The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-05

is therefore mans highest organic in
depreciation and embodiment of the
spiritual voices that have whispered
in the human soul, of the wisdom of
the everlasting ages, and the hopes
and aspirations of mankind.
Now the fact that the church party
of infallibility and orthodoxy as well
as the free church party often make
mistakes, shows that they are all
bound by ignorance and error, just
as other people are; hence they are
neither infallible nor free. The as
sumption therefore of orthodoxy, in
fallibility or freedom, is only sublime
J human conceit. The assumption that
the church is of human origin and
represents the highest working force
of the human soul, using all the aids
that come from within and from with
out, recognizes the fallibility of the
organic church, and at the same time
prophesies that it will grow grander
as man unfolds, and 50 will always
represent the best there is in this
universe within the reach of mans
social or intellectual or spiritual
powers. The true church represents
the best there is in man, or within his
reach.
Now our theme presses its question
on our attention. What is the True
Attractiveness in this church that
man builds out of the material that
comes from Illuminated souls, out of
human sorrow and human hope, out
of the human brain, out of human
need and human experiencess What
is the true attractiveness in this
church that is to stand for the best
within mans reach, and blaze the way
to better government, better homes,
better social life, broader charity,
more love, more hope, and better
everything? What is it, If 1 have
read human nature Alright and UNI
derstood the subtle power that leads
men into the illuminated pathway
when sympathy and love and charity
and hope and zeal glow and burn on
the altar of the human heart, that
''True Attractiveness" is Jesus of
Nazareth, and the hope and charity
and sympathy and love that shine
out upon the world from the life he
lived among men.
If my position, then, is wrong, the
remaining part of my address is of
little value to you.
Our church is our religious home,
and what is the true attractiveness of
home? There can be but one an
swer,-father, mother, children in
whose lives love, sympathy, hope and
the sacred things of the human heart
and soul are found. Without these
there is no true attractiveness, and so
no home. Build palace if you
please, and gather into it all that
wealth or genius can gather. Fill it
with birds and paintings and music
and statuary. Make the palace as
beautiful as art or architecture can,
and yet it has no true home attrac
tiveness. Curiosity seekers will flock
to see the display of human wealth
and genius, but there is no true at
Effectiveness. Under its shadow build
cottage, with little or no display of
outward things, but place there a
loving father and mother and child
rem, that call out the jewels of SYM
pathy and hope from the heart, and
there is home. But the true attrac-
tiveness is the love embodied in the
true hearts.
So the true attractiveness of the
church is the love and sympathy en-
bodied in the life of the sweetest and
grandest person known to mankind.
And who among all the characters
living now or recorded in history,
gathers into his person the fullness
of love, of sympathy, of sublime
faith, but Jesus of NAZARETH For
the true attractiveness of home we
cannot substitute any name for those
that now glow on its sacred altar. So
in the church, there is but one name
that stands for all that is best in man.
for all that is grandest in the reach
of man in this universe, and for all
that is most inspiring in hope. There
are many great names, but there is
only one name around which all can
gather and feel the glow of sympathy
and love and be blessed. Whenever
we ask for the highest type of lead
ership, the noblest manhood, the
purest love, the broadcast charity and
sympathy, the highest and the divin-
est ideal, the name of Jesus of Naz-
areth steps out on the horizon of his
tory and sweetly draws us his way.