The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-08
1.-THE PURPOSE OF GOD"


"The Purpose of God" is the name
OF a little book of some $50 pages
written by ]. Smith Dodge, ID,
and published by the Universalist
Publishing House. 1t purports to
set forth gin orderly form those views
of divine and human relations which,
during hundred years. have been
developing in the Universalist
Church"
We have read it with such abund-
ant satisfaction that we cannot for
bear giving expression to that salts
faction Indeed we have done by the
little book what we seldom do by
any book,-we have read it twice
through by course, and our second
reading has given us greater pleas
ure than the first. 1t is book that,
in it's line, leaves very little to be de-
sired. In diction it is rich and beau
tiful. Its language is well chosen and
expressive. The word fits the
thought and you are never at loss
as to the meaning. It's author is
we'll known master of style and this
book shows him at his best.
Not but what he may have spoken
or written more eloquently, but never
for the purpose in hand more clearly
delightfully."- or with greater precision.
And the matter is in keeping with
the manner. He deals with the high
est themes of human strength and he
never loses sight of his subject He
does in mastery way the task to
which he sets his hand. He empha-
ically gives orderly form to the
thought developed in our church
during the hundred years of its ex
istence. Defining the purpose of
God as universal salvation, or the
harmony of all souls with himself, he
proceeds to show how all the deal
ings of God with man fall into har-
mony with this grand purpose. He
shows how God is always doing the
one thing, in nature, in human ex-
perience, in the Bible, in Christianity;
he is "reconciling the world unto him
self" He attempts the broadcast gen.
eralization and his success is equal
to his attempt. He never falters or
fails and there is no special pleading.
His logic marches clearly, strongly
and successfully forward. 1t lis posi-
BILE to reject his conclusions, but it is
not possible to deny the clearness
and force of his reasoning.
For the present hour in our church
this book is very healthy one. 1t
strikes the golden mean of "sound
doctrine" DIR. Dodge is the best type
of 'liberal conservative. Like Paul,
"He proves all things and holds fast
that which is good" His staying"
qualities are equal to his "going"
qualities. He holds on to old truth
as firmly as he eagerly reaches out
after and welcomes new truth. He
is not carried away with every wind
of doctrines" no more is he inclined
to believe that "wisdom died with the
Fathers" He is eager for new truth
but it is truth for which he is eager.
He easily cuts his way through the
critical underbrush of our day. His
chapter on "The Gospel Story" is a
clear exposition of the grounds of
faith. In it he uncovers the rock
upon which our religion rests and
shows that it is untouched by any of
the criticism of our times.
He is not afraid of a miracle and
does not imagine that it is necessary
to apologize for the Almighty even if
he should dosoma things in way we,
do not understand. He is clear that
the miraculous element is so woven
into the Gospel record that it cannot
be eliminated without destroying the
credibility of the record itself, and at
the same time he is far from regard
ing it as the most important element
or the most useful in our day.
In the same clear and satisfactory
manner are the doctrines of our