The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-23


impress the reader as products of an un
trained mind surrendered to an undisci
plined imagination. We must believe
that they do not do him justice; for
man cannot build up so unique a reput-
alton for great power and fascination on
80 inadequate foundation. He must
be speaker Of peculiar and strong traits
which do not appear in the printed re-
ports of his eloquence.
Our esteemed contemporary, the
Independent, having given more atten-
ton to the subject of union among differ
ent Christian denominations than any
journal in the country, is authorized to
have an opinion on the outcome of the
well-meant endeavors of the Presbyter
ians and some others to come to terms
with the Episcopal church, and the Inde.
pendent's opinion is, that "the end of the
comedy has come" The proposals OF the
Episcopal church are now proved by the
avowals of it's bishops, its other clergy.
and its press, to have been always no
more nor less than an invitation to the
other churches to come en- masse into
the Episcopal fold. That would be
union, certainly. And no doubt the
Episcopalians of the present era, or most
of them. sincerely believe that this would
be the best sort of union. But the terms
could with equal sincerity and no less
courtesy be proposed to them by the
Presbyterians. The curious thing about
an Episcopalian is that he always thinks
"that is very different matter 1t
will be something gained if he finds out
that there is just as much prospect and
no more of the Episcopal church going
into the Presbyterian, as there is of the
Presbyterian going into the Episcopal
ian.
Our New Church brethren show
their faith in their religion by the un-
wearied efforts they put forth to have it
known by their fellowmen. They seem
never to entertain doubt that if reason
able people learn what the doctrines Of
Swedenborg are they will embrace them.
We fear their confidence is not wholly
warranted. Some people are sure to re-
ject the doctrines of the Swedish seer as
soon as they learn what they are. 9th
ers are not sufficiently concerned about
such things to take any message much
to heart Considering how small part
Of the Christian world knows or cares to
know these doctrines, the zeal and in
dustry of the New Church apostles con-
stitute sort of revival of Early Christi
anity.
The Advance has been reading DIR.
Shutters article in the Arena, and it
gives quite lengthy and very fair resume
of its positions. The conclusion to
which the reviewer arrives is thus ex-
pressed: "The logic OF DR.. Shutters arti
Gle seems to be, that abandonment of
any one OF the great principal truths of
the orthodox system leads the mind
progressively away from supernatural
religion to some scheme of naturalism,
and to forms of philanthropy that lack
divine motive and sanctions" Our con-
temporary may be correct in its esti-
mate OF "the logic of DR.. Shutters arti
cle;" we cannot gainsay it there. But
the question is still open, is the logic of
that article the logic of truth and fact?
We dispute the proposition that the re-
pudiation of any great doctrine Of ortho
doxy. everlasting punishment, for exam
pie, leads the mind to naturalism.
The Catholic tells us that rational
ism and naturalism is the goal for which
all who forsake the "true church" start
Every sect, he is sure. will bring up in
rank infdelity. They are all on the
road. The Left Wing Unitarian is a
little in advance of the Right Wing Uni
tartan. The Right-Wing Unitarian is
few steps ahead of the Liberal Orthodox.
The Liberal Orthodox goes on just be-
fore the Conservative Orthodox. But
they are all moving one and the same
way. Only the High Church Episcopa-
lian is tending the other way; and he
will find himself papist when he comes
to full ecclesiastical consciousness
When the Orthodox Of low or high de-
gree, remarks to the Universalist
that the abandonment of any of the
great doctrines of the orthodox system
leads to naturalism, it is but the refrain
of the song the Catholic sings.
-Candor compels US to confess that
some Of our brethren are unnecessarily
active In verifying the Catholic and
Orthodox conclusion. They are sup
plying the evidence for the allegation.
Where the Catholic ssys. "You have cut
loose from safety; you will end in the
rejection of Christianity ITSELF" these
superservicesble witnesses get them
selves subpoenaed and appear in court
to support the case of the plaintiff. On
the stand they say, 1--WE represent the
ripe result OF the revolt from Rome.
What we have come to is what all Pro-
testants should long since have attained,
and what all are destined sooner or later
to arrive at. And our Christianity has
no nonsense in it. There is where it diff.