The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-09
THE NEW UNIVERSALlsM.
Rev. DIR. Blanchard's Second Sermon at
Congress Square Church.

AT Congress Square church yesterday
morning, before very large congrega-
ton, Rev. DIR. Blanchard delivered his
second sermon on The New Universal
ism. The theme was 1.-THE New Univer-
salism and Destiny The text was tax
en- from John xvii, 3. ''This is life eter-
nal that they might know Thee the only
true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou
hast sent.' In opening, DR.. Blanchard
spoke of the solemnity of the theme. He
then referred to the sermon !of the pre-
vious Sunday with it's definitions of The
New Universalism and its reliance on
reason. In considering the question of
destiny, we have four sources of infor-
nation, the church, the Scriptures, sci
ence and the individual reason when this
is informed by the reason of the race.
But while New Universalism respects
the opinion of the church and reveres
the Scriptures, it turns to science for
fullest information concerning destiny.
1t looks to even a wider company than
the church. 1t hears the words of all
nations declaring faith in immortality.
The Old Testament does not teach fu-
ture life. The new declares it in word
of Christ and epistle of Paul. But one
of the greatest utterances is in a book
not accepted by Protestants as part of
the Scriptures. The wisdom of Solomon
has the great declaration "God created
man to be immortal and made him an
image of His own eternity" Science is
declaring its belief in future life. The
law of continuity involves it. Reason
declares that this life is the preparation
for another. Development and affection
prophesy another life. DR.. Blanchard
read from Drummond's Natural Law
in the Spiritual World, John Fiske's
ssDestiny of Man." and Prof Dolbeare's
letter to himself written from Tufts Col
lege.
New Universalism believes in immor-
tality for all. Itrepudiates the doctrine
of the humiliation of the wicked.
I differs from the old Universalism in
saying that men begin the next life in
tn condition in which they leave this
life. Death will not make a man imme-
diately happy and holy. Hosea Ballou
believed in immediate change, but the
vast majority of Universalists today be-
lieve in future punishment.
New Universalism emphasizes the
probability of eternal difference in the
next world as determined by use OF nom
use of opportunities here for tn devel-
opment of the intellectual and spiritual
life. Punishment is to turn men from
evil. 1t will do it's work and end. Con-
sequence may be eternal. All will be
holy and happy, but some will have
larger capacity for holiness and happi-
ness.
New Universalism, therefore, appeals
to men lay hold on eternal life now.
That is knowledge of God and Christ.
We carry to the other world one tho ght,
one love, one will. one conscience. Their
largeness depends on our use of oppor-
tunities now 1t is solemn and an in
spring devotion.
New Universalism, therefore, awaits
the coming of the New Orthodoxy to the
acceptance of the doctrine of eternal
consequence and the rejection of the
doctrine of etern i punishment
DR. Blanchard closed with tender ref
erence to those who had organized the
church--to those who had gone UP high
er in the more than 10 years of his pas
torate- one lately deceased-to those
whom the congregation had known in
all their e. periences, and made a solemn
appeal to all his hearers to lay hold on
eternal life now and here
The closing sermon of the series will
be delivered next Sunday morning. The
theme will be ''The New Universallsm
and Jesus"