The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-10
THE HISTORY OF UMIVeRsALIsM.


Purington's grocery.
THE HISTORY OF uNIVERSALISM
Ssrm On by Rev. Henry Blanchard.
AT Congress Square church yesterday
morning very large congregation listened
to sermon by the pastor, Rev. Henry
Blanchard, on "The History of Universal
Ism." The texts were, 'And 1, If be lifted
up from the earth. will draw all men unto
me-" "Then shall the Son also be subject
unto him that put all things under him, that
God may be all in all"
On Thursday next, said Mr.. Blanchard, in
opening, we shall observe, by special SER
vices, the twenty-ffth anniversary Of this be-
loved church. God willing, the two prede-
cessors in the pastorate, Rev. DR.. Bolles and
Rev. Mr.. Gibbs, will be present to participate
in the services. 1t will be pleasant for the
three pastors to stand together in this pulpit
on that day. 1t seemed to him wise to intro
duce those services by the sermon of today,
and to follow them next Sunday with SER
mon on "The Universalist Church the Van
guard of the Church Universal" What is
this faith which we of this church hold as a
glorious heritage from our fathers? Univer-
salism is the faith that all men will be, final
ly, holy and happy in the future life 1t has
been held by Trinitarian9 and Unitarians,
by believers in vicarious atonement and by
rejecters of this, by those who believe that
the Scriptures were literally the "Word of
God," and by those who believe they are lit
erature.
He would speak of its history before the
advent of Christ-then of the period between
that advent and 553-thel Of the thousand
years to the time Of Luther-then of the
years to Reilly and Ballou-then of the period
till 1865, and, last OF ALL OF the years between
that date and 1890.
Two religions before Christ, proclaimed
ultimate salvation for man-the Persian and
the Jewish. In the former there was God
Of goodness and God ofeYil, but the for
mer was to triumph-all evil overcome
all men saved. The Old Testament prophe-
sizes future universal reign OF righteous
ness Even Trinitarian scholars in England
interpret the Old Testament thus: Jesus said
but little about the end. But 1t Is now admit
ted by scholars like Archdeacon Farras and
many others that di0nios in his speech does
not refer to duration, but to quality. Above
all his other words ring out these-"and |, II
l be lifted up from the earth, will draw all
ucu uulU dui ID Luc dChuOWlcuBCu
Uniyersalist. Later ion the Gnostlc
scholars and the ''Sibylline 0racles" taught
the faith. Clement Alexandrinus, scholar
and president of the Catechetical school at
Alexandria advocated ,Universalism on the
ground of the remedial character Of all pun
ishment. His pupil and successor Origen-
greatest Of all the early schOlars-presldent
of the school at C@sarea-Dlodonus-h
of the school at Antioch-Theodore, his sue
eessOr-an taught Universalism. The brainy
men Of the day were its staunch defenders.
The fifth general council in 553 condemned
the faith 1t prevailed so widely that the
opponents and notably Augustine, secured
its condemnation in fear that 1t would wrest
power from the priests. For thousand
years, we hear but little of the faith.
But Catholicism, with its doctrine of Pur-
gatory, almost took its place. 1t saved the
great multitude. Voices of Universalism,
however, continued to be heard, and they
came from learned and .pious men. Maxi
mus, the Greek monk and confessor-Clem-
ent the monk of Ireland,-John Scotus
Erigena. learned scholar ;of France-pro-
How 1t may be with those who in the New
Testament are condemned, say nothing
certain-I leave 1t undecided" From Lu-
ther to Ballou, John Calvin held large sway.
He did not leave the hereafter undecided. In
Switzerland, England, Scotland, America,
he made men fear endless torment. But
again protest came. Jeremy White, one of
-CrQmwelPs chaplalns; Sir Henry Vane, Gov
ernor OF Massac eIe iyersallsts
In 1850 Relly-later on Hosea Ballou-Dro-
claimed the faith and won converts. Until
1865 there was practically no organized Uni
versalist denomination.
In that year the general convention was
fully organized with authority over state
conventions. From that day freedom aud
progress have marked the years. 1t Is inter-
esting to remember that the year which
saw the dedication of the church was the one
when the Universalist church. by its general
convention, was finally and fully organized.
From that day new knowledge has
believe in final salvation because it is reason
able. They believe the scriptures are on
their side, but they would hold their faith, if
they were not. God gave reason TO be used.
final, universal salvation, which is worthy
an omnipotent God. We Of today are to
have noble pride in the illustri0us defend
ers of the faith. Origen, Clement, John
Scotus Erigena, Shakespeare, Sir Henry
Vane, Ballou, Chapin-we are to salute them
for their illustrlOus service. We are TO study
the history of the faith to learn how 1t salts
fes, and it alone, the human reason and the
human heart. The great German, Olshausen
said: .Unlversalism Is, without doubt, deep.
OF the longing for perfected harmony in the
universe" So great philosophers and poets
feel today. Socrates seemed to believe as we
do and Plato plainly taught our faith We
1lC " DO piOuu dpUotlco VI budL ldlLu huO3O
sees its glory cannot turn back to the dark
ness Of the past. Whose believes in the ON
impotence and love of God and so can look
but for one glorious issue to His providence,
Will not turn to other churches for sake of
ritual or music, but will be proud Of the his
tory Of Universalism in the years that are
gone and will gladly work to help make its
history in the years that are to come.
Dangers of City Life.
Rev. William w. jackson, Jr, preached to
an attentive audience at Williams's Hall,
Congress street. last evening on Dangers of
City Life" He divided his subject into FIVE
parts: 1st, The danger Of an artificial, un-
natural life; End, the danger of imbibing
false notions of life and false views of hon
esty; 3rd, the danger of indulgence;
4th, the danger from religious error;
9TH, the danger of fashionable amusements
of which the theatre stands as the centre;
and finally the speaker presented Christ's
atonement to the young men as safeguard
against those dangers