The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-24

/. It is not irreverent to apply the
principle to the august being who
governs the universe.
1t is admitted by all who believe in
Supreme Being that he is good
that he is infinitely and supremely
benevolent. Traces Of that goodness
in endless variety are open to the in
spection of all people. The great
over mastering idea perceptible in
nature, and especially in the adjust
ment of man to his condition, is the
intention to confer happiness. And
the various arrangements everywhere
discovered, which tend naturally to
produce that result, are referred di-
rectly 10 goodness or benevolence in
the supreme worker. We therefore
unite with the Psalmist in saying,
"The Lord is good to all and his ten
der mercies are over all his works"
With this truth clear and palpable
before us, we should naturally ex-
pect, if a good tree necessarily pro-
duces good fruit, that the infinite be-
nevolence of the Deity would induce
him to confer the greatest possible
good upon all creatures. And surely
this expectation, so natural and just,
cannot be disappointed. God will
ultimately confer that happiness up
on all creatures, which both nature
and revelation SO clearly promise.
This, however, can be done in no way
except to finish sin, make an end of
transgression, and bring every indi-
vidual to state of willing obedience
and consequent happiness. Such is
the rich and valuable fruit that may
naturally be expected to proceed from
the infinite goodness of God.
Still, the opinion is extensively en-
tertained that this same benevolent
God will cast off some of his intelli-
gent creatures and consign them to
tormenting, flames that burn forever
without devouring. But this tor
menting and yet underwriting fire, if
it be true, is surely nothing less than
an infinite evil to those who suffer it.
Whether it be justice or some other
attribute that requires its infection,
it is certain that an evil is inflicted
which can never do the sufferers any
good-and an evil, too. which even
before their creation had been pre-
pared for them; since God knew
from all eternity whether they would
suffer it or not. If, then, "by their
fruits We shall know them, "and NAL
evidence naturally inhicts misery for
no good end, to what can we ascribe
the endless suffering of any people
except to the utmost cruelty of him
who inhicts it? If human being
were to infict misery upon those
within his power, without intending
them any good, and even continue
persevering and relentless in its in
Fiction, we should Immediately refer
his conduct to the most unhallowed
principles in his heart. Judging the
tree by it's fruit, we should not spare
the application of severe epithets-
we should not fail to call him mon
ster of cruelty-a merciless tyrantl
Nor would such an application of
terms be unjust or unsuitable. There
are many who think that capital pun
ishment proceeds from latent spirit
of cruelty and revenge, of which
those who cherish it are perhaps UNI
conscious. But even this is far bet
ter than to wantonly torment man
through all his life and destroy him
at last. The man who could pursue
his victim in this way is beast-a bar
barian-a demon of cruelty
What, then, can be said of him
who, with a perfect knowledge of all
the circumstances of every mans life
even from eternity, deliberately Gre
ated many millions with an absolute
fore knowledge that their existence
would prove to them an endless
curse? Must not such course of
action proceed from malignant di
vinity? At any rate, if good tree
cannot bring forth evil fruit, the end
less evil which God inficts amounts
to the declaration that he himself is
an evil Being! Can this position be
denieda Any misery short of end
less duration may answer good pur-
pose to the sufferer, and be but a
manifestation of real goodness. But
endless suffering bespeaks the un-
sparing, relentless and unmitigated
tyranny of unmingled malevolence;
and its infiction presumes that the
Being, it's author himself is evil Or
if this be denied-if it be maintained
that God is infinitely good without
any mixture of evil, then one of two
things must follow: /. Either end
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