The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-10

lhtChOo1o COuuulbICu W ouOh OuAC,
these trustees hold property in trust
the property of the Universalist
church, built for the purposes of
denomination, and they now turn
over that property to rival organic
alton, or rather to new one built up
out of the fragments of the Univer-
salist church. Is this the honorable
thing to do under the circumstances?
The plea of simply renting the
church to protect the property will
not avail, especially with those who
understand what is undertaken by
the organization which now occupies
it, the establishment of an independ-
ent church. Nor will the plea avail
with those who understand the his
tory of similar movement in Aurora
by which the denomination that
built the church has been deprived
of it for years by the same policy.
The sad fact which comes to the front
in the communication of the Dixon
Trustees is that they have deliberate
ly "sold out" the Universalist Society
and now propose to use the church
property for the benefit of an alien
organization. 1t is not pleasant to
write these things, but facts are
against any more charitable view of
the situation.
The trustees also dwell on the fact
of the struggles of the Universalist
parish to maintain itself in years past.
1t is possible that if they had tried
otherwise than "by spasms" to keep
their parish alive their prosperity
would have been more marked. Have
they tried religion as tonic for par
ish prosperity7 How far the trustees
have been at fault. or how far the peo-
pie, we do not venture to say; but one
thing is sure, the Dixon people who
have abandoned Universalist move
ment on account of the difficulties of
the situation and have become so de-
moralized in their UNCONVENTIONAL re-
lations as to be willing to sink their
UNCONVENTIONAL name and history of
thirty years in favor of an indepen-
dent organization-a passing within
of the times-are not built up from
the true Universalist fibre. They are
weak where they ought to be strong
and that weakness is prominently
seen in their new relations. Their
conception also of Christian church
cannot be of very dignified charac-
ter when they allow themselves to
speak of their last ministry as result
ing in ga hopeless and humiliating
fizzle." If these people had rallied to
the success of that humble ministry
with a determination to give it an
earnest and united Christian support,
the result would undoubtly have been
more creditable to the pastor and the
church.
We have given unusual attention to
the communication of the Trustees of
the Dixon parish for the reason that
the policy pursued in Dixon is likely
to be attempted in other directions.
The Liberal Congress, now that it
proposes to enter the field of the de-
nominations and start independent
societies, may be made an instrument
for further mischief of the same kind
If it proposes to erect itself into parish
organizations and do the work of an
independent sect, let the Congress do
as the other denominations have done
and build from the foundation. The
cuckoo policy of laying eggs in other
birds nests is reprehensible. We
trust that it will not be allowed to
become the policy of the Liberal
Congress under any Leadership"