The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-29
AN EARLY CHRISTIAN CHARIsTIC

In his contribution to the February
number of the North American Re
view, on "The Future Life and the
Condition of Man Therein Mr.. Glad
stone remarks as to the eschatology
of the early church:
Upon the whole and as regards the
early church at large, I submit that
we may view its mental condition with
regard to eschatology as a very happy
condition, and as distinguished main
Iy by a union of these three special
notes: A pure faith, a modest self
restraint and d large range of freedom
for opinion"
Happy church when such was its
condition, For, after all, what comes
of all human speculation as to the
finality of things? Usually nothing
but that we learn there is no such
finality; or, If there be, we can know
nothing of it. And again what mat
tiers it, since the whole sum of the
matter is to love God and keep his
commandments? And pure and I'M
defiled religion is this: To visit the
fatherless and widows in their af-
Fiction. and to keep oneself unspotted
from the world
"a pure faith modest self-restraint
and a large range Of freedom for
opinion" all united into one, was the
character of the early Christian COM
munity Happy had it remained char
acteristic of Christian communities
through all The centuries. What cru
city, what shame, what tears, what
bIoodsif1ed what senseless revolutions
had been saved to mankind had it but
been content with the simple truths
taught by the great Nazarene! And
then that simple truth was sufficient.
1t was capable of producing that char
acter, if strictly adhered to, that
would merit heavens highest glory,
since it would result in bringing to
pass that vital union with God"
which is, after all, of salvation the
essence. There is faith, righteousness
and liberty in the creed of those early
Christian communities, as it is stated
by Mr.. Gladstone, and with that creed
strictly adhered to, man may face the
future, known and unknown, with the
assurance that adj is and will be well
with him.
1t has never been the simple and
vital principles of religion that have
caused the trouble this world has seen
over religion-it is mans definitions
of the unknown, and for the most part
over this Observation-Disclosures the Crea-
tor out of the abundance of his mercy
shall be pleased to reveal it to his
children-that has caused the trouble.
Man by searching has sought to find
out God-the finite must know all
about the infinite; and when he had
learned sufficient TO know that God is
infinite, he could not be content to al
low the mystery to stimulate his rever-
ence without exciting his curiosity.
But he must still search, and not only
search but force the conclusion of his
speculations-for the most part, vain
maginings-upon others, and maintain
them by the rack and gibbet, the
thumb-screw, the gallows; by fire and
sword; and hence the violence that but
to mention awakens Christian shame
for Christian folly ard intolerance.
What matters it what conditions sur
round the future life-if one have "a
pure faith, modest self-restraint and
large range of freedom for opinion?''
For il he has these he has faith, righ-
teousness and charity, and having these
he shall be worthy of that future life
be it's conditions what they may. Hav-
ing these, one has ALL though having
nothing. Having not these, he has
nothing, though having all else.
What matters it if the soul of man
has natural Immortality or an ac-
CURED immortality through the atone
ment of Christ and his own obedience
to the precepts OF the gospel-what
matters it, we say? If one have pure