The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-07-25

atoms, or maketh lie, but they
which are written in the Lambs
book of life" If the gates are open
what shall keep these out? They
don't want to go in; they prefer the
outside. If there we're saloons in
side, and gin palaces, if the golden
streets were race tracks, and if there
were gambling places and brothels
they might wish to go in; or, if the
inside were a place for lazy lounging
or indolent ease with free lunches
and free excursions with brass
bands in attendance there might be
wild rush to get in. But as it is
they turn from the open gates, hav-
ing no fellowship with the nobility
and the honor and the glory of the
life within. They are out of tune
with the key note of heaven. The
impure do not seek companionship
with the pure, Yet we judge human
nature incorrectly if we think the
people outside the gates are content
and happy. "having found their own
place" They are not in their own
place at all; they are born to noble
destiny; they are out of place because
they can do better; those of their own
kin have found the better and the
testimony of righteousness is that it
is life full and complete. Sin is the
awful blunder of the world and the
fruit of deception and ignorance. 1t
is one stupendous lie-the very es
sense OF all untruth. 1t was lie
from the beginning! Shall we say
human nature can be satisfied with
It'll Shall we say a soul bound to it
is in its right place! No, a thousand
times no! The true place for the
children is at home with God the
Father. Those who are outside are
out of place in the sense that
higher and nobler destiny is their
birth-right privilege. Heart broken
sobs are always coming from souls
crushed beneath the heavy load of
sin; pale faces, hollow-eyed and tear
stained are always to be seen in the
awful without" When the decep-
tive allurements of sin are found to
be utterly false and sin is unmasked
its most wretched victims loathe it;
if they continue in its bondage it is
either by the force of habit, or by the
craving of unnatural appetite. 1t is
only by the accession of new victims
young men and women deceived
and deluded- that the lawful with
out" is kept populous, the old vic
Tins are loethsome wrecks OF warn
ing, but the young dancing on in
thoughtless gaiety, never think of be-
coming like these.
What shall be done? What is be-
ing done7 The gates of the city are
wide open and the open is eloquent
with invitation. Is this ala In the
presence of the Eternal Father,
in the presence of the angels of
heaven weeping over all this wretch
edness; in the presence of the Cross
the question is hardly permissible.
We raise it for the purpose of giving
emphasis to the fact that the Father
does not stand waiting in the open
gates but, in the redemptive forces
He is everywhere at work. His pun
ishments for sin, the natural effects
of wrong doing, are laws of redemp
tive mercy; conscience is aroused,
and the moral sense vitalized contin-
ually among these wandering prodi-
gals; these redemptive agencies are
supplemented by the love-forces of
the Gospel urging repentance and
offering the unspeakable blessings of
forgiveness. Even the prodigal
started toward home. when he could
stand it no longer, not knowing how
he would be received Now the as
sursnce is being spoken everywhere of
welcome and pardon to fearful con-
fession and penitence. The words
"Come unto me, all Ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and l will give you
rest" will never cease from the uni
verse till all shall have come home.
THE PAPAL ENOYOLIOAL.