The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-12

dodge back under cover when he finds
himself so completely alone and unsup-
ported. / fully accept the idea that il
the doctrine of the divine Fatherhood
can be discredited, not only Universal
ism, but the whole Christian Gospel
topples to the ground" And / thank
my brother with all my heart for his ap-
parently candid admission that ''if the
universal Fatherhood of God be true,
there is no logical escape from universal
salvation" So think Neither will
dispute the antiquity Of the dismal doc
trine of Satanic paternity. 1t came or
iginally from the dark and somber soul
OF Augustine. whose awful system of
ecclesiastical tyranny found congepial
soil for it's roots in the decaying ancient
civilization, and the precise nutriment it
needed in the heavy air of barbarism.
but it does not thrive in our modern at
mosphere, as it's Chicago advocate sadly
confesses. Once more, he says: "My
neighbor calls it hideous theological
nightmare, on which I have been good
while harping," which appears to have
brought down the house. Therefore, [
make haste to disclaim any special in
formation as to what kind OF an instru-
ment my brother harps on during his
public exhibitions, but certain passage
in Revelation renders it exceedingly
doubtful if he is yet prepared to unite
with the elders who Sing the new song"
I did observe that "some ministers need
to be born again" and in view of the
adroit rhetorical trick by means of which
my opponent in his spoken sermon dove
tailed that phrase into another exceed
ingly impertinent sentence of his own
manufacture, causing it to sound as If l
had uttered both, still hold to what |
said.
Never Met Henson in His Life.
My unfortunate brothers sensitive.
ness regarding the "circus" business is
provokingly suggestive and shows for
itself. Leaving, now, the further men
ton Of his grimly playful and compare
lively harmless iterations, 1 do distinctly
charge upon Rev. DIR. Henson an offense
against good breeding. to say nothing of
Christian courtesy. which, in my judy
ment. merits severe rebuke. l refer to
his wanton use Of a private conversation,
real or imaginary, with "a liberal brother
not much more than a stones throw
away" respecting the size of their re-
spective congregations. There can be
no question but that many of those who
listened to DIR. Henson's sermon went
away with the belief that the liberal
brother referred to was the same NEAR
neighbor' whom the preacher had been
scoring; and perhaps some may have
thought it Enthusiastically smart for
the good doctor to use this bit of conf
Dental pleasantly as telling" climax
to his fifteen hundred words of evidence
that he never INDUCED in personalities.
Therefore, solely "in the interest of the
truth of history" l. with equal publicity,
denounce the inference which was evil
IDENTIFY left open for the audience to
laugh at as slanderous insinuation, en-
tirely unworthy of place in any Chris
tian pulpit. The truth of the matter is
that | have never met nor held a mo-
ment's conversation with DIR. P. s. Hen
son in my life. We are personally as
much strangers to each other as our
theological ideas are-and that is con
siderable. Mind, do not in the least
question my neighbours protested SINGER
ity of motive, or believe in his terrible
dogma. which logically dethrones God
and places the greater part of the uni
verse under the devils control. With
equal sincerity also believe in my own
more hopeful faith, which teaches me
that he and | are not only near neigh
bors, but actual brothers. We did not
SO. But such is the fact and nothing
can alter it, not even our doctrinal dis
agreements, however violent and I'M
seemly these may be. The true ground
of our fraternity is not in ourselves, or
our circumstances, or our dispositions
toward each other, but in the updying
fatherhood in the heart of our heavenly
Father, which necessitates the essential
relationship of brotherhood between
each and all of His earthly children.
There let the matter rest.