The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-13
uTTOW knoweth this man let
II tiers. having never learnedF


his earthly life. There was no'n
inc original in his teaching" says
the sceptic of today; "he learned
his doctrine of somebody. Some
of his sayings are found in the
Old Testament; and some are from
recorded traditions, and teachings OF
Jewish Rabbits; and some were ahoat
in the currents of thought from the
older religions of India, Persia, Cnina'
or Greece" 1t is admitted there
NAV be little variation in form OF
statement and application; but "tney
are not original" For example the
golden rule may be traced to Ooniu-
cius.
CT. Bethany in THE Worlds he
ligions," page ia, says; SIN the Ane
lects a disciple asks Confucius IL
there was one word that might serve
as a rule of practice for all one me-
and received the answer, is not recip-
rocitv such a word9 What you 90 not
want done to yourself do not DO to
others But this is really only
maxim of enlightened self interest,"
and is far from being equal to the
positive Injunction of the golden rule
Ra;no asked what he thought OF the
principle that injury should be re-
commenced with kindness, Contuclus
renlied with what, then, will you re.
compense kindness7" THE law OF
revenge is plainly inculcated, says
Bethany. "and its baneful influence
continues in China to the present
day"
Rut admit what is said to level him
down to an ordinary man, against
the originality of Jesus when 40
NOT # amounting to halt truth'
equivalent to falsehood; and a queS'
tion Of literature, largely foreign TO
nv present purpose), admit 1t true l
say. the ordinary man disappears
and An extraordinary man rises III us
Mace. A marvellous man among al
mon must he have been in recognl-
zinc in the rubbish the gems OF eter-
nal brightness, truths that are tunoa-
mental and universal. To lift them
aloft from their obscurity that the
world might see at the last, and walk
safely in the light of them, was tne
work of no ordinary man. Ana IL he
heard the word echoed family among
the living that had been whispered
bv here and there sage long oeao'
was it less than divine wisdom anu
mower that could wake the Whisper
into the voice of God9
No plant of his heavenly father
nlanting was to be rooted up. NO
aax afire with. the divine love was to
he ouenched. No bruised reed OF
truth supporting child in his Jour.
new was to be broken. NO trutn VI
nrophet or law -giver was to be oes-
troyed. but fulfilled. The title OF
King of Truth he accepted, and de-
clared that "to this end was L born'
and for this cause came into the
world, that l should bear witness unto
the truth. Every one that is Oh 'he
truth hesreth my voice" therefore,
SAYS this King, "every SCRIBE IN
structed into the kingdom of heaven
ia like unto a man that is an house
holder. which bringeth forth out OF
his treasure things new and OLD.
If there are stray sayings, like some
spoken by Jesus shining as stars IN
the darkness of other and older re-
ligions. it does not follow that he de
rived his knowledge from the older
teachers. If they are truths, from
whence did the older draw them9
They did not make them. The form
of expression is all they can claim, ana
that is literature. A poet has said;
"HoW sure 1t is
That If we say true word Instantly
We find it's Gods not ours, and pas II on
AS bread at Sacrament, we taste and pass
Nor handle for moment, as indeed
We dared to set up any claim to such"
Note the delicate sense this author
has of Gods larger claim even to the
form in which she has conceived
truth, as if she had said, ''give it
wing, let it go on its way, as one OF
Gods proverbs! Who made it, Not
l, it came taste and pass"
There are people who know good
only as money. They know the coin;
but not the gold, except they see itin
the coin. The coin belongs to Ceser,
the gold to God. A commonplace
truth may illustrate. The fact that
sensibility has its capacity for pleas
ure offset by capacity for pain, flows
from the pen of Moore in this form:
"The heart that is soonest awake to
the flowers is always the first to be
touched by the thorn" From the pen
sc D,,r,S n is.