The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-22

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with hope, fills every heart with cour-
age. 1t is important, therefore, that
we have an answer which at least
gives us a working basis. For that
answer we turn to him who, out OF
the life of God which beat in his own
heart, out of his own experience OF
God, out of his deep insight into the
work of God, taught the world the
great and eternal lesson of his Faith
erhood, and care, and guidance. He
banished the awful eclipse which hui
man ignorance and passion had
thrown upon the face of the Eternal.
Upon that brow which men had
deemed corrugated with hatrsd and
black with wrath, he pointed out a
look of tenderness and compassion
that warmed the frozen world to its
center.
2. Out of the fulness and clearness
of his own consciousness, out of the
depth and firmness of his own con-
viction, he spake with authority.
% When he addressed the dis
heartened, the erring, the sinful, his
voice was as the voice of God to
them.
He interpreted to them, in thous-
and ways, the heart of the Great
Power back of the Universe. When
he was rebuked for receiving publ
cans and sinners, and eating with
them, he replied by lifting, in imag-
nation, the curtain that divides the
two worlds, and showing picture of
angelic JOY, in the presence of God,
over one sinner that repenteth. ''Do
you, indeed, care for me?" said a
poor, abject woman, behind the bars
of police station, to a gentle lady
who stood there speaking words of
encouragement and sympathy. "Do
you, indeed, care for met Then may
be God cares, and I'll try againl"
That was just the way people felt
about Christ, They felt that in his
sympathy they had pledge of the
divine sympathy; that in the touch
of his hand, the finger of God had
been laid upon them. Nothing SO
helps one as to be assured that some
one else has faith in him. "Those
who trust us educate us" And Jesus
taught that God himself had faith in
the publican and sinner.
~ When he gathered the little
ones in his arms, he interpreted the
thought of God concerning child
hood.
When little children were brought
to him and his disciples objected say
ing, Trouble not the Master, he has
no time to waste upon children, his
reply was, "Whoso shall offend one
of these little ones, it were better for
him that milestone were fastened
about his neck, and he flung into the
midst of the sea!'
Why? Because "of such as these is
the kingdom of God;" Sin heaven
their angels do always behold the
face of my Father" sit is not the will
of your Father in Heaven that one of
these little ones should perish" Thus
did he unfold the thought of the
Eternal concerning the children,-a
thought that wreathed their shining
heads with blossoms of Paradise.
And that night when the tired Jude
an mothers went back to their hum
bic homes, there was a new gladness
in their hearts and new glory shone
round the cradle.
(3) So he taught men that what
they call evil in this world will at
last be so overruled that the work of
God shall be manifesto" that sin it
self, the cause of so much misery,
should at last be overcome by right
eousness.
In the pantheon at Paris is a car
toon which represents contrast of
early Roman history; the pagan en-
pire has reached its summit of splen-
dor and a Caesar is entering the Eter-
nal City in triumph. The scene is
dazzling, countless legions of sold
iery, captives of war in golden chains,
spoils of priceless value, colossal ele-
plants, the pomp and pageantry
of human glory. Beneath, scarce Wis.,
ible in the dim light, Christians are
praying in the Catacombs, and the
long galleries are the sepulcher into
which the empire must soon fall. I'm
perial glory, the pomp of the oppres-
sor. is being undermined by the mar
tyrs' prayers. 1t is symbol of the
great truth that wrong and tyranny,
injustice and crime, shall at length
be overthrown by the spiritual power
of truth and love; that "the meek
shall inherit the earth"