The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-10
TEACHING POINTS.

INTRoDUCTIoN.-Mos one hundred and
twenty years old. yet with his eye and his mind
undimmed. speaks his farewell words to his
people.-We who esteem Washington's fare
well address to Americans, have some under
standing of the regard in which the Hebrews
have held the final counsels of their great leader
and law giver, the founder of their nation.
ID V.3-5. Moses commanded Israel to love
God with the supreme love. There has been but
one grander affirmation in regard to God ever
made than that which Moses declared when he
reiterated IsraePs idealfaith: The Lord our God
is one God.---Tne sequence of this truth in the
Ology is the more tender and exalted teaching
of Jesus in the frat words of the Model Prayer:
Our Father. The comprehensive truth that God
is One.-that he is Creator Sustainer Judge,
Father, yet One,-is an ever active appeal to the
heart of the believer. AS we love our life we
should love the Author of our life. AS Ne love
all sublime and true things we should love him
who is sublimest and truest. AS we love the
right we should love the Maker of the right. AS
we feel the force of our own will, and know that
we are accountable for the choices we make, we
should WILL to love God-To will TO love God
means to choose the means whereby we may
learn and never forget that GoD is LovABLE.
We cannot love what is in its nature unlova-
BILE. The com uand to love God presupposes
that God, when known. will compel love from
the beholding and upright heart.
(2.) 60. Keep the Divine Teacher in re-
membrance. Israel lives today because it has.
with all it, shortcomings, faithfully taught its
law to the Israelitish children. An example for
Uniyersalist Christians. in her best
days. allowed the Law to mould her home life.
She is, therefore, morally the purest nation of
L. Il.
ligion making our home atmosphere what it
should Phylacteries and Mezuzahs are not
now among Christians. in fashion. But we. no
less than the Hebrews of old, are dependent on
means for keeping our religious ide Il in RE-
MEMBRANCE. The Sunday School and the
stated church service are of unspeakable benefit
in freshening memories as well as in giving new
Inspirations. Esteem all opportunities for re-
ligious conversation. Religion is a good subject
for serious home talks. Religious conversation
is good, when free and unrestrained, between
fellow-trayeers. Be always ready to give a rea-
son for your hope
81 v. 1915. Never forget God. Every
worldly blessing, so-called, which causes lis re-
cipient to be independent of God. is in the way
of speedily becoming curse. To conquer the
world for the worlds sake is to lose God; 1t is.
also, after brief period at longest, to lose the
world.--Moses exercised his accustomed sa-
gacity when he foresaw that outward prosperity
would be for Israel the crucial test. Israel was
vlsibly strongest in the days of Solomon; then,
because it failed to draw sustenance from the
inner sources Its ruin began.-Really God has
no favored nation. His ways are equal. AS his
laws are disobeyed the natural penalty of DISC
bedience Is reaped. There is no exception to
this law. To the righteous God is the approving
X ght; to the forward he is forward His frown
is as impartial as his smile. His anger, his
ishteous Indignation against the doors of
wrong, is an aspect of his love. There is no
doting in the Divine nature.