The Portland daily press., 1895-12-09
AT CONGRESS SQUARE CHURCH.
DIR. Gordon's Acceptance of Universalist
Principles.

sermon on aThe Acceptance of Univer.
salist Principles by Rev. DR.. Gordon,
pastor of the old South church, Boston.
The texts were taken from L Corin-
thians TX. and XIV and l. Timothy, Nv.
''Woe is unto me, if I preach not the
gospel. We trust in the living God who
is the Saviour of all men, especially OF
those that believe. Then shall the Son
also himself be subject unto him that put
all things under him, that God may be
all in all. "
These glorious words of the Apostle
Paul, when they are fully understood,
stir the blood. Paul gloried in his belief
He believed that God is the Father of
all men-that He cares for His children
eternally-that Jesus is His greatest in
strument in redemption-that He will
bring all men to himself at last. He
must preach this gospel. He could not
understand Indifference or hostility to it,
So the Universalist preachers Of today
must preach their gospel. They cannot
comprehend Indifference or hostility to it,
They rejoice when others see and accept
their principles. In Boston noble man
has done this. DR.. Gordon, pastor Of
Old South church has shown in his
magnificent book, 'The Christ of To-
Day." that he accepts Universalist
principles. These are that God is the
Father of all men, good and bad; (the
old theology said he was the father of the
good only)-that he is eternally interested
in his ehildren--that in this world and
the next he will strive to draw them I'M
to himself; that salvation ia righteous
ness. The Uniyersalist conclusion is that
God will finally bring all mankind to
holiness and happiness. Quotations from
"The Christ of To-day" will show that
DR.. Gordon accepts these principles and
Blanchard would not call DIR. Gordon q
Univers alist. But he would quote his
words.
On page 1856, he says: NOW, in the
case of one who believes that the con-
seriousness of Christ is the creation and
regulative source OF all theology, this
partialistic scheme must be forever
abandoned. For such believer, the
universe must be held to be on the side
of humanity, the whole sweep of the
Divine purpose must be conceived as
favorable to mankind. If the decree of
the Infinite is to be inferred from Christ,
it must be an inclusive decree. Some will
be first and some last, one will be elected
to lead and another to follow, but all will
be chosen for service, all for the beautifc
vision" On page 1876, he says the new
paganism of conditional Immortality"
On page pol, these words appear: "There
is but one salvation and that is righteous
ness" On page 2O3, he says: "The
Christian thinker of today has won his
freedom to regard God as the Father of
all men, to con oeive of Him as eternally
interested in the whole race; and to re-
move all limits of place and time from
the redemptivs scheme of Christ. He has
the right to affirm, if he solemnly be-
lieves it, that, on this side of death or on
that, God and Christ and the moral
universe are unchangeably the same; that
all the Divine punishments are chastise-
lu0AUo uuau OOo . AAcoA PuI POSO al oCOuE&-
INCH children is to bring them back to
Himself; and that even in hell the worm
must gnaw and the fire burn in the
service of Eternal Grace"
These words contain the Universalist
principals. No wonder Rev. MI. Savage
declares that DIR. Gordon accepts universal
salvation.
But DR.. Gordon does not call himself a
Universalist. He is not a dogmatic
Uniyersalist, but the path is open to
reach that conclusion. Perhaps he repre-
sents many who holding to Universalist
principles hesitate to announce themselves
Universalists.
Dr. Blanchard, therefore, considered
five points.
L-Uniyersalists are not dogmatic in
the sense that they declare that they
know that all men will finally be saved
They only believe. Old Testament, New
Testament, science philosophy appear to
them to teach their faith. But they only
say ''We believe" With Whittier, they
say:
~, DrOGnerS IL my Ialth be vain,
If hopes like these betray,
Pray for me, that my feet may find
The safe and surer way
And then, oh Lord by whom are seen,
Thy creatures as they be,
Forgive me, if too close lean
My human heart on thee"
I II.-Universalists today believe in
future punishment.
| lila large number of Universalists
believe in eternity of consequence that
the largeness or littleness of the life in
the spirit world is largely determined by
mans use or misuse of opportunities in
| this world.
IV.-The doctrine that all men are to
be at one with God-''one to lead and one
| to follow, but all are called to service
| all will have the beatific yision,'' is
thee on ly one that can satisfy the reason
and the heart.
V.-Ihis doctrine gives inspiration to
persevere in saving ones self and saving
others. God will never weary in striving
to save. Man must not weary. DIR.