The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-25

The greatest men, then, in.modern
and in ancient times, have.felt them
selves unequal to the supreme tasks
before them, and it was only to the
extent that they were able to obliter-
ate self and to be simply and trust
ingly obedient to the call from within
that they found their strength grow
ing with their needs and themselves
at last the conquerors, the heroes and
the saviours of the hour.
Now. it is exactly along this line
of effort that the world is to be saved.
Or, if you choose to state the same
thing in different way, it's by the
recognition of those possessing one
talent that humanity is to arrive at
its fullest, its complete fruition. 1t
ought to be self evident to everyone
that there can be no perfect no, nor
scarcely creditable, much less faith
inspiring humanity with scarcely a
great and a good man scattered here
and there throughout the ages. If
the world is saved in justice, truth
and brotherhood, it will be because
the people are saved in these things.
1t will be because they are just, true,
and brotherly in character, because
they are inspired to act evermore
from these basal and enduring spir-
itual principles. Deeply as I revere
the Christ that was, l much more
deeply revere the Christ that is to be.
For while the former incarnated him
self in one man or at most few men,
the latter will incarnate himself in all
men. The number of them shall be
ten thousand times ten thousand, and
thousands of thousands; and of their
increase there shall be no end. tell
you the one profoundly significant
and sacred word now is democracy"
For however much the spirit of all
truth and holiness, the Holy Spirit,
Gcd, may have been in the lives of
certain individuals in the past, if we
would behold him now in his great
or and fuller glory, and in the mar
vels of His most recent achievements,
we must look for him in the rising
and broadening tide of the better and
truer spirit revealed in the life and
character of the ordinary man. This
is the course of destiny, and it is only
he who puts himself en- rapport with
this movement who is entitled to the
distinction of being called the man of
destiny. The best illustration we
have of this newer life is our own
Lincoln. He, of whose simple an
by no means uncommon endowments,
Lowell speaks when he says:
"His was no lonely mountain peak Of mind.
Thrust to thin air over our cloudy bars.
A sea-mark now, now lost 10 vapors blind;
Broad PRAIRIE rather, genial level-lined.
Faithful and friendly for all human kind;
Yet also nigh to heaven and loved Of loftiest
stars"
Lincoln knew but one thing, and
that was common honor, common
justice, common love to all mankind.
He said that this nation could not
exist half slave and half free; and in
the midst of the shock and carnage
of the most terrible civil strife this
world has ever witnessed, his word
was proven to be none other than the
word of God.
But the methods of education and
of reform all indicate that this is pre-
eminently the age of democracy-the
age of the common people. Our
dominating purpose now is to educate
and to save all, even from the least
unto the greatest. The most inter-
esting problems before the students
of social science at the present time
are how to effect a more equitable
distribution of the products and
wealth of the world-how to better
feed and clothe and house the masses
how to cure poverty, drunkenness
and crime. The aim is to give every
soul a chance, to put every man in
such environment that he can enjoy
the liberty, life, light and truth God
has ordained for him; it is to destroy
every species of slavery and to usher
in the reign of universal goodwill
and peace on the earth.
A final word remains to be spoken
to those who are in any way engaged
in this field of human endeavor, and
l take it that by far the greater ma
jority of mankind are enlisted, to
degree, at least, in this service-fath-
ers, mothers, children; merchants,
physicians, ministers; these who toll
with hand and those who toll with
brain are all part of that great in
dustrial army which is marching on
to the ultimate victory over every
form of ignorance and wrong. No one
can afford to be renegade or de-
serter. Life is diviner and love
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