The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-18
The remarks:of Prof. Harris, of An

troys rather more than it builds. 1t
implies that the resurrection Of Jesus
rests, not on a constitutional endow-
ment, but on a special grace. II this is
30, we can predict Immortality only of
those who are in a like union with God.
This is the doctrine of conditional i'm
mortality. Perhaps this is what DR..
Harris holds and meant to teach. Such
doctrine dwarfs immensely the signif
canoe of the resurrection Of our Lord.
1t was not the doctrine of st. Paul. 1t
is fiat against the teaching OF Jesus
that "all live to Him"-God. Nor has it
any support from the natural intima-
tions and fore-gleams of Immortality.
DIR. Martineau's s penetrating remark:
MAN does not believe in Immortality
because he has ever proved it; but he is
ever trying to prove it because he cannot
help believing it, is fully borne out by
the character Of the disquisitions on i'm
mortality to which the Easter festival
has given rise. They display buoyant
faith in contrast to slender supports in
fact and argument. The strength Of the
Christian position is in implicitness of
faith in the revelation made through Je-
sus Christ. This is the Christians first
and his final refuge. But one may lose
this foundation and still believe, "be-
cause he cannot help believing it." Prof.
Ladd and Prof. Cope make very clear
startlingly clear-that science presents
no conclusive evidence for Immortality.
The best that can be said is. that it pre-
sents no conclusive evidence against i'm
mortality. General and philosophical
reasons sum up quite slowly; but when
we analyze them in detail they fall a
long way short Of demonstration. Most
of the pretty talk on the subject is as
delusive as painted air. Yet men, even
agnostic and unreligious men, cannot
help believing it,"
In the nearly unanimous reticence
of presidential candidates on the finan-
cial issues, it affects one like north
east breeze on sultry afternoon to hear
a man, prominently before the country
as presidential possibility, say: Il am
much more concerned about the party's
declaration of principles than in its Sc.
lection of candidates; because, in my
opinion, it's failure or success at the cleo
tion, as we'll as its capacity for useful
service to the country in the future, de-
pend upon the position it takes or omits
to take upon the public question now
engaging the attention Of the people, and
especially upon the questions affecting
the monetary system of the country"
There is note of courage and convic.
ton in that which lifts it high above the
atmosphere of Office. The man may be
right in his "opinion" or wrong: he is
certainly right in his manly attitude.
The names Of those boys-many of
them now old boys-who have read with
delight and profit "Tom Browns School
Days." and "Tom Brown at Oxford" are
legion. And no boy of manly quality
and respectable intelligence ever read
either of those books without two strong
emotions -one of admiration for Tom
Brown and another of affection for the
| author. While it always seemed as II
they twain were one, it also always
seemed that there were two of them
Tom Brown the boy and the ingenious
young man, who afterwards was known
! to the world as Thomas Hughes. easily
| figured as one or as two personalities.
Besides these, the first of these classics
gave the world the noble portraiture of
DIR. Arnold, the revered and renowned
Master Of Rugby. 1t was with distinct
pang, as of the loss of dear, personal
friend. and brave, true friend Of Amer
lea, that we read the message of Thomas
Hughes death. He belonged to the best
strain Of English blood and brain.
How much mankind are dominated
by custom and fashion is brought out in
the recital of the fact that "in the an
cient church dancing was for many CEN
turies religious ceremony" The writer
whom we quote, Irving Allen, in the In
dependent. also relates that in the
churches Of Jerusale m, Samaria and AL
exandria, stages for dancing we're erect.
ed at certain seasons, land to these
platforms was given the name of choir"
Hence the designation for that part of
the church where now the singers are
placed. 1t is remarked by Mr.. Allen
that the late Bishop Eastburn, of Massa-
chusetts, was much opposed to the dis
play of flowers in public worship. We
remember once hearing the Bishop. in
his church on Sumner street. express in
no mild terms his disgust with the grow.
ing fashion of decorating the house of
God" He improved the same occasion
to declaim against useless and meaning
less "pagan postures." He would
scarcely be at home now in the churches
of his former diocese.
Mrs. Madeleine Yale Wynne. of Chi
caOo whose story "Ihe Little Room ="