The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-02

| Wnen tnelr hearts are turned away
from the noise and the tumult, is
constantly urging them to follow
higher ideals, to consecrate their
lives to some noble purpose, to be
pure and just and loving. What is
conversion more than this,-to turn
aside from evil and seek righteous
ness7 Does it need the rending of
an earthquake, the roar of hurricane,
the flash of lightning, to accomplish
that7 Is not the voice of God con-
stantly speaking to us in conscience9
Theodore Parker relates: when a
child, saw little spotted turtle sun
ming himself in the shallow water. l
lifted the stick in my hand to kill the
harmless reptile; for though | had
never killed any creature, yet 7 had
seen other boys, out of sport, destroy
birds, squirrels, and the like, and l
had disposition to follow their
wretched example; but all at once
something checked my little arm,
and voice said within me clear and
loud, 1T is wrong | held my up
lifted stick in wonder at the new
emotion, till the turtle had vanished
from sight. l fastened home and
told the tale to my mother, and asked
what it was that told me it war
wrong. Size wiped a tear from her
eye with her apron, and taking me in
her arms said: Some call it consci.
ence, but prefer to call it the voice
of God in the soul of man. If you
listen and obey it, it will speak clear
er and clearer, and always guide you
Alright; but if you turn deaf ear or
disobey, then it will fade out little by
little and leave you all in the dark
without guide. Your life depends,
my boy, on needing that little voice.
2. Principles: And if you are
asking for the principles to guide
you'll you expect to see flaming di
rections written upon the skies, to
hear an audible voice from heaven,
you will be disappointed. What did
the Lord say to Elijahi Simply this:
$50 back to the wilderness of Da-
mascus, and anoint Hazael to be
king of Samaria; and anoint Jehu to
be king of Israel; and anoint Elisha
to take thy place as prophet" just
the work he knew was to be done.
That is, go on with your ministry and
work in reproving idolatry and trying
to establish the nation in righteous
ness. And when he who spake as
never man spake, stood on the noun
tain or by the sea, and taught the
great truths of God, what were theys
Not abstruse, not strange and start
ling, but the simple beatitudes:
BLESSED are the poor in spirit"
"blessed are they who hunger and
thirst after righteousness" blessed
are the pure in heart" and why?
Because of such is the kingdom
of heaven;" and "those who hun
ger for the rigth shall be
filed" and to the pure in heart
shall be granted the vision of God.
"Be merciful, for your Father in
heaven is merciful." "Whatsoever
ye would that men should do unto
you, do ye also even unto them"
This is the law and the prophets.
And if one should rise from the
dead, what more could he say than
this7 What better directions could
he give U.S. And if the sky should
suddenly part and reveal a great
white throne, with some angelic being
seated upon it, what more could he
say9 What new emphasis could all
the pomp and pageantry AIDA There
is no angel in heaven who has got
beyond the ten commandments and
the Sermon on the Mount.
1t is not so much new moral truth
that we need as to find out how to
put the old truth into practice and
practice it. We do not need new
moral principles any more than we
need a new earth and a new sun and
new stars. The old earth is still
firm and the old stars are still bright.
And the old moral principles are just
as trustworthy as when Moses wrote
them first or Jesus restated them.
Opinions, creeds, theologies, = the
whole realm of speculation,-perish-
es. But the still small voice that
whispers truths as old as God and as
new as sunrise, still asks, what doth
the Lord require of thee, but to do
justly and love mercy and walk hum
bly, with thy Coda" 1t still whispers,
Gear God and keep his command
ments, for this is the whole duty of
man." 1t still assures that what
ever passes away, Faith, hope, and
love abide.