The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-09

in raising the Murray Fund, elected
to continue an independent work,
both in plan and application. 1t has
right to be proud of what it has
done, but, in its name and behalf, a
mighty force of the very best workers
in the Universalist Church has been
withheld from the specific work of the
Convention, and the Conventions
power has been proportionately re-
duced. Under whatever justification
(which am not called upon to dis
cuss), a large proportion of the young
people of our church have not, for
several years, seemed to recognize the
Conventions claims upon their conf
dence and service, this condition
seeming dangerously near to repre-
sentation of estrangement. 1t is GER
tainly only fair to the Convention to
say that large measure of efficiency
has therein been diverted from it's re-
sources, whatever the justification or
lack of justification therefor.
| am conscious that / herein enter
upon delicate ground, but it seems to
me that my record OF the last twenty
five years ought to defend me, where
| am known, against any suspicion of
lack of respect for the young people
of our church. i am on record, I'M
mistakably, as persistently urging
upon them the burdens, the RESPONSE
bility and the glory of. the church's
work. l have urged, not that the
older people ought to be suspended,
but that they claimed aid and relief
have asked the younger people
to come into the work, and find their
places of leadership precisely as their
seniors had done, by the manifesto
ton of their zeal and ability. There
are no old men leading the affairs of
our church today who did not enter
the work as young men, and entered
it, too, in the department of service.
What the church needs today is the
best of service, by whosoever it can
be rendered, and it would be wrong
to attempt to fill her places of respon
sibility on any other basis.
If any change of UNCONVENTIONAL
policy or administration will bring
better service, we have no right to
hesitate to make that change, but |
deny the right of changing for any
other reason whatever. The entire
Convention is trustee, and is under
obligations to the trust that it has
accepted. It's policy ought to be pro-
gressive, but experiment as substi-
tute for study and experience is not
one of its rights as trustee. The Con-
vention is under pledge to its good
faith, to it's bene factors, to its expect
ed requests aye, to the laws of the
land as to its administration of its
trusts, and must be obedient to that
pledge.
The young peoples associations of
today, among which the Y. P. S. G. E.
may properly be regarded as leader,
are of recent organization. 1t is sim
ply truth to say that in their phe-
nominally rapid rise their purpose
and plan have not been fully com
pretended even by themselves. In
their primary aspect there has been
a mighty ebulition of enthusiasm,
with somewhat confused idea of
what was to be the next step. The
warmest friends of the Y p. S. G.. E.
have hesitated as to how to so guide
this mighty power that its splendid
enthusiasm might not be wasted,
and at its late st and mighty session
! in Boston, the organization was per-
suaded to settle down to declara-
ton of purpose which, if adhered to,
places it upon safe and solid ground.
| have admired and been surprised by
the splendid enthusiasm of our own
young people in their late session at
Boston. They surprised themselves,
but | know they will think kindly of
me when | tell them that they have
bravely entered upon mighty work,
whose bounds are to them, as yet,
very indefinite Success can come
only from hard work, although en-,
thusiasm greatly enlightens toll. Ger
tainly their first work must be reviv-
alistic, in the broadcast modern sense
of that term. On that basis, study
and experience may reveal the duty,
even of revolution. | am prepared to
accept the strictly legitimate outcome
whatever it may be. Most devoutly
do | bid the young people God speed
and pledge myself to any service it
may be in my power to render to
them.
The Conventions BY laws, Articles,
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