The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-11


impossible to believe that a good God
would turn his back on any miserable
sinner who. ere he passed from earth,
turned to him penitent and sorrowful,
In strong and impassioned language,
the speaker Indignantly repudiated the
idea that God would condemn any re-
pentant sinner to endless punishment.
1t was equally irrational to suppose that
God would Immediately reward such
one with supernal bliss. He needed to
be severely tried and purged Of his evil
ways, and though saved, yet as by fire."
In fact, none of us we're fitted to enter
heaven forthwith; we all required rein
ing and cleansing. Reason itself de
manded some kind of future state ans
wering to purgatory. Unless we we're
ready to accept some kind of death
and glory scheme for the penitent dead.
which was plainly unreasonable, we
must turn to the only sane alternative
that they entered upon state in which
they were gradually prepared for Joy
eternal.
Father Cleary indirectly denied the
charge, often made, that the priest ex-
torted money from widows and others
on the plea that it was required for the
purpose of saying mass for their de-
celsed husbands or children. But he
left his hearers guessing as to what was
the regular practice OF the church in
this matter of saying mass for the dead;
and while he made it clear that it was
the Roman Catholic belief that pray ers
for the dead were efficacious. he did not
answer the question involuntarily raised
in the minds of his auditors, whether
the individual soul would have part in
W )rking out his salvation in purgatoIy,
or all depended upon the intercession of
the living.
In one other respect he failed to fully
satisfy an inquirings. public. 1t was
learned that Catholics have every hope
for those guilty of venial sin;..but the
fate of those guilty of "grievous sin" was
passed over in ominous silence. Plainly
purgatory was not for them; from which
it was to be inferred that the endless
punishment which the genial priest de-
nou iced so earnestly 10 behalf of the
penitent sinners. was reserved for the Sc
outcasts; and though he found. insuper-
able objections to projecting prospective
saints straight from the imperfections
of earth into eternal heaven, no injus-
tice was seen in summary thrusting
the impenitent into an endless hell.
Perhaps Father Cleary was conscious OF
the Inconsistency of his church's teach
ing here, and purposely ignored the sub
ject of "the state Of the unforgiven after
DEATH" If 80, he did not by this means
conceal the weakness of the doctrine OF
purgatory while he revealed its strength?
1t has been said that the Universalist
idea of PROCESSION after death CORE
sponded to this Catholic doctrine; but
while the latter is remarkable advance
on the still current orthodox idea Of pro-
baton for this life only, it may be seen
to be partialist scheme yet. unlike any
o. Gods WORKSHOP the benefit OF only
a part of his creatures. When our Cath
Ollie brethren really grasp that God the
Father is impartial. making his sun to
shine on the evil and the good alike,
then they will cease to restrict the op-
portunities of purgatory to any one class
who chance to have repented OF their
81 before a given tine, as death; they
will see that as long as God remains
God, whatever is offered to one or few,
is offered to all on the same terms, now
and always, and find reason to hope that
all will repent. all will grow in grace. be
purged of evil. be filed with good, and
God shall be all in all. J.M.A.