The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-05
AN OPEN LETTER TO REV. JACOB
STRAUB, D. D.

REV. AND DEAR SIR: 1 have read your
astounding criticism of my article on
Jesus Universalism in today's UN1vER-
sALIsr September Ply. 1T sounds pain.
fully familiar, for during my fight with
Orthodoxy became accustomed to such
illusions from bigots in the Evangelical
church. shall not enter into any con
troversy with you, for I have neither
time nor energy to waste. But de-
sire by the courtesy of the Editor of
The UNIvERsALIsT to make two COM
place, you grossly and deliberately mis-
represent my article on Jesus Universal
ism. You say: According to Mr.. Mac
Queary, Universallsm may not be affirm
ed of Jesus" This statement is fatty
contradicted by my article in the Au
gust To-Day. If any one will turn to
that article he will see that its sole OBJ
iect is to prove that Jesus was Univer-
salist. After examining DIR. Savage's
statements about Jesus views of the
destiny of man say: Having thus ex-
amined the passages of the Gospels cited
by Mr.. Savage as proofs of Jesus belief
in endless punishment. it may be well
to cite few passages which seem clear
ly to teach his belief in universal saliva
ton. Thus in the parable of the leaven
the great Teacher said: The kingdom of
heaven is like leaven, which a woman
took and hid in three measures of meal
till the whole was leavened.' Matt. xiii.
33.) This is certainly clear declaration
that jesus Gospel would sometime
leaven the whole lump of humanity. In
the parable of the lost sleep, Matt. xvi.
11-12) he said, The Son of Man is come
to save that which is lost, and as shep.
herd will leave the ninety nine sheep in
the fold and go in search of the lost ore
till he find it. so the Good Shepherd will
seek out the wandering prodigals and
bring them back to the fold. In his
Sermon on the Mount Matt. v. 1920
he says the sinner who is cast into the
prison of punishment may pay the last
farthing and come out. In Luke xii At
48 it is said that the,servant who knows
his lords will and does it not shall be
beaten with many stripes. while he who
knows not his lords will and does it not
shall be beaten with few stripes. In
neither case does Jesus intimate that the
sin Ter will be punished everlastingly
but just the contrary" In the first part
of the article say: "Mr. Savage admits
that belief in endless punishment seems
utterly inconsistent with Jesus idea of
the Heavenly Father. Jesus repeatedly
taught that God is more just and more
merciful to men than an earthly father
can be toward his son." luke XII, Is,
Matt. vii. 7-12; v. As, etc., and it is wholly
incredible that a man holding such a
view of God should have taught that he
would punish the sinner forever, or al
low him to be so tortured for few years
of sin on earth" Yet, Sir, with these
two passages before you = with the
whole argument OF my article before
you-you deliberately say. According
to Mr.. MacQueary. Universalism may
not be affirmed of Jesus" What do you
mean by such gross Misrepresentation?
Have you no conception of fairness in
discussion?
fancied when l wrote my article for
To-Day that all Universalists would
approve my efforts to show that Jesus
taught the universal salvation of man
kind. But evidently you want me to
prove this according to your method of
argument. / fear if l were to attempt
to do SO that DIR. Savage would grind me
to powder and my arguments" with me.
But secondly. you want to know "why
Mr.. Mac Queary chose to go out of his
way to the Universalist Church instead
OF keeping his line. when taking leave of
the Episcopal church. over to the relig-
iously creedless. walless, conditionless
church % of his brother Savage?" And
you add that the Universalist Church