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

pe1ance, to protect hundreds OF
thousands of little children from the
cupidity and greed of their money
making employers, and to ameliorate
the sufferings of prisoners in jails and
prisons in every State in the Union?
Over against the church stands the
saloon, the gambling-house and the
brothel. Against it also, are the wor-
ship of mammon and the abandon
ment of the pauper and criminal
classes. Have we not been too ready
to think and to say nothing or well
nigh nothing could be done for these
people? Has the all-conquering love
of Christ no place here? Is no hanc
henceforth to be lifted to strike the
shackles this world has bound on
them from off the hands and feet of
those of our kindred? Despite the
cry of despair we hear from many
quarters now and then. These words
of hope come to us from no less an
observant man than Rev. Josiah
Strong: -"Probably during no hun
bred years in the history of the world
have there been saved so many
thieves, gamblers, drunkards and
prostitutes as during the past quarter
of century, through the heroic faith
and labors of the Salvation Army"
Here is body of people we were
quite disposed to sheer at when they
began their strange mission, but now
we find it teaching us practical les
sons in patience and human helpful
ness. It's motto has been, Inasmuch
as We did it unto one of the least of
these my brethren We did it unto me;
and its success has been phenomenal.
Doubtless we cannot do the work
of the Salvation Army,-at least we
know we have not done it; but we can
stand loyalty and truly for every
needed human reform.
We can oppose with all our might
the terrible tyranny of the world, the
tyranny of those individuals and in
situations whose only object is to
benefit themselves, wholly unmindful
of the inherent and sacred rights of
mankind. We can preach as we
ought to preach deliverance to the
captives, and set at liberty them that
are bruised. We cannot suffer our
selves to forget nor to neglect the
needs of those whom the world would
"cast as rubbish to the void"
4. Do we preach the acceptable
year of the Lord? 1t is difficult to
realize that all time is His, that the
world as it exists today is his, and
that the opportunities for doing his
will and fulfilling his purpose and
law will never be greater than they
are at this present moment. God is
in his creation. He is nearer every
one now than we can tell. We may
be laborers together with him if we
will.
This is one of the secrets of Jesus
surprising greatness. He lived in
his own age and generation as
though that age and generation were
the very best that could be. He
poured out his love in all the rich
ness and with all the fullness of
measure possible to him then and
there. He sat with the woman of
Samaria by Jacobs we'll. He dined
with publicans and sinners. He
walked all the weary way to the cross
through the bigotries, the shams of
society, the inhumanities, the wretch
ed skepticisms and infdelities which
had place in his day. Other men
might have said in time like that
Nothing can be done. But because
he was what he was and is he has
caused his life to shine against that
dark background with a superhuman
light. We cannot turn aside from the
tasks awaiting us now; we cannot
abandon present hopes, faiths, and
loves without departing from God.
1t is up out of the soil of this present
life that our character is to grow and
find blossoms and fruitage if at all.
We do not feel, we can too strongly
urge this truth emphasized by the
Master, namely, to preach the accep-
table year of the Lord-that now is
the day of salvation.
Thus have I tried to sketch in the
brightest outline possible the hu-
manitarian service of the church, its
service to the poor, to the sorrowing,
to the oppressed and to the present
ages. 1t must be recognized, of
course, that we are only in the be-
ginning of loves career. What we
are we know not now, but we shall
know it by and by when we have
prepared ourselves for the fuller rev.
citation God will make. May we not
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