The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-09
G0VERNMENT-THE TRANSIENT
AND THE PERMANENT.

but when that which is perfect is come, then
that which is In part shall be done away
| Paul
We believe that God is the Su-
preme Creator, Preserver and Ruler
of the illimitable worlds-the Uni
verse. All things exist by the fat of
his will, his power, his wisdom, his
justice and his goodness. SLOW mar
velous are his works. In wisdom
hath he created them ALL"
In the plan of the creation are the
elements of the transient and the per-
manent-the changing and the un-
changing. The things which are seen
by mortal vision are temporal, but
the things which are not seen by nor
tai sight are eternal. In this mum
dane stage of existence no life is
completely rounded up and perfected.
The conditions of human life here are
evidently designed to lead man by
progressive stages from the lower to
higher planes of thought, of action,
and of happiness. He starts the end
less cycles of his life in this rudiment-
airy school. For him there are three
forms of government, designed for
his instruction, his growth in knowl-
edge, goodness, and true enjoyment
as rational being.
The first form ofgovernment among
men was that of PHYSICAL Force. In
the misty ages of the past, when in
the infancy of the race man was
struggling in the dim dawn of know
ledge and reason, he who could WELD
the stoutest club subjected his fellows
to his sway and governed them by
fear and physical force. What must
have been the condition of the race
in its rudimental, barbarous state9
The brotherhood, the humanities, the
common kinship of all men were not
even dreamed of then. In those far
away ages the practice of mems
kindliest virtues would, in the light
of our day, be considered cruelties.
Intelligence was in its crudest state
and the club was the instrument
by which the strong governed the
weak and helpless.
In the progress of ages the glim-
mering dawn of a better day began
to illumine the darkness of ignorance.
and order began to take the place of
chaos, slowly resulting in GOVERN
MENT BY AUTHORITY. Laws were adj
opted, at first by chiefs of tribes, and
as tribes from time to time were con-
solidated, edicts were proclaimed by
kings and emperors-anda as men adj
yanced in the scale of knowledge and
experience, laws were enacted by
senates and parliaments.
At first the subject was not permit
ted a voice in the proclamations,-
edicts, nor in the enactment of laws.
1t was enough for him to know or not
to know that he must obey the author
tiles that assumed to rule over him;
he dare not at his peril, question the
wisdom of the authority that swiftly
exercised the power of compelling
obedience.
Government by authority still
sways the masses of mankind, both in
the secular and religious domains of
the woodland enters largely into
the family life of the people. In the
administration of both secular and
ecclesiastical authority many abuses
and cruelties have been practiced,
and some of them are still practiced.
And yet, who will assert that
through all the changing events of
mans transient existence on earth, in
all the ages that have marked his
struggles. his sorrows and his joys,
there has not run a visible thread of
the Divine plant Man, with every
incident that goes to make up his en-
tire existence, was, is, and ever will
be part of the great aud wise plan
of the universe, designed by the Au-
thor of his being to rise from low
conditions by every pain he bears, by
every joy he feels, by every lesson of
experience incident to his sojourn in
a world of many changes step
by step, slowly it may be, rise on
ward and upward forever toward the
perfect and the permanent.
The third and highest and final
form of earthly government is the
GOVERNMENT OF Love. When Jesus,
the Christ, the Great Teacher of