The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-03
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
EDITORIAL.

NEXT WEEK our Mich
NoAU "o0A !" igan Universalists
mloniSan' hold their annual
Convention in Detroit. The program
appears this week on our fifth page. 1t
was arranged in general form before
vacation. but changes have been found
necessary. and it appears in print now
for the first and only time, just week
before the annual meeting The Detroit
parish is given to hospitality and will
cheerfully welcome all who attend. We
trust that our Michigan churches will be
largely represented. Every parish in
the State should make it point Of de-
nominational honor and loyalty to have
representatives at the annual Conven-
ton. The Convention belongs to the
Universalists of the State. 1t is their
own organization. Let them assert
their ownership in the constitutional
way by sending their delegates to trans
act the UNCONVENTIONAL BUSH ess of the
State.
500
The Illinois Conven-
Liz 11lnols JUL tion is in session as
Ventlon' we go to press with
this impression of The UNIvERsALIsT.
meeting in Ryder Memorial Chapel in
our Woodlawn Park suburb. The
weather on Tuesday. the opening day.
is not propitious; in fact it is extremely
disagreeable. Rain is falling and cold
wind blows from the lake and general
gloom has settled down over the city.
But inside the little chapel all is cheer
full and pleasant; many friends have as
sembled and delegates are arriving every
hour. The outlook is good for large
attendance notwithstanding the driz
zling rain and the northeastern which
chills the city and makes all outdoors
uncomfortable. Chicago weather is like
the little girl with the curl: when it is
good it is very, very good, but when
it is bad it is horrid." 1t is "horrid" on
Tuesday morning as our Convention
meets, but we hope for fair skies and
bright sunshine on Wednesday and
Thursday.
The scheme some time ago proposed
by Roman Catholics to buy Rome is
absurd on the face Of it, but it is said
that the Catholic authorities in England
take the plan very seriously. The pro-
posal was that Roman Catholics through
out the world should raise the sum of
two hundred millions sterling and place
it in the hands of the Pope that he might
treat with the italian Government for
Rome and strip of territory leading to
the sea. 1t seemed to be the idea OF
those who proposed this preposteruus
scheme that as Italy is in bad way as
respects her finances the Government
would be glad to replenish its exchequer
in the way indicated. They do not seem
to reflect that Rome is necessary to the
idea of United Italy. Any government
that would put up Rome for sale even to
the Pope would not stand long enough
to deliver the goods.
wv
An English Nonconformist paper has
an excellent article on Church Attend
ance and the preaching of today. in
which there are some good suggestions
to both pastor and people. Perhaps as
regards preachers themselves the follow
ing sentences are the most pertinent and
timely:
sit is, besides, superlatively important
that preachers should confine themselves
to what they intensely believe. We are
convinced that there is no preaching
quite so powerless as the dead preaching
of dead theological formulas. What goes
to the heart must be vitalized by burn
ing conviction. No doubt there are
dangers. They have been impressively
manifested in the course of Ritschlian-
ism in Germany. which has issued in an
purely regulative theology, and in an
ethical system, and in death. Our only
fear for NonconformitY in this country
is that it may gradually lose its hold on
the supernatural. clinging at first to
fragments. and then rejecting these"
500
The report of the Venezuelan Com
mission appointed last January to inves
tigate the British Venezuelan boundary
line in dispute probably will be made to
the President shortly before Congress
conyenes in December. 1t was expected
that the report might be ready by No.
vember l, but complications in connec-
tion with the work in Holland have
caused delay, The several members of
the commission have been at work on
different bra inches Of the subject all
summer with view to reaching a de-
cision as early as possible. Justice
Brewer, the Chairman Of the commits
sion, has called meeting of the con-