The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-26
REPLY TO REV. HOWARD MAO
QUEARY'S OPEN LETTER TO
DR.. STRAUB.

open letter to me in The UNIvERsAr1sr
OF the fifth, pardon me for referring tn a
few things you overlooked. In the first
place you overlooked the fact that what
is necessarily personal in such review
peed not and should not be copsidered
in the sense of personal hostility There
certainly is no ground for suspicionine
me to have been actuated by such a
motive when criticising your article. NV
acquaintance with yourself by reputa.
ton only. would prompt in me but the
kndest sentiments,
In the second place. in making vour
charge of "willful Misrepresentation.
you fall under your own serious imnuto.
ton, should have been sure that tho
Misrepresentation was made. That
could appear only by showing that [ did
not quote you correctly or drew un-
warranted differences from the ouota.
tlons correctly made. If. now. Won will
tike the trouble to examine. you will
find my quotations of you to be literal
and emitting nothing essential to the
full sense. You will find on page 41O of
To-Day, for August, the following state
ment. which is from your article in
question: unlike Mohammed and
other inferior teachers Jesus exerc;sed
remarkable reserve on this subject. and
we are not justified in dogmatizino on
the question as to his views" This
statement, too, you make Immediately
upon concluding the references Won cali
my attention to as having been made nv
you in proof of Jesus Universalism and
which in the article you are pleased to
call hints, justifying us in believing
that ne rejected the pharisaic doctrine
OF endless punishment. NOT proof of
his Universalism. Uniyersalism 10 NOT
the only alternative of endless punish
ment. 1t might be humiliation as well.
IL you will recall, credited you with
citing those texts which. to Universal
lists believing that Christ spoke his full
mind therein, are gloriously conclusive
OF his Universalism. But it, as you say.
they are only hints, and Jesus has re-
served his thought on that subject thew
were uttered for some other pnrnosa
and by them nothing may be known as
TO whether he was or was not Uniyer-
salist; and, according to Mr.. Mac
Queary Universalism may not be affirm.
ed OF Jesus, and" as you still fprtber
said in the same connection, I'VE are not
justified in dogmatizing on the question
as to his views" Then, also. if Jesus,
mind on the subject he has not given us
your reason for rejecting the alleped
endless misery texts as not the words of
Jesus-namely. that they do not harmo
nize with his thoughts not certain and
the words may after all be his. leaving
the probability as strong that he taugbt
endless punishment as that he taught
Universalism. Then it is plain that I
nave not misrepresented you. And
now, my brother. if this presentation is
diepleasing to you. you may see that you
are the party first of all responsible for
1T. 1t is not my desire to- go back of
your utterances to look for motives.
But remark incidentally dropped may
indicate one
You say: Il fear if we're to attempt
to do So THAT is, undertake to prove
Universalism in the usual depomina
tional way DR.. Savage would grind me
to powder and my arguments with me-
Now. the Universalist Church ia NOT
lourneying toward the paradise of Lib
eralism, nor specially soliciting from
their oracles nor has it placed premium
on the swiftest runner in that direction.
Ii by the epithets bigot, pope. and
tyrant. you mean one who favors a
church with an undivided allegiance to
Christ, and strong, Just and Chart.
able government, | covet the distinc-
ton. To such. Christianity owes it's
survival in the world, and in them is it's
hope of the future.
word more. 1t is not questioned
that you came into the church the reg.
ular way, that you gave your assent to
the articles of faith, and further. that
your views accorded with those of the
committee, and with those of the clergy
men who urged you to the step. But
you must be aware that powers are
vested with the committee to carry the
examination beyond the letter of the
creed revealing the fact that to an I'M
written creed consisting of the historical
faith and policy of the church, which
are in reality the Interpretation of the
written creed. the candidate is as we'll
expected to conform.
Committees vary in their fidelity to
this trust, and one may therefore be in
the ministry of the church legally, &C
cording to the letter, without being of it
or for it, and, not to speak of duty, it be-
comes the privilege of any one impressed
of it to kindly point it out, which is not
likely to be done till occasion loudly
calls for it.
Sincerely and truly your friend,
JACOB STRAUB.
[Mr. MaeQueary assures us that he VIII not
make any further reply.-EDIToR.l
WE clip the following amusing note