The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-02-16

our sweetest, dearest, nOlleSJ cream
ing.
Our blessed Lord asks this ques-
ton in tone that suggests the only
possible answer, (Which is greater,
the gift, or the altar that sanctifies
the gift7" The answer is instructive
and puts the gift and the altar in
right relation.
This building is a gift placed upon
the altar of religion, and the altar
sanctifies it. In other words, the
purpose of this Memorial and the
uses to which, this building is to be
appropriated, approved of God, give
to the gift value beyond all material
estimates.
With this approval every stone in
the foundation wall becomes precious,
every line of beauty receives quality
the architect could not have designed,
the sweeping arches take on new
magnificence, the frescoing richer
suggestion and through the windows
comes light from heaven which
gives tone of sacred beauty to the
very atmosphere of the holy place.
This Memorial church shall stand
for the worship and service of the one
living and true God, the "Father of
all who is above all and through all,
and in you all"
1t shall stand for a living faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ" Son of Man."
and "Son of God"-whose birth was
announced as "a great joy which
shall be unto all people" and whose
mission is to SO reveal God that see
ing him all men shall love him; and
to so reveal man that seeing him
all men shall love his brother; and to
SO make salvation known that every
man shall know that it is character,
the highest and best, eternal because
of it's qualities, immortal because of
it's beauty.
1t shall stand for the Holy Spirit
as true baptism ever awaiting the
conditions of righteousness and pur-
ity of the life of men.
The pulpit here shall stand for the
highest liberty of thought and action
and without limitations save the in
finite persuasions of love and truth,
conscience and duty.
Here shall be proclaimed the gospel
of Eternal Hope, and here shall the
foundations of faith in glorious
destiny for the human race be made
known.
Here shall the sorrowing come, not
in vain, for help and consolation; and
here shall the mourner be comforted.
Here shall the young come to be
taught the beautiful lessons of the
Gospel, and the aged find rest in
visions of glory.
Standing here the minister shall
have in view the latest and best
thought of Jesus, the Christ, as art,
taking up this thought has given to
the sacred figure of the Memorial
window pose that is worth thous-
and volumes of commentary on his
character. The grandeur of strength,
of knowledge, of spiritual force and
moral power is there. 1t is the Uni
versalist conception.
Art for ages has been under the
domination of theological absurdities
and has given in its work effeminacy
and weakness to the sacred figure,
but now it rises at the touch of lib
eral ideas and gives the conception of
Jesus as Master on all questions of
human life, as competent to lead men
in the nineteenth century as when
he led the multitudes in the first.
political economists, philosophers in
social economics, writer's on industrial
situations, all may bow before him
whose knowledge is divine, and whose
mission is "Peace on earth, good
will toward men,"
Permeating that figure and giving
to strength, and knowledge and
power, all their glory, is the essence
of the divine nature, love itself-love,
not sentiment merely, nor an emo
ton, but principle-love whose ma
ture, justice, truth and mercy repre-
sent.
This Memorial church, dedicated to
the worship and service of God, and
to faithful following of the Lord
Jesus Christ, will take up from this
time and carry forward from genera
ton to generation, in a wider and
grander way, the spirit of the faith
full Christian lives of those whose
name it honors.
They in their lifetime could not see
this day, but is that knowledge de-
MED them now7
T. Loo-o,, 90 Co. ox--ox H.. 49,