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

AmUIOSlus, OIlSSu, tuo SIodt OulVeI-
salist Christian scholar, philosopher
and saint reviewed this book and re-
futed these and other minor objec
tions brought by CELSIUS. He took up
the skeptic's book sentence by SEN
tence, line by line, and left literally
nothing unanswered. Eusebius de-
clares that Origen mot only ans
wered all the objections that had
ever been brought, but had supplied
in anticipation answers to all that
ever could be brought against Chris
tianity." Celsus's work is the foun-
tain whence the enemies of Chris
tianity have obtained the materials
for their attacks on the Christian re-
ligion. 1t garbles texts, comfounds
obscure gnostic heresies with the ac-
cepted Christianity, and employs the
keenest logic, the bitterest sarcasm
and invective, the profoundest phil
osophy then extant and exhausts
learning, argument, ard ell the re-
sources of most accomplished dia
lectician.
Origen's reply, written about CEN
tury after the death of CELSIUS, A. D.
249, proceeds on the ground already
taken by Clement and the Alexan-
drian Fathers, of the essential rela-
tions between God and man; the
universal operation of Gods grace;
the preparation for the Gospel by
paganism; the residence of the gen.
ius of divinity in every human soul;
the resurrection of the spirit instead
of the body; the miraculous origin
of Christianity, the miracles of the
New Testament, and the curative
character of all Gods punishments.
He thoroughly refutes CELSIUS, and
manifests lofty spirit as far above
his opponent. as is Christianity above
unbelief.
An illustration of his manner is
found in Celsus's attack on the New
Testament miracles. He dares not
deny them. They were too recent,
for he wrote only about century
after the death of our Lord. He
says: "Be it 80; we accept the occur
rences as genuine;" and he then pro-
ceeds to rank them with the tricks of
Egyptian sorcerers, and asks: Did
any one ever look upon those i'm
posters as divinely aided, who for
hire healed the sick, and wrought
wonderful works2 If Jesus did work
miracles it was through sorcery, and
deserves, therefore, the greater con-
tempt.
In reply. Origen insists on the mir
acles, though he places, as Jesus
himself did, the highest evidence of
Christianity on its moral triumphs.
He says: "Show me the magician
who calls upon the spectators of his
prodigies to reform their life or who
teaches his admirers the fear of God,
and seeks to persuade them to act as
those who must appear before him
as their judge! The magicians do
nothing of the sort, either because
they are incapable of it, or because
they have no such desire.
themselves charged with crimes
the most shameful and infamous,
how should they attempt the refor-
nation of the morals of others? The
miracles of Christ, on the contrary
all bear the impress of his own holi-
ness, and he ever uses them as a
means of winning to the cause of
goodness and truth those who wit
ness them. Thus he presented his
own life as the perfect model, not
only to his immediate disciples, but
to all men. He taught his disciples
to make known to those who
heard them the perfect will of God,
and he revealed to mankind, far more
by his life and works than by his
miracles, the secret of that holiness
by which it is possible in all things
to please God. If such was the life
of Jesus, how can he be COM
pared to mere charlatans, and why
may we not believe that he was in
deed God manifested in the flesh for
the salvation of our racei"
Origen occupied position in refer
ence to ancient skepticism exactly like
that of the Universalist denomina-
tion in modern times, that is, midway
between superstition and skepticism.
Like him our church, as church,
with very inconsiderable and short
lived exceptions, has accepted the
teachings of true philosophy and
science, and insisted ON the authority
of reason,-while at the same time it
has acknowledged the authority of
Holy Scripture, the true divinity of
Christ, the accuracy of the historical