The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-07-04


our hearts and lives, and extends that
influence, in greater or less degree,
to all the creatures he has made.
And in no way can this relationship
be destroyed, so as to take us entirely
from the ownership and possession of
God, and transfer us, or any of his
creatures, to the authority and poss-
ession of being in every respect his
opposite. In other words, no part
of mankind can ever become the
rightful possession and subjects of
an evil spirit. There can never be
any compromise between God and
an evil angel; nor any relinquish-
ment of Gods rightful possessions,
nor any transfer of his claims. He
has created all people and for his
pleasure they are and were created;"
and, for the same or similar pur-
pose, he preserves and blesses them
through all their life. Consequently
in life or in death, they belong to
him as his possession.
l. But this universal possession
he can dispose of or arrange in just
such manner as his wisdom may
deem most suitable and proper. And
accordingly we find that, for wise
purposes, he has resigned this whole
possession into the hands of his Son.
Jesus is appointed heir of all things.
1.-THE Father loveth him and hath
given all things into his hands" 1t
is repeatedly asserted in the word of
God that this appointment has been
made; that Jesus has received au-
thority over all things, and has been
highly exalted and name has been
given him above every name; that at
the name of Jesus every knee should
bow and every tongue confess that
he is Lord to the glory of God the
Father.
This being the case, it may be said,
in secondary sense, that all people
belong to Christ. So far as the gift
has extended, they are all his people.
God has given them into the hands
of his Son, and though he still re-
serves some right of possession in
them, yet a right land possession
are, also, conferred upon the Son.
These extend to the exercise of GER
tain authority and the accomplish
ment of certain purpose. And
they induce relations as indissolu-
BILE as those between God and his
creatures. "Thou hast given b m
power over all flesh, that he should
give eternal life to as many as the
Father has given him." He is con-
stituted Lord of all things that are
in heaven and in earth. And as Lord
he is not only possessor, but ruler,
having the right to exercise authority,
and spiritual dominion over all flesh.
And for the purpose of assuring and
exercising this spiritual dominion, he
passed through the several stages of
mortality from it's birth to its termin-
alton, and then assembled to the right
hand of God on high. And thus by
all the qualifications requisite for the
commission, he comes in possession
of all mankind as his people, both in
this world and the world to come.
"For to this end Christ both died,
and rose, and revived, that he might
be Lord both of the dead and the
living" 1t is thus stated in connec-
ton with the text, that Jesus passed
the gates of death and assembled on
high, that he might become the pos
SCISSOR of ii dead as we'll as the liv-
ing, and exercise spiritual authority
and redeeming influence over them
in any and every position in which
they might be placed.
2. But they belong to him, also,
by right of redemption. As they had
departed from Gods requirements.
and become alienated from life of
holiness through the ignorance that
was in them, he sent his Son into the
world to redeem them. "God so
loved the world that he sent his only
begotten Son, that whosoever be-
lieveth on him might not perish, but
have everlasting life; for God sent
not his son into the world to con-
denim the world, but that the world
through him might be saved" His
commission required him not only to
seek and save the lost sheep of the
house of Israel, but to be for saliva
ton unto the ends of the earth.
In accordance with the divine pur-
pose, Jesus came into the world and
assumed the duties of his mission.
AS it was the will of God that all
should be saved and come unto
knowledge of the truth, Jesus became
the Mediator between God and men,
and gave himself ransom for all
man 70 he testified in due time. 1t is