature. In
few centuries, the grand Roman En-
pire laid aside its own ancient religion,
deposed its pontiffs; abolished its
flamens, silenced its augurs, and re-
ceived this crucifed Jew as its master.
This man had left nothing in writing,
but his fugitive sayings became the
oracles of mankind. He had formed
no system of belief, but all the veneer
able PHILOSOPHERS became the servants
| in his school. He came fir ON the OBJ
scurest corner of an obscure state, to
be the light of the world. He taught a
year, and died, and is the life of man.
kind. So it was seen that, when God
gave Jesus to the race, he gave him
forever.
1t is now twenty-five years since the
purest, noblest, truest, bravest of the
then rising generation of this land went
to the war. How many were swept
away! How much of the best mind,
heart, soul of the North seemed to per-
ish, and perish forever, in that cruel
struggled Yet 1 doubt if any living
men exercise such power to-day in the
land as those whom we call dead. Each
of these noble ones is acting on circle
of men and women whom he has puri-
fed, strengthened, elevated to higher
plane of thought and work. Through
their minds and hearts, these lost ones
are present, active as ever.
When God has once given us to
know himself, this greatest of all gifts
he gives forever. After years of trivial,
outward life, life empty of any solid
satisfaction, there comes some day of
trial, of sorrow, of great and bitter dis
appointment, some day in which re-
morse seizes us for our wasted years,
or our hardness and Indifference to-
ward our friends, or our life empty Of
any great purpose. Then, perhaps, in
the midst of our sense of utter helpless
ness, we are LED Is see that God loves
us still, that his arms are around us,
that he can forgive to the uttermost all
our folly; and in that sight we begin a
new life. After this, no matter what
comes, we have something we can never
lose again,-a faith in Gods love
which nothing can quench, one anchor
which holds fast in every storm. snow
abides faith" says Paul, telling how
belief changes and opinion passes away.
If we have ever once really trusted the
Supreme Goodness, that will always
remain in the depths of the soul, "a
seed of hope and love. Wien God gave
me that, he gave it forever. suppose
this is what is really meant by the
Calvinistic doctrine of "the persever-
ance Of the saints" Not that the
saints may not do wrong and go wrong,
may not forget their best purpose
sometimes, forget Gods love some
times; but there remains that expert
ence in their neart always, ready to
bring them once again to their Father.
That which brought the prodigal son
back to his father was the remem brance
of his fathers liberality: "How many
hired servants of my father have bread
enough, and to sparel''
1t is an infinite blessing when little
children grow up in a church which
teaches them that God Is, in his essence,
not wrath, but love. Then they are
saved from the untold misery which
those suffer who are taught to believe
in God as stern judge. No matter
what comes to them, they have always
this faith in a Providence which
watches, leads, and cares for them.
They have one blessing which they can
never lose, which will comfort them in
their sorrow, and make death easy.
This gift, also, God gives forever.
1t is great thing to have had
happy youth, and God gives to most
young people such fountain of joy
within that youth; it is almost always
happy. 1t may be in the midst of pow
erty and hardship, but still it is happy.
Its inward light is thrown on all things