The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-09-07

try to be clear and Logical and
"think thing out to its legitimate
end" before he expresses an opinion
upon it. Let us see. He mentions,
among the "greater things" intellect.
education, duty, justice, character,
etc., and then makes another remark
able statement: 'The greatest thing
in the world is righteousness" And
have been pondering over these
propositions to see if l can discover
what the Doctor means, for he seems
to have thrust these views upon our
attention as sort of new discovery
of marked Importance in helping to
right conception of eternal verities.
Now it seems to me that this critic
of Mr.. Drummond, instead of clear
ing the atmosphere along the road
he travelled, has only"darkened coun-
sell" For what is righteousnessa
Is it not rightness in conduct? And
what is rightness in conduct but
manifestation of lovea Were there
no love in the world where then
would be righteousnessi What is
the incentive to, and embodiment of
right conduct? It is love. Love is
the motive that underlies all right
eousness. You cannot conceive of
good thought or act-good per Sc
that is devoid of love. Love moved
Creative Power to make and people
the universe. God loved us into be-
ing. "God is love-" God is not
truth, is not mercy, nor justice, nor
righteousness. These are but attri-
butes of his being. They are quail
ties or characteristics of love. But
love is Gods nature and essence.
What makes the mother mother'
It is love. What makes God Faith
eri It is love-his nature, You can
not think of God as Father without
thinking of his love. The whole uni
verse is rooted and grounded in love.
Suppose Gods creative power had
been called into activity by his jus
tice-where then would be righteous
ness' Or how could he be just if he
were all intellect and that intellect
not dominated by loves Every form
of righteousness is but the outgrowtb,
the blossom, the fruit of love. Good
ness, justice, mercy, benevolence,
when genuine, and even good charac-
ter, each and all have love and love
only for their base, their source, their
center. Love moves, guides, molds,
controls all high moral purpose. And
the poet says:
''Love is the missionary of eternity.'
Love is the source of all true mis-
sionary enterprises both here and
there.
Mr.. Drummond was right when he
said, love is the greatest thing in the
world. Not even the intellect of a
Shakespeare, Milton or Webster
surpasses nor equals the greatness of
love. Love presides over and sancti,
fies all other gifts and requirements.
Love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love includes all the law and the
prophets. To love God supremely
and our neighbor as ourselves-this
is what it is to be righteous. There
can be no righteousness without love.
1t includes, underlies, overlies, per-
meates, dominates and sanctifes ev-
cry righteous act. 1t is greater than
righteousness because the latter is
dependent on love; cannot exist with
out it. Love in the sense Mr.. Drum
mond uses it, and in the way Jesus
taught it and exemplifed it is always
good. 1t is good per Sc. Good and
only good. Love is always pure and
uplifting. 1t can do no evil. But
pure intellect, intellect divorced from
love, is the most dangerous thing in
the world.
Our critic speaks of love as 'sen-
timent." But love is not sentiment
in the sense here used. Love never
"pampers" its children; sentiment
may do this. Love is principle
''it is the yearning or outgoing of the
soul toward things good" "Right-
eousness," character" "moral earn
estness," are the results; but love is
the cause. And since God is love,
love must be the cause of all causes.
Love is the moving, guiding, control.
ing, dominating force in all Gods
plans and purposes in creating and
dealing with his children. And that
which moves, controls, directs and
dominates the acts of the Infinite
cannot be other than masterful, reg
nant, the greatest thing in the world.
"Not law. not fate, not fOreordained course
T. ath moulded what we are, and built the
worlds
But living, regnant Love-"
w L