The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-30

n TANY attempts are being made

revolution to relieve God of response
bility for the final damnation OF souls
However dismal the failure OF these
attempts the effort to brighten the
divine character is commendable and
is one of the promising signs OF the
times. AS an illustration of such at
tempts we quote from book entitled,
sold Faiths and new Facts" by VIM.
W. Kinsley, (this paragraph recently
quoted in The UNIvERsALIsT.-EDIToR)
The author says:-"Thus much
think we may safely say: Not till
God has fully comprised the re-
sources of his infinite love to win
back the erring, and has finally lost
all hope of their return, will his striv-
ing cease and his sustaining presence
be withdrawn. Yet when the last
ray of hope is quenched in the great
yearning heart of God, then, but till
then, will the hardened migrate rebel
be forever banished from his pres
ence."
God is here represented as doing
his utmost to save all mankind and
as failing at last to subdue the
hardened migrate rebels" whoever
they may be. "The last ray OF hope
is quenched in the great yearning
heart of God" and he gives up, the
resources of his infinite love COM
pletely exhausted. What picture
is this,-God tired out and utterly
hopeless Our admiration for the
divine effort is lost in pity for hope
less and exhausted Deity.
The contrast between this and the
Calvinistic idea of God is sharp and
interesting. The Calvinistic idea,
pure and simple, is that God is
abundantly able to save all whom
he pleases to save. He elected
them to be saved from the begin
ming and definitely fixed the num-
Der. He also assumed the respon-
sibility of the final damnation OF
the man elect. While the horror
of the damnatory part of this theol-
ogy is infinitely horrible there is
no idea of an exhausted or hopeless
God about it. The Lord God AL
mighty is triumphant God. "He
doeth his will in the armies of heaven
and among the inhabitants of earth,
and there is none to stay his hand or
to say unto him, What doest thou?"
If we put this Calvinistic idea OF
God-that he is able to save all whom
he pleases-with the other idea OF
God-that he would save if he could
we have, with certain changes as
to the character of salvation, the di-
vinely glorious doctrine of Universal
Salvation. Almighty power and uni
versal love united make the eternal
foundation of Uniyersalism. God is
able to save all whom he pleases; he
is pleased to save all. Touching this
divine assurance St. Paul writes, 81
exhort therefore, that first of all, sup
plications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks, be made for all men;
for kings, and for all that are in au-
thority; that we may lead quiet
and peaceable life in all goodness
and hon esty. For this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour; who will have all men to be
saved, and to come unto all the
knowledge of the truth. For there
is one God, and one mediator between
God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
who gave himself ransom, all to be
testified in due time," l Timothy, xi,
10. Gods universal love and power
are here expressed.
Universalists are often spoken of
as heretics; but they are, in fact
double orthodox They unite the
best ideas to the two grand divisions
of Protestant Christianity-Love and
Power-and Universalism is the logi-
cal deduction.
When Mr.. Kinsley speaks of God
as Composing the resources of
his infinite love and failing at last
to call back all the erring," he is
assuming to know what these re-
sources are and to give them limits
and bounds. This is folly. Who
can measure the resources of Coils
infinite love? Who can affirm of ON
impotence that it cannot accomplish
the purpose of Gods love? Who
can speak of the 'greaty earning heart
of the everlasting Father" and make
of that holy of holes a cemetery of
dead hopesl Before men shall speak
thus of God would it not be we'll
to consider something of the mag
nifcence and glory of the universe
in which are displayed the gran
deur of Gods power, and the inf
mite projections of his wisdom and