The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-01

thodoxy in its selfish, sectarian spirit,
and he will soon empty his church of
its best minds and warmest hearts.
These facts show that our doctrines
are in harmony with the thought and
religious beliefs of the great army of
religious people. But while the re-
ligious world is constantly drawing
nearer to Universalist interpretations
of Christianity, yet many are afraid
of the name of our church ,-as if
name were the standard by which we
would judge men.
Really if there is one name in
Christendom that should command
the respect and support of men, more
than another, that name is "Univer-
salism." Jesus did not sanction class
names. In the religious sense there
is no Jew nor gentle. All are Gods
children. If Christianity is not the
universal religion then I have not
understood it right. If it can be ex-
pressed properly by a class name,
then it is only class religion. In
that case it is only sect, and as such
stands by the side of Brahmanism,
while the world must await the adj
vent of the universal religion. The
God of the universe, and the religion
of the universe must be universal.
They cannot be expressed by any
narrower terms. Believing that Chris
tianity, as it fell from the lips of Je-
sus, is the universal religion, | know
of no word that can express the fact
except the word universal" and
hence | am Universalist.
The word is an affirmation of the lof-
test character. 1t includes all other
words in which there is truth. And
the time must come in the progress
of creation, when that word will lift
all other religious terms to the plane
of the universal, when God shall be
all in all.
The religious world is slowly accept
ing our Interpretation of religion,
but for popularity S sake, teaching our
doctrines under partialistic names.
This fact is the greatest hindrance to
the prosperity of our church that we
meet with. To stem this tide is our
greatest problem. Create such sense
of duty and integrity that those who
are Universalist in religious belief
will be loyal to, the Universalist name,
and there is not church building
large enough in any city in this I'm
ion to accommodate those who would
march with us.
But that is the problem: How can
we enlist under our banner the men
and women who belong there? How
can we fill men and women with
courage, independence and moral
heroism enough SO they will not be
afraid to stand where they belong?
A very intelligent gentleman said to
me: II am Universalist." To this
l responded by asking him why he
was member of an orthodox church
then. His reply was: Because | can
be Universalist and still belong to
an orthodox church" "Then you are
not influenced by the same reasons
that prompted Robert Ioombs to want
to be buried in the center of negro
burying grounds" / asked. This
question aroused his curiosity and so
he urged me to tell him why Robert
Toombs wanted to be buried in such
an unusual place. Because" said
Toombs, "a negro burying ground is
the last place in Gods universe
where the devil would think of look
ing for Southern soldier" The gen.
tleman was quick to make the appli-
cation. If the devil were in search
of Universalist he certainly would
not go to an orthodox church to find
him. And | do not suppose God
would look there either, and SO it
might chance that Universalist in
an orthodox church might escape no.
tice altogether.
But seriously, why should people
shrink from standing up and being
counted where they belong7 If there
is one thing more certain than another
in mans relationship to God, it is this:
that some time and somewhere every
soul must stand ON its own feet, where
it belongs.
know all the powerful influences
that are brought to bear on people to
induce them to avoid our name. If
the name were popular the multitude
would fill our churches. But popular
or not with men, the truth is always
popular with God. And the highest
quality of manhood is that which can
stand up alone if need be to be
counted. Put question to vote and
~ 30 aacu 70 e4oDd nv, NTH @ba ,,o,,If;