The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-01-25

many ana even cOn1lctlng voices
everywhere in the world. On the one
hand the seemings and superstitions
of the human heart and on the other
the sober aphorisms of experience
and the word of God. The various
suggestions, mysterious intimations,
truth, fallacies, and all other similar
voices in the wide world may be
ranged under two classes,-the one,
human, the other divine; the one from
beneath and the other from above.
l. 1t will be seen, from what has
already been said of the earthly voice
that it is not to be depended upon
for the development of truth. 1t is
voice-not of superstition, but of
something worse-which brings up
the suggestion and even maintains
the principle, that man in this world
is as brute, and has no friend and
father in superior divinity. Rea-
son, feeling, desire, involuntary i'm
pulse-all revolt at such an idea. 1t
is among the first thoughts of man,
and an unsophisticated impulse of
his soul, that thereisa supreme being
from whom he came into existence.
The very divinity existing in man
stirs up the suggestion and the con-
viction of being superior to himself,
in whom he lives, and by whose mys-
ferrous energy he is nourished and
supported in life. And besides this,
all nature utters a voice which con-
firms the mysterious impulses of the
human heart, and proves the exist
ence of power divine. The voice of
Revelation adds further testimony in
favor of this important truth. Man
sees it, and bows in alteration before
his Creator.
2. But here another form of voice
of earthly extraction comes up to
perplex and distract the soul. The
unavoidable pangs and admonitions
of conscience show that man is sin
full, and often steps aside from the
beaten path of duty. And then
come the suggestions of fear, and
superstition, and policy and hypoc-
ricy-all asserting, with their i'm
posing mandate that God is offended
and frowns upon the hayward child
of imperfecton; and looks with the
threatening aspect of stern and I'M
bending vengeance upon him; that
"O'er his he1d a bowless cloud
OF indignation hangs; a cloud it is
OF thick and utter darkness. rolling, like
An ocean, tides of livid, pitchy flames.''
And the same terrestrial voice
dresses up the Deity in the aspect of
terror, and presents him fearfully
frowning upon all his sinful creatures
-unrelenting in his claims, demand
ing vengeance and exacting most
tremendous penalty for human
wickedness. This is the aspect of
God as announced by the voice of
the earth proceeding from the car
nal heart of man.
But there comes from the deeper
mines of human feeling and unso-
phisticated reason counter-voice de-
claring that God is the Father of all
mercies, gracious and kind to all his
creatures. 1t is the voice of nature,
and it finds corresponding senti-
ment in the deep and fervent aspira-
tions of every holy heart. 1t is the
voice of that divine inspiration that
came through patriarchs, and proph
cts, and apostles and holy men in
days that are past, presenting the
majesty of heaven under the aspect
of a merciful father, surrounded with
all the dear associations connected
with the name of parent.
HE we IT'S no terrors on his brow;
He speaks in love to Zion now.
"But your kind heavenly Father bends his ey 9
On the least wing that fits aloog the sky;
He hears the gay and the dstes sful call
And with unsparing bounty fills them ALL
His word of truth declares him re
peatedly to be Father, who is good
unto all, and his tender mercies are
over all his works.
3. But the voice of the earth has
another and still erroneous signifca-
cation. 1t announces that while God
frowns with unrelenting vengeance
upon sinful men, yet they may in
dulge in sin with impunity, and still
escape the just punishment of their
wicked deeds. 1t is this fattering
and deceitful sound that has led
thousands into the delusive courses
of sin. Holding out the fattering al
lurements of pleasure in iniquity and
the means of escape from its deserved
penalty by very simple method, it
has exerted a tremendous influence
for evil upon the minds and hearts of
men. But there is another sound
that comes up from the voice of sober
exDerience and divine truth and con-