The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-08
reclaim, and presents itself fully
equipped in all respects to lead up
wards through all infinite heights.

reclaim, and presents Itself fully
equipped in all respects to lead up
wards through all infinite heights.
The processes of this true religion
upon man are by the institutions of
the church. These are, in essentials,
the natural and spontaneous instru
ments of this religion. The plough
is the outcome of agriculture. 1t is
nothing arbitrary. 1t is necessity to
the principle it stands for. So prayer
meetings, communions, psalms, an
thems, sermons and Sabbaths, are not
placed arbitrarily. They are natural
products of the church as it's instru-
ments to accomplish its work. as
hands are the work of nature given
to man to conserve his ends.
These church appointments must
make their impressions fully upon
the man before he is a complete and
wholly rounded out man. Not alone
this, but to remain complete man,
he must continue in subsection to
them. He must remain a sabbatar-
ian, a church -goer,a a psalm singer,
praying man, worshiper. Not
worshiper of man, nor of art, nor of
nature, nor of principle, nor yet of an
unknown and unknowable force or
spirit quiescent in and handicapped
by nature, but living, volitional
God, who is transcendent over and
master of nature, as the potter over
the clay, involving no absurdity in
the act of addressing prayers to him.
To this class of reformers these
churchly appliances are indispensa-
BILE in the elevation of the people and
their continuance in elevated life-in
reclaiming them and giving them per-
manence in the reclaimed state.
Neither are they an order of needs to
fall out and give place to others un-
der certain external changes in mans
surroundings. No new unfoldings
in cosmic nature, no new science, no
new achievements in economic arts,
will terminate the need of these in
raising mankind and retaining them
at their best. What was needful to
the supreme humanity in Jesus-the
type of human perfectness-is GER
tainly not to be ignored on the way
up to him. These appointments are
inseparable from man and must al
ways minister to him or he must per-
ish. The constitution of man changes
not, as principle of geometry chang
es under no condition,-in no worlds
or asons.
While, then, on the part of most
people the disposition is to right hui
man wrongs and alleviate their suffer-
ings, and to make the outlook of all
more bright, not all contemplate the
same means, nor indeed the same
ends. The large number see, or pre-
tend to see the remedy in certain So
cialistic or political reforms or chang
es, and are making frantic appeals in
the interests Of their respective claims.
At most, until recent years, it has
been aimed to confer but certain
coveted privileges, which referred
mainly to employment and wages,
and educational facilities, and the
personal freedom to do what passion
and taste might incline to. The great
scramble of political partisans still
pretends no more. But Christianity
has larger and higher ambitions. In
dustrial and secular reform is not
alone sufficient. 1t proposes the
complete redemption of man and his
education along the higher lines of
the spiritual nature until he becomes
indeed free man and complete in
his noblest manhood.
DAUPHIN PARK, ILL.