The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-02

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her affirmation OF Fatherhood in the
place of Sovereignty, as the central
truth of the Gospel; in the light of
which every word of Christ is to be in
terpreted. Now, it is true that others
teach, in words at least. the Fatherhood
of God, but the results they anticipate
and the doctrines they still announce.
as the essential Gospel, would seem to
bring their meaning more in harmony
with the Homeric conception of the
"omnipotent Father" or David's God
of battles" who will hew his enemies in
to pieces, than the God and Father
whose character was revealed in Christ
and whose will is that all should come
to knowledge of the truth.
One result of these imperfect views
is the alienation of many thoughtful and
benevolent people from all religious as
sociations. 1t will not do to make light
of that type of doubt which finds ex-
preston 10 John Stuart Mill statement
"That the. God of popular theology is
either limited in power or in goodness,
or to pass over the assertions of Brooke
and Mcdonald, That man must leave
behind all the noblest sentiments of his
nature to find peace in an exclusive
heaven and occasion to glorify God in
the fact that numbers of men are the
slaves of an evil destiny as endless as
the being of God himself"
These are some Of the things that
have led many thoughtful people, / re-
peat, to turn away from the church and
lose the gracious and inspiring infuen
ces to be found there, even in the pres
ence of such theological teachings. And
of bringing them back again than the
positive proclamation of the changeless
and universal Fatherhood of God
aud the great truth-its direct and IL
resistible inference-that Immortality
is not only only the endowment of every
human soul. but at death leads the chill
the legend of despair is written DER the
gates, but to land where the solemn
and gracious invitation. Come unto me"
will be heard until the last prodigal
shall have returned in humility and peni-
tence to his Fathers house. This ap-
peals to human reason, answers the OBJ
jections of head and heart, silences
doubt, brings true comfort to the sorrow
ing. gives meaning to existence, shows
retribution and judgment to be consist
ent with divine goodl ess and, intelli
gently cherished, brings the child to
an immediate and loving surrender
unto his Fathers commandment and to
such submission that he is enabled to
say in the mysteries of human expert
ence, Thy will, not mine, be DONE"
In such teaching, motives are given
and principles declared that furnish an
answer to every social question that to-
day presses itself upon the attention of
society. / believe the imperative need
of the world is this interpretative of
and | rejoice that with
more clearness than ever before, it is
still proclaim ed by the ministry of tie
Universalist church.
Our fathers were, of necessity, war
riore. The legend is told of terrific
battle, in the fifth century, in which.
after sanguinary triumph by the Wis
goths and Romans over the forces of
Attila. though tie battle was finished,
for three nights the spirits of the war
riors continued fighting in the air. Pos
sibly, if the brave men who fought and
won our early battles with error could
speak to US, out of the heavens. their
would be flight on" and
there is more need Of needing such an
Injunction than is appreciated in GER
tain centers, where rational views of
religion have become generally diffused.
1t is not essential, however, that we lit
orally use the methods of the past. Like
those brave defenders of the truth, we
will forget the things which are be-
hind" We will drop inadequate and
faulty interpretations. We will rest up
on other defences than a skilful mosaic
of texts and nineteenth century methods
will bring the gospel of love TO nine.
teenth century men. This leads me to
say that we need. more than ever, to the
end that we may preach with convincing
cultivate the spirit of mental
Universalism is the religion of light.
In the early church, its advocates were
found among the learned; as men be-
came wise, in the first Christian centu-
ries. they associated with those who
taught the triumph of good. Sad would
it be for us then, who in the name of rea-
son, sentiment and sound scholarship,
have called upon our brethren through
out Christendom to abandon the gloomy
errors and misrepresentation of the
ages of darkness and ignorance, if we
should refuse to be led forth by reverent
to higher grounds of defe Use.
and especially to the emphasis of a more
spiritual Interpretation. Sad. too, if we
found science, other than the handmade
of religion. confident that Gods word in
nature will not contradict his revelation
in history. Sad, once more. If that