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

without the weekly sermon, and yet it
is by the foolishness of preaching
that men are saved. No doubt we
have heard the story of the hysician
who, on being asked to settle in GER
tain city enquired what sort of peo-
pie dwelt there. Some one replied,
people who never eat until they are
hungry and stop eating before their
appetite is fully satisfied" "They
will have no need o. me there, replied
the physician; sickness does not
come to people who live thus" There
are individuals, perhaps, wLo spirit
ually do not need physician, but
there are even in civilized lands no
communities that are so favored, and
therefore the poor in spirit have very
important duties to their fellows.
Those who feel most truly and
deeply their spiritual need and are
hungering and thirsting to receive
and impart more and more of the
fulness of God, these are in very truth
the poor in spirit. Bui for these the
royal law holds good, "to him that
hath shall be given" We cry out
against this principle, sometimes, as
We see the worlds wealth slowly
gravitating into few mems hands.
We cry out against it as we see the
whole world running madly after
Moody or Talmage, but in the spir-
itual and moral world it all appears
just and holy and good. Because the
poor in spirit are hungering and
thirsting for righteousness, they shall
be fed. Because they are meek and
humble and anxious to know, more
will be given. But he who is satis-
fed with what he now knows, content
with the opinions he holds to-day, is
the man who is really the most rest
less and unsatisfied of all men. He
is not poor in spirit and he is not
blessed. Perhaps he has never had
doubt as to the goodness of God;
his existence and attributes may be
as real to him as the rock and the
river, the sky and the grass. The
plan of salvation may be painted as
clearly in his minds eye as is the
plan of his own house; but nature is
bound to take out of such man what
she puts into his creed. Sure as he
is of the truth of his beliefs, he is not
sure that he IS righteous; not sure
that he is going to be saved; he is
not sure of the royal worth of his
own soul. On the other hand the
man who deals honestly with his creed,
and admits it's weaknesses, admits,
as Socrates, did that he knows moth
ing, becomes, as Jesus taught, poor
in spirit, humble in heart, willing to
receive light; such one may be un
certain about some things in his creed,
but perfectly at rest about his soul;
willing to leave it with the Author of
all good, willing to trust to heaven
ly hope.
There is something of hope and
encouragement in this thought for
those who have not the time or the
talent to investigate at first hand
the profound problems of existence.
They have not the time to go deeply
into the question of the freedom of
the will, yet they are well aware that
if the will is not in some sense free
our preaching is vain and our faith
is vain. They have not the time to
study carefully the results of recent
Bible criticism, yet they know that if
these are true the ideas of God,
heaven and Immortality must stand
upon their own merits. They have
not time to study at first hand the
results of mans efforts to establish
the doctrines of evolution, yet they
know that if these doctrines are true
as propounded they must ultimately
revolutionize not only popular theol-
ogY, but even those principles of
morality that underlie the home and
all society.
Stop, for moment, and think how
unsettled, how all at sea most of us
ought to be regarding the most sub
lime questions that can occupy the
human mindl Yet we are not thus
restless and uncertain, at least, the
most of us are not. And why are we
not2 Because there is blessing upon
the poor in spirit, upon those who.
while affording nothing positive in
regard to these great questions yet
have sufficient faith to believe that
all will be we'll. Where knowledge is
wanting to these faith steps in, a faith
grounded deep in the harmony of the
world and the economy of natures
laws, and the abounding goodness of
the Author of all things-their's is a
faith that lends restfulness and a