The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-04-06
OUR WRITERS.

OUR WRITERS.
The CHU RcH Nor NARRow.--lRev.
Anson Titus. THE Universalist Church
cannot afford to be narrow. If it is it
butts against it's earlier days. 1t has
however its meets and bounds There
is no freedom in unbridled license. The
kite is free only when the cord is strong.
Loyalty therefore TO our central teach
ings, loyalty to our adopted methods.
loyalty all around. MAKE vigor and
strength TO grow in all our parts.
DEFINITE PLANS. SPECIFIC ENDS
(ReU. DR.. Emerson).-It is needful that
we form definite plans and that we con-
centrate endeavor on specific ends. 1t
is not always needful that we get what
we seek; and if we are faithful to the
light we have and work with a conse-
Grated spirit, we may know that we can
not fail: il we miss what we seek We
miss only to attain something higher
and better. Duty is ours: results are
Gods. 1t is for us to plant and water:
let God not only give, but elect what
shall be, the increase
Do RIGHT.-(Rev. j. G. Burrmss. "A
man who has a soul worth a sixpence,
must have enemies. It is utterly i'm
possible for the best man to please the
whole world, and the sooner this is un-
derstood, and position taken in view of
the fact, the better. Do right, though
you have enemies. You cannot escape
them by doing wrong; and it is little
gain to barter away your honor and in
tegrity, and divest yourself of moral
courage, to gain-nothing Better abide
by the truth-frown down all opposition,
and rejoice in the feeling which must in
spire free and independent man.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN MAINE. (B. M.
Mead. Although women did not gain
the right of municipal suffrage from the
Maine Legislature they can gratefully
remember these legislators for passing
laws giving to mothers equal authority
with fathers in the custody of their mi
nor children and the care of their prop
erty, and to widows an absolute right of
dover in the property of the husband.
similar provision being made for the
widowers. 1t has also been decreed that
where husband and wife live apart, the
courts may force the husband to make
an allowance to his wife, without di-
vorce being granted.
INTUITIvE (Rev. james
Shrigley. .)-Some philosophers have be-
lieved that our intuitive perceptions Of
right and wrong are sufficient to guide
us safely and happily through the jour-
ney Of life. Such people cannot believe.
as some churches teach, that man in his
natural state is incapable of thinking a
good thought or performing a good act;
they cannot believe in total depravity.
Every one who reflects seriously on the
subject knows that very many of our in
tuitive perceptions are right and sound.
and may be safely carried out in our in
tercourse with the men and women with
whom we associate. II we see person
in danger of being injured, saint and
sinner rush to his assistance. Our the
ology has nothing to do with the matter,
but our innate sense of right and wrong,
our humanity. our hearts. prompt the
action; without any process Of reasoning
we go to help the unfortunate. This is
intuitive religion and is unerring.
Nor SAVED BY (Rev.
George HtlI)-The old doctrine that
God made man subject to vanity. and
hell to punish him, because he knew he
would fall and fail. and then sent his
son Jesus to die to atone for believers, is
unworthy of God. and contrary to our
human sense of wisdom or justice. No
such theology can stand the light of
reason and "clear ideas" Jesus did not
die to save man from hell. or any such
mistake on the part Of God. He did not
die to save man from punishment or the
consequences OF sin, but rather to save
him from sin itself. He is divine and
efficient help to man in his salvation
from his own animalism. ignorance, and
primal barbarism. Destiny is an evolu-
tion, with the love of God and the Cos
pei of Christ as helpers; or as we may
say, constituents OF the movement unto
the end. We are not saved by punish
ment, by grace, nor by Christ. but by
evolution with grace, punishment and
Christ as Fastening helps to the con-
summation. God made man for such a
destiny, and foresaw and provided all
the necessary helps. Human choice and
conduct may modify and retard, but
cannot change it. Give man all the lib
erty he can bear, let him exercise it as
he will, and he can not get permanently