The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23

the world the true character of God,
and to establish the true, acceptable,
and beneficial worship of God.
Jesus assures us of the impartiality
of God by his illustration of the sun
shine and rain upon all alike, thus
showing us our relationship to God,
and by teaching us to address him
by or with the endearing name of
"Our Father" Recounting the Beat
itudes he gives us the most perfect
and God-like instruction that was
ever given to man. Instead of an eye
for an eye, etc., Jesus says "Love
your enemies, bless them that curse
you, pray for them that despitefully
use you and prosecute you" And
Jesus enforced his precepts by the
perfection of his example, in which
he manifested the unbounded love of
God for man, his children.
Jesus did not teach those dogmas
of the church which lead thinking
people into infidelity, viz: The fall
of man, original sin, total depravity,
''fnally unregenerate," finally i'm
penitent" and "vicarious atonement."
These terms are not found in the Bible.
The last is least understood of all.
1t is perfectly natural and not at all
surprising that pagan notions should
become mixed with Christian teach
ing when 80 many thousands of the
ignorant pagans professed Christi
anity who knew little or nothing
about it, when it was made popular
by the decree of the emperor Con-
stantine, that Christians should not
be prosecuted for their religion.
| shall notice only the last point,
viz, atonement. l know very well
how the word "atonement" is under
stood, or rather misunderstood, by
most people. l will consider the
popular view first. The word atone
ment as defined by Webster, carries
with it the idea that one party has
been injured by the other. Query,
did man injure God by his first
trdnsgression? No. neither was God
angry with men for he knew and de-
signed that they should do just as
they did. If Adam and Eve disap-
pointed God, then he learned some
thing, and if he was angry, here are
three changes on the part of God.
Utterly impossible! Some popular
writer's of the day assert that God
was very angry with Adam and Eve,
and that God drove them out of the
garden. The Bible does not say
that God was angry, or that he drove
out the woman. | know the people
are taught and some believe that the
mission of Jesus Christ into the world
was to receive and endure in his per-
son, all the punishment due all the
world for their sins and to appease
the wrath of Divine Justice. Now
for God to get angry is one change
and for his anger to be appeased is
another change. This is all wrong.
The mission of Christ into the world
was not to remove any i'll will, or to
make God love us more, but because
he loves us so much and to make us
sensible of that fact. hold that it is
impossible for man or angels, to de-
wise plan by which to make more
lasting, and impressive manifestation
of the unbounded love of God for his
children than what is shown to the
world in the teaching and life of
Jesus Christ. And then to seal his
testimony with his life's blood and
while suffering the pains of death to
offer the most sublime and touching
prayer for his murderers, ever uttered!
dLuCA lOISlNO UuCu! why III thC
deepest sorrow for their guilt he adds
"For they know not what they do"
There is no traffic in this. 1t is pure
exhibition of God, for "God is Love-"
How we ought to love him, because
he first loved us! Again this view
does not compromise the Immortality
of Jehovah and saves us from that
bewildering problem, yicarious suf
fering.
There is not a man living who
places a higher estimate upon the
great truths of the Bible than the
writer But l do not worship it, be-
cause it is the work of man, and has
many imperfections The Christian
religion is immensely superior to all
others ever given to the world, and
like every thing else of great value if
perverted, corrupted, and counter
feited this is an evil in proportion
to it's excellence in its purity. Wit
ness the terrible decline of spiritual
religion soon after the union of
church and state, which continued