Morning journal and courier., 1889-06-13
UNIVERSALLY CONVENTION.
Many Delegates Present-Hnterestin
 Exercises and Able Addresses.

UNIvERsALIsT CONVENTION. Many Delegates Present-Interesting
 Exercises and Able Addresses.
 The Universalist Southern association opened yesterday morning at the Church of the Messiah in this city. The meeting was called to order about 10:30 by the secretary, Rev. E. M. Grant of Stamford. Hon. Seth Cook of Long Ridge was elected chairman and Rev. L. H. Squires was appointed com- mittee on public exercises.
 Rev. O. R. Moor, Unitarian missionary of Massachusetts, was introduced to the assem- blaze and invited to participate in the.meet- ing. He responded with an interesting and fraternal address.
 After brief intermission the occasional sermon was delivered by Rev. L. B. Fisher, of Bridgeport. He spoke from the text that all Gods people were prophets"
 He spoke easily and without notes, show ing the significance of "sight" and ''insight." l" It is insight which makes the poet, artist and prophet and gives the world the visions and dreams which inspire to higher things. All men may become prophets. We may even foreten some things; and it is the business of the Universalist ohurch to foreten with assur- ance the outcome of human destiny. God is in the world to-day, ready and willing to give his fresh word to-day. and all who will open their souls to receive may be prophets and revelators. It is 8 misuse of the Bible for people to say, "God spoke this to Moses Some people have depended upon the Bible until they have forgotten to exercise their own prophetic gifts. They forget to open their ears to hear what God is saying to them. It will be well for the church when every man feels that God is speaking through him and that he is prophet of liy- ing truth.
 served @ liberal dinner to the visiting friends in the Sunday school room of the church.
 The afternoon service opened with reports from parishes, Sunday schools and young peoples societies. The reports showed gen. eral prosperity in the churches, especially in Bridgeport, where the church has been re- modelled and elegantly decorated and a debt of SIS, ,O0O paid on Easter Sunday, and in New Britain, where in 8 few months dor- mant church has been brought up to live, active, growing parish.
 An exceedingly bright, witty and instruo- tive paper read by Mrs. Mary Bourne Orton of Bridgeport on "Young Peoples Work in Church and Sunday School" called forth applause and was deemed worty of pub licstion. An interesting discussion of the paper followed, led by Rev. 0. R. Moor, Uni tartan, s. A. Howe of this city and others.
 Miss Nellie Hofer and John McCarthy pre- sided at the organ during the day.
 THE EVENING SESSION.
 The evening session was devoted to mass meeting, at which the Rev. J. H. Chapin, Ph. D., presided. Two able addresses were delivered on s'The Religion for To-Day" one Dodge, jr., and the other on s'It's Human Side," by the Rev. J. o. McInery.
 Dr. Chapin, in calling the meeting to or der, spoke of the many opportunities one has for usefulness and of how 1t expanded 8 person to give for the benefit of the church. Though made poorer in worldly goods, the giver is benefited and made stronger in spir- itual matters.
 In an exhaustive and eloquent address on the divine side of the religion of to-day the Rev. Mr. Dodge referred with much feeling and laid great deal of stress on the doctrine of the Holy Ghost. When we have fully studied this neglected portion of theology, crowning part of all. Of revelations and miracles we know more. God has caused to be written down the law that governs our lives and the future that is the goal ot our striving and toll. Revelation and miracles have been thought of as grouped together as essentially the same thing. Because a rev. elation has never come to you or me, because none of us have ever seen 8 basket of provi- sions fed to five thousand men or the dead raised, so controversy has arisen among men, whether the records of these things are worthy of credit.
 Ever since there were Universalists they have questioned some of the things that oth- CT Christians took for granted, and some Universalists have kept on until they have questioned themselves out of the brother hood altogether The men who question miracles say ''of course" this thing and that thing cannot be so. 'Of course" does not come in here. There is no ''of course" in physical phenomena; if there had been you would have no electric light, not even gas light. The so-called laws of physical na- ture are merely our estimates of what we have learned hitherto. There is no "of oourse," no "must;" these matters must be established by evidence. I believe most of the miracles written in the New Testament occurred as they are described. This is my position, position from which one cannot be driven except by superior evidence.
 The Rev. J. O. McInerney followed in a short address on the human side of the ques- tion. am not prepared, the speaker said, to endorse that conception of the future life where in the partially good ones of this life be- come its saints, and the partially evil ones are destroyed. The religion that does not bring to you the face of God in the hour of your sorrow is no religion. Cast it from you and find that religion that speaks to you or God in you, of God about you, of God every where.
 The quartette choir of the church rendered several selections during the evening in an excellent manner. To-day's programme consists of conference meeting at 9 o'clock this morning, led by Rev. Phebe A. Hanaford; an address at 10 by Rev. E. NJ. Grant on "The Progress of Universalism;" an address under the auspices of the wo- mans meeting by Rev. Lotta D. Crosby on "The Work Before Us;' discussion of the same led by Hon. Seth Fl. Cook. At 1:30 p. m. comes the council and close of busi- ness; at 2 sermon by the Rev. W. s. Per kins, with the communion service at its close.