The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-24

tuted an economy is nationally I'M
thinkable. To my apprehension the
universe as an finite whole is eternal
as God is eternal, the universe being
but the vesting, so to speak, of the
infinite soul-the manifestation, or
declaration of his existence, by which
the All Spirit affirms himself to him
self, and to all infinite intelligences
az self subsistent being,-or in other
words, makes hin self known to him.
self and to all, as eternally acting
through the spontaneous proceeding
of his nature whereby an objective
universe is eternally maintained,
with all its coming and going forms
of suns and systems and their num-
berless dependencies.
As, therefore, suns and planets exist
to the extent of infinite space-if
space must be taken into the account
and suns and planets have thus
existed Notwithstanding the fact that
each individual sun and system has
its beginning and ending as to form,
finite intelligences always have ex-
listed as inhabitants of planetary
bodies; and so in the one infinite
and eternal universe-the natural
vesting of the infinite and eternal
spirit, virtually man has always ex-
listed and always will exist, though as
to his material form each individual
has beginning to his career in one
or the other of the orbs of space and
also termination to that special ca
reer.
l say virtually man, because man
on the earth may be less, or even
more developed in intelligence and
goodness than the inhabitants of
other spheres, he must nevertheless
belong to the highest type of finite
life, for his form is upright-his head
goes not downward like the mollusk,
nor horizontally like the reptile, nor
yet obliquely like the simian, but
perpendicularly, or at the angie of
ninety degrees;-and higher than
this is impossible on any planet.
Their, fore the highest beings that
may inhabit any of the numberless
orbs of space must be substantially
man; and so from unbegun duration
to unending deration, man is the
subject of salvation, or development
into that righteousness of.life which
corresponds to and honors the up
rightness of his physical frame.
The process of salvation, orsdevelop-
ment into this estate of,righteousness,
which is heaven itself, is process
without beginning or end; for men
have always been comingss.into the
material form and going out of the
same, being as to their substantial
existence, immortal spirits, whose self
conscious individuality continues be-
yond its material barriers, when those
barriers are dissolved by the process
known as death.
Universal salvation, therefore, is
all the while in process of accom-
plishment,-it always has been and
always will be thus in process of ac-
mplishment; and it is individually
accomplished with each separate soul
when by that soul righteousness, d.
vineness or heavenliness in life is
attained.
One attains thus to salvation today,
another to morrow, another farther
along; but all along, through all
ages, the process goes on, and men
eternally are being saved, as men
eternally and naturally are being
brought forth, through evolution,
into the sphere of intelligent self
consciousness, and in that sphere
till each in his turn is
born of the spirit into unselfish love-
life as ruled by heavenly wisdom
otherwise called Christ-life. or life in
Christ; and so all men naturally, not
systematically or extra naturally, are
made alive in Christ, every man in
his own order, as his being develops
into Christliness of character.
And this proceeding for the de-
velopment of souls from state of
earthliness in character to state of
heavenliness in character, is an eter-
nal proceeding whereby forever souls
are coming into intelligent self-con-
seriousness in material environment,
and progressing with their selfcon-
seriousness maintained yond that
environment, to the estate of divine
divine feeling and divine
willing, all of which is heaven.
The clear conception, or sight, of
this economy and this divine and nat
ural proceeding of things, affords to
the seer a mighty incentive to effort
on his part for making the salvation
real in his experience. Therefore, as
zoOn aa ono attaina tn this olorious