The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-08


growth of ages and presents Tor our
imitation tness.careers of its noblest
heroes in every department of life.
You are but one thread in the great
fabric, and would Ibe counted as no.
thing but for the other threads which
give you your Importance.
"Out of these facts certain duties
grow, and these duties, properlyTset
In order, make up what we call prac-
tical religion. 1t is a system of reli-
gion that can rouse our deepest en-
thusiasm, for it is based on the
fatherhood of God and the brother
hood of man. 1t goes back to the
time when shepherds fed their focks
on the everlasting hills, and it goes
forward as far as the millennium
Men may speculate as they please
about the nature of duty and the va
rious methods by which salvation can
be attained, but their creeds NAV all
be whistled down the wind. like So
much thistledown, for over and above
all creeds and all speculation. even
as giant bendeth over child. these
two facts tower in splendor and mai
esty-namely, that religion consists in
love toward God, love that flies up-
ward to the stars, and love toward
man, love that makes each sufferer
our neighbor, or, better still. orr
brother. The angels stoop to earth
with smiling faces whenever man
sacrifices his own comfort in order to
encourage some disheartened soul.
The @olian harp makes exquisite
music when the breezes sweep over
its strings, but the human heart
makes far better music when willing
hands have busted themselves to
up-lift a fallen brother. There ia
no satisfaction SO nearly divine as
that which comes when Gods ang-
els knock at your door and thank
you for saving one who, but for
your efforts, would have gone far
astray.
"You would not dare to sit indiffer-
emily by if some one, blindfolded
were staggering toward precipice.
1t would be the rankest heresy and
the most contemplate cowardice to
declare that no responsibility for his
fate rested on your shoulders. If by
your exertions you can save him. YOU
are by that fact made responsible for
the injury that befalls.
"You cannot wrap your mantle of
self-righteousness about you and pur-
sue the policy of saving yourself and
letting others take their chances.
The fatherhood of God repudiates
that kind of religion, and the broth
erhood of man grows pale at thought
of it.
"There are many precipices and
many oiinulolueu souls are stagger
ing dangerously near the edge.
Temptation drives with a whip of
knotted cords, and our passions and
appetites deprive us of our common
sense. Men are reeling toward a
thousand hells, and pits of perdition
yawn everywhere. Shall YOU be
dumb, or sit at your ease, because
there is no pit near you9 If a man
falls whom you can save, you also
shall fall in the great hereafter. If
souls are crying out for help, and
you sit idly by, there is no heaven for
either today or tomorrow. You are
your brothers keeper, and you can do
nothing better for yourself than do
ing something for others. If you can
say, l have saved this man or that
man, the angels will reply, And at
the same time and by that very act,
you saved yourself.
"What a grand thing, then, is re-
4
ligionl With what dignity it bears
itself and how majestic is its meinl
What grasp it has on the heart,
and what fires of love it kindlesl
How close to God we get by getting
close to our fellow men, and how near
to heaven we are when surrounded by
good deeds. Speak, then, the kindly,
cheering word whenever opportunity
offers; reach out helping hand to
those needy ones who cross your
path, and you will be surprised to
find brightness and gladness in your
own life, for no one ever clasped his
brothers hand without discovering
that in some mysterious way he
clasped Gods hand also. The world
is beautiful when there is love in the
heart"