The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-29

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mand that is beyond all others is
beautifully clear; what that duty is is
dependent upon our conception of
what Gods desire is HUI
manity is beginning to see with Whit
tier that higher worship is possible.
mot the poor Offering of vain rites. but rather
The simple duty man from man demands"
Every one IF the thousand bless
ings of God is an obligation upon us
to pure, high and holy living, to deeds
of kindness and charity. They are
obligations upon us not only to make
our own lives right within but to have
our eyes open to the welfare and up
building of humanity.
Tdesire now simply to analyze our
obligations as individual Universal
lists and as organized Universalists'
There are upon us not only the obi
cations which follow in the wake of
our great and mighty faith, but new
and augmented obligations which are
the outcome Of the present day with
its changed conditions. There is
upon us, first Of all, the obligation of
correct living. We have not only the
obligation which appears to the Or
thodox Christian, but the added obli-
cations to high and holy life that
come from being a severely criticised
sect. That we are being watched,
that every deed or misdeed is being
magnified and distorted. ought to-
make us doubly careful from selfish
standpoint
"But there is another view of this:
Our faith is the divinest ever pro-
mulgated. The first that the world
has ever known that was free from
the dogmatism of fear. Based on
love and love alone, it is tender
plant although eternal.
"The law of our faith brings upon
us an obligation of true living. But
the spirit Of our faith is-even more
powerful. We are to trust in harmo-
ny with the dreams of philanthro-
pists, of saints, sages and poets. The
ideal life that shines out in the poems
of Whittier, Longfellow, Lowell,
Holmes and Browning, is inthe line
of our faith, and the obligation Of not
only refraining from those things
which curse, but in the doingof those
things which work for the higher and
holier life, is ours. The obligation
then upon us is to keep ourselves
pure.
GAS necessary outcome ofour faith
in the brotherhood of man, we have
upon us an obligation to live as if we
are brothers. The Lord has said,
BLESSED are they who consider the
poor But our faith here brings
upon us a further obligation. 1t tells
us in the words of our Profession that
the God of Love will finally restore
the whole family of mankind to holt
ness and happiness. How IS that to
be done? By miracle? Idoubt it.
We, his human children, are the en-
bassadors of God. He has no others
upon earth. Aud it devolves, upon
| us to see that this holiness and hap
piness shall come.
"Oh, the sublimity of the nature
which dares to hope. which. rises SUI
| perior to the moment, to the age, and
to the senses, which has faith that
nothing is too good to be true! In
fact its goodness is the seal of its
truth. And SO I call you in the spirit
of our faith which believes that there
is no final station short of perfection,
which holds that every valley shall
be exalted and every rough place
be made smooth, to make this
faith shine in you by being the actu-
ating cause OF life earnest in reform
and human helpfulness.
"But what are the special obliga-
tions which are upon us as a, church ?
Peculiar obligations inhere in our
church life in this day. Our faith is
built upon freedom. The spirit of
progress is in its every fiber. Free
men. bold men, filled with the spirit
of God, is the demand of our minis
try. In more than matters of faith
is absolute freedom and boldness
needed. This day is full of problems
of the utmost import problems that
touch the welfare of humanity. And
thank God, the minister is becoming
ready to exclaim, anything that af-
fects humanity interests me.
God has great and an inspiring
work for us to do. + The poi
icy of our church has too frequently
been to start church only when the
people want it badly enough to build
it themselves.
eve have asked ourselves too much