The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-12
FAITH AND THEOLOGY.


thing. Faith is just under the cap
stone, and the cap-stone is holiness.
The end of all ends is the salvation of
the soul. That is the crown. That
must come or all is vain. What are
your corn stalks worth if they carry no
corn9 and your cabbages if they re-
fuse to head? and your apple-trees
if the roots only send up trunks, and
the trunks only bear up limbs and
the limbs only give forth twigs and
the twigs only push out blossoms,
and the blossoms only fall off, What
does faith amount to that is only
faith, and that falls off like beautiful
May blooms, and leaves life barren
of Christian fruits' Is it not said,
"By their fruits ye shall know them?
Can we not recall something about a
faith that is dead without works.?
Are we not sure that nothing signifies
but being and doing9 that all belief
is useless that does not bear us to
virtue and holiness.
One lesson is that all theology must
be brought to the test of practical
ness. Truths are of two kinds. There
are the truths that, in their very ma
lures, are useless and carry no life.
They donot admit of train of deeds
being hitched to them, any more than
train of cars could be hitched to
the myths of the imagination. They
are truths of analysis, of ideality, of
metaphysics, for silent and inactive
contemplation. Many belong in this
realm of abstract thoughts, and can
no more come ont into the province
of feeling and purpose and Christian
guidance, than seed without any
life principle can come to germina-
ton and growth and bloom and
fruit.
But there are theological truths
that are saving, if allowed their
proper influence; if we do not seal
our lives against them. There are
views of God that are, in their natu-
raj influence, redemptive, that appeal
to all that is good within us TO put
itself forth, as the sunshine appeals
to the latent vegetation of winter.
Show me that there is love bending
over me, and you show me truth-a
Bible tru' h AMI AZURE truth
tina, calls directly for my love in ye-
turn, "as face answers to face in
mirror"
Show me that God is doing AN
things to make me good and true and
kind and happy, that he is working
upon me and in me, and has sent his
Son to help me by instruction and
persuasion and sympathy and long
suffering entreaty, and you show me
what ought to call me- from my sins
and set me in the right way,-that is,
you show me truth that, in itself, is
saving; and the rest hes with me.
Show me that God is much more
ready to come to me than / am to go
to him; that he knocks at the door of
hearts, and waits, and knocks again
and WA is, and does this every day we
live; that he longs to have me his,
that he may be mine; that he yearns
to adopt me into the family of his
redeemed, and you show me what
should move me, Though and
through, to flee into the arms of my
Maker. Show me God who paints
the rose for me, makes beauty for my
Joy, and music for my delight, and
food for my qualification, and love for
my life, and the view is redemption.
And point me to the divine penalties
as also mercies, laid upon, me in love,
and you do something that should
melt my disobedient spirit into con-
triton and purity.
Here you have theology, faith,
that leads to salvation, as its normal
end 1t is like a royal stairway out
of the depths and the darkness into
the mount of light and life to all
who will enter upon it.
And then, there are divine truths
that lead outward. II God is the
Father, then we are his children, his
family. We are of common nature,
under a common providence, made
with common needs, and for a COM
mon end. We are a brotherhood,
living under a broader roof. And
what ought this truth to call us to be
and do in the way of fellow-feeling
and fellow-servicel To what end does
this faith, if unobstructed, if carried
into life leadi We all know it is an
order of truth that should beget love
as wide as the race, and pity and
charity and forbearance instead of
swift flashing of unrestrained enmity,
and forgiveness, graceful forgiveness,