The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-03-05
Its Day IS Over.
This letter Is from the Rev. HENRY A
WEsTALL. the pastor Of the Universalis
Church in Jersey City:

This letter Is from the Rev. HENRY A..
WEsTALL. the pastor OF the Universalist
Church in Jersey City:
lyon say that in the whole Of the United States
there Arc only about sc. 900 members OF universalist
churches. This Ia true: bt these figures do not repre-
sent the full strength Of untversalism As an organic
force. Cnder our peculiar polity there are generally
two organizations In one-a parish. containing all who
contribute to the support OF public worship. and a
church. containing only those who haro made
a public profession Of their faith and re-
ceived the right hand OF fellowship: hut both
parish and church assent to the same creed
test. Only about one-third OF the members OF the
Jersey City parish. Of which the writer Is pastor. are
members OF tho church. though all accept the creed
adopted by the denomination near the beginning of
this century. II. therefore. the same proportion holds
elsewhere. tho total number Of rniveTsa!!s,s in the
Union would be aboat 100. ooo. or just three times the
humber you have given.
ITO be sire. even this showing is nothing {, boast Of:
but, since Lnivcrsalism rs an organized body is not
yet \ century old. and on one point, Mt least. trepre'
sents a radical departure from so-callcd orthodoxy.
its growth has been. perhaps. as great As we could ex.
pec;."
In all Protestant churches substantially
the same state OF things prevails. The
number Of people contributing to the sup
| port OF public worship is much greater than
tho number OF actual communicates. and
both practically assent to the same creed
test" except In making "a public profession
Of their faith" In these churches the great
majority OF the congregation usually re-
tire when the communion Is to be cele-
brated. though before going out they had
repeated tho creed with the rest. II, for in
stance. the Episcopal Church should count
in it's fold all those who contribute to the
support OF its worship. its numbers would
be- far greater than they appear in
the official statistics OF It's adherents.
Among those giving assent to its
"creed test" without partaking OF its com
munion. are many who are diligent in at
tendance on its services. and some even
who are conspicuous In the management OF
the temporal affairs OF the parishes. In the
other churches it is tho same generally.
Hence the polity OF the Universalist body
cannot be called :" peculiar"
Neither lie Mr.. WEsTALL justified In say
ing that organized Universalism repre-
sents a radical departure from so-called or
thodoxy." 1t may have been so once; 1T
Is so no longer. At present Protestant
sentiment generally Is universalistic. The
doctrine Of hell Is no more preached
In Protestant churches. The great theme
in them all 10 the love and mercy Of Con
and not the terrors Of the law. The or
igin Of the demand for revision OF the West
minister Confession was rebellion Of the
Presbyterians against hell. They wanted
to get damnation aud everlasting torture
out of their creed. Reference to a subject
so revolving as hell Is no longer permissible
In decorous Protestant pulpits.
Even the Roman Catholic Professor, ST
GEORGE MIvART. has been arguing that il
Is allowable for Catholics to hope. il not lie,
lieve. that the condition OF tho damned in
hell is one of evolution and gradual amelio
ration" with the consequence that happi
ness exists among them. He %propounds this
view. too. for the express purposeof holding
within the Church very many Catholics
who are tried by the general teaching Of the
clergy with respect to hell aud Its eterna