The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-16
BY REV. E. L. coNeER, DID.

The following extract is from Catholic Fair
paper of San Diego, Cal. 1t was originally taken
from sermon on What Religion is For"
preached at the meetings for Church Extension,
held recently by the Universaists in San Diego
and extensively reported in the city papers.l
The founder of Christianity came
to enlarge, and deepen and exalt the
sphere of every life-to increase the
life of the world. His was not dark
life. 1t was not low vulgar life that
needed to be covered or concealed.
There are such lives, they go about
among us. They are trusted.
They lie and even murder the in
nocent to conceal their vileness and
their lustful life, but when the search
light of moral truth is turned upon
them, how the press teens with their
stencil. There are lives too, that are
treacherous and they spring upon you
with some trick or deviltry only to do
you harm. They call it smart, or
sharp; sometimes they call it busi-
ness.
But it is mean smartness and a
low business. 1t drives the poor from
their homes and robs the hungry of
bread.
Such lives are not the light of men.
They bring despair and cast shad-
ows over aching hearts. It is terrible
to think how much time we spend in
crushing the lives out of men; out of
the boy or girl who wants sunshine
or gladness to brighten their growth;
out of the young men or women who
are enthusiastic with a grtat purpose
to do good. How we crowd men and
women out of their places and push
them down and drive them to des-
pair when we could so easily give
them hope and life. How corpora
tions- soulless ones | mean, for all are
not Sowing the sweat from mems
brows, take the life out of their hearts
and homes, and pile up wealth, while
labor starves or begs.
See the commercial life of the world
at dead stand. Whys Partly be-
cause the only two forces in the world
that can put that life in motion
capital and labor-stand like two
balky horses, jerking and kicking,
but will not pull together. Capital
is idle and labor is idle.
Machinery is rusting and men by
millions are going hungry. Factories
cannot pay expenses, yet laborers are
on strike for better pay. Labor is
organizing and consolidating against
capital, and capital against labor.
And now while the factories are locked
and the banks are crowded with idle
money, the streets are crowded with
idle men, and they are marching in
hungry, destitute armies looking for
redress. o, how the great life of these
two God given forces is narrowed and
crippled and endangered by this war
like attitude of these two friendsl
And how the peace, and comfort, and
social life and intellectual and moral
growth, and the progress and pros
perity of all are imperiled by this
wicked and wanton strife and the
danger that portends. What mighty
sacrifice of life, blessed life, we are
making to this moloch of selfshness
on one side and all sides.
And what is to be the result?
Surely greater sacrifice of life unless
wise and loving counsels prevail.
And what has religion to offer in this
crisisi Can she adjust these mighty
and turbulent forcesa Is it the mis-
sion of the churches to complacently
spend their strength and life con-
tending Tor their creeds and bringing
men to their theology, while the life
and peace and progress of men, and
society are all in such peril9
MOI The mission of religion is to
increase the life of the world, and the
churches are the organized forces to
do the work. "Not to destroy life,
but to give life" Does it matter how
the great church in all its branches
does this?
heard man say recently: 81 need
the money sorely which that man
owes me on his ranch and the law