The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-09-14

the responses came 90 rapidly that sew
eral secretaries were kept busy. taking
down the names; from three, five to a
dozen persons stood on the floor at a
time, waiting for chance to make the
pledge for his or her Union. You may
say-"these we're only pledges-wait and
see if the enthusiasm will last long
enough to make them good" Why, a
collection Of $500 was taken up-"in the
twinkling Of an eye"-in response to a
spirited appeal from DIR. Nash; and
remember-this came from young men
and women delegates. who were far
away from home, with limited purses,
and many tempting pleasures surround
ing them.
Surely there was not one there who
did not feel it more blessed to give than
to receive"
The enthusiasm and love OF the Union.
ers were shown again. when they re-
turned all,their old officers to their po
sitions of trust. Three rousing cheers
went up-twice over-for the re election
OF President Felt. He is deservedly
popular.
The one question that ELECTED the
greatest eloquence was the decision Of a
place for holding our next Convention.
The influence of this National Conven-
tion is SO great, the amount of good
that it accomplishing is estimated so
highly, that no less than four church
es--Jersey City, jamestown. NY, Chau
tauqua and Galesburg, Ill.-were all
clamoring for the honor of entertaining
the next Convention. The claims Of
each church were set forth in eloquent
speeches. Jersey City received the hon.
or for '96. and uproarious applause greet
ed this conclusion.
If the opening Of the Convention was
enthusiastic, the conclusion was no less.
After the business points were all dis
posed Of, after the excitement and tilts
of the day. that great Convention of six
hundred delegates closed it's session by
joining. hand in hand, making one "gol-
den chain" and singing God be with
us till we meet again." How we did
sing it, too! 1t meant more than it had
ever meant before. as swe stood. hand
clasped in hand. Massachusetts joined
hands with Washington, Texas with New
York State. And so, we closed our Con-
vention with singing, as we had opened
it with with singing.
But our Convention was not over yet
although it's business session was
closed.
Sunday was. indeed, "pentecostal
day" to the Universalist young people
gathered together in Boston, from the
four quarters of the Union. So many
renowned speakers Coleman Ad-
ANS, Drs. Perrin and Capen-were to
give us the spiritual food for our better
refection-that it was difficult to decide
which one we wished to hear most,-we
wanted so to hear them all tell the "glad
tidings of great ioy.' But the event of
the day was our visit to Tufts Divinity
School. and the opportunity of seeing
and hearing that patriarch of Univer-
salism-Dr. Thos. J. Sawyer, who is
ninety two years young, but who is still
proclaiming to those about him, that
"God is love-"
To see and hear this venerable Father
of our faith was pleasure that few Of
US had ever anticipated; land they
claimed that DIR. Sawyer was 80 inspired
by the presence Of the young about him
that he made one of the best speeches
of his life.
Following, came the addresses of the
State presidents. each one telling the
best thing his State Y. P. G. U. had done
during the past year, in speech of three
minutes length. But the enthusiasm of
the speakers was 80 great that three
minutes found them with the "half not
yet told"
Leaving Tufts, we took the car for Mt.
Auburn. there to visit the graves of
John Murray, Hosea Ballou, j. G.
Adams, the benefactors of Tufts; also
the tombs of Longfellow and Lowell.
At the grave Of John Murray the New
Jersey delegates we're given the honor
of decorating the final resting place of
him who was so strangely and miracu-
lously waited to these shores,-to fulfill
not only Potter's prophecy-but a proph-
ecy for all time and all people. the
glad tidings OF a worlds salvation
From Murray's tomb we proceeded to
that of DR.. j. G. Adams, where short
services were held; thence to the grave
of Hosea Ballou, which is marked by a
fine statue. Here we sang Father Bal
lou's hymn, "In Gods Eternity" and
listened to the earnest remarks in mem
ory of his deeds.
Sunday night we had another rich
treat. sermon from our enthusiastic
DIR. Nash. one of the originators of our
Christian Union movement.
At the conclusion of the sermon the
communion was observed, and never be-
fore were we SO impressed with the sane
tity of the holy ordinance. as on this oc
casion. The enthusiasm was here, too.
although silent; it was manifested in the
earaestness and seriousness of the parti.