The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-02-09
PUNISHMENT REFORMATORY.
1t is remarkable that notwithstand-

ing the wide dissemination of intelli
gence in regard to the views of relig-
ious sects in the present age there
should still exist wide spread ignor-
ance of the views of Universalists
touching fundamental questions. In
the matter of punishment, for exam
Pile, very few, comparatively, seem to
understand the Universalist position
On our desk at the present time are
three communications in which The
UN1vERsAL1sT is asked subs tantially
this question: Denying the doctrine
of endless punishment, what are we
to understand is the Universalist idea
of punishment in general; meaning
thereby of course, punishment for sin
inflicted by the Divine Beingg" We
respond briefly that the Universalist
view of punishment is that of the
Scriptures, of both the Old and New
Testaments, and that punishment is
not inflicted vindictively nor from a
mere desire to cause suffering, but for
remedial and reformatory purposes.
Punishment which God infiicts as de-
scribed by the divine writer's may be
seen expressed in the following pas
sages. 1t will be seen in these pas
sages that punishment may have an
end to serve beyond itself in the re-
formation of the guilty:
eff his children forsake my law and
walk not in my judgments; if they
break my statutes. and keep not my
commandments; then will I visit their
transgressions with ROD, and their
iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless,
my loving kindness will | not utterly
take from him, nor suffer my faithful
ness to fail" Cps. lxxxix. 30, 80 For
the Lord will not cast off forever, but
though he cause grief, yet he will
have compassion according to the
multitude of his mercies. For he
doth not affiict willingly, nor grieve
the children of men," liam. iii 81,
49, In the New Testament it is also
distinctly stated that God chastens
us ''for our profit, that we might be
paltakers of his holiness. Now, no
Christening for the present seemeth
joyous, but grievous; nevertheless af-
forwards it yieldeth the peaceable
fruits of righteousness unto them that
are exercised thereby" Heb. xii. 10,
H.
These quotations set forth very
clearly the principle upon which God
Furnishes his children. His chastise-
ments are not vindictive. He does
not infict unnecessary pain. He has
no thought of cruelty, no feeling OF
revenge, no wish to cause the least
degree of suffering for its own sake;
but his retributions look beyond the
infection to the divine result. So
thought David when he said, 81 know
o Lord, that thy judgments are right
and that thou in faithfulness hast
afflicted me. :. Before l was af-
ficted l went astray; but now have l
kept thy word" Cps. cxix. 81, 75.)
God, as his true friend, had afflicted
him-had afflicted him for his re-
straint and benefit; and his chasten-
ing had accomplished, in his refor-
nation, the desired result. There
fore, he thought his judgment not
only just, but even much to be de-
sired-yea, more to be desired than
much fine gold, and sweeter, also,
than honey and the honey comb;
and offered up this prayer to heaven:
"Let thy judgment help me-"
But how few as yet are able to
comprehend this wisdom, or to take
this view of judgment and affection
as they experience them in life. If
we had faith sufficient to elevate us
to this view of trial, disappointment,
sorrow and suffering, how different
would many passages of life appear,
how much lighter would many of the
burdens of existence seem, and how
much more beautiful the lessons of
our daily life would be. We should
then accept of trial as among the
means provided to strengthen us in
virtue; we might be taught by disap
pointment and sorrow to make just
distinction between things of fleet
ing and those of an enduring nature;
and the painful consciousness of guilt
would lead us to wash our hands in
innocency and cleanse our hearts from
sin. We should see God in nature
and learn of him in life, and the
whole earth and heavens would wear
new aspects and shine with new
light. Even the darker passages of
life might sometimes soon grow lu-
minous, and we should feel gratitude
to God whenever the rod of his cor
rection reminded us that we were