The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-10

that we may do greater works? We
see now what we need; we need ever
more of those who not only assent to
our truth, but who have learned to
live in it and love it.
And the root of such realization is
in the young peoples devotional meet
ings. Through these devotional exer-
cises our young men and women are
coming into truer understanding OF
our faith; they are thinking into it for
themselves; they are making it their
own, and are being continually re-
newed in the purpose to live by it.
Thus are they testing it. becoming
vitalized with it, in such a way as to
ensure their lifelong fidelity. Now,
Universalist parentage does not neces-
state Universalist children. In other
words, Universalism is not hereditary.
And so we see the children of lifelong
Universalists sometimes straying
away into other churches, or out of the
church altogether. This is sad fact
due to the foolish notion that chill
dren must not be trained in religious
truth, but must be left perfectly free
and unbiased to think as they please,
method that good common sense
would not think of following in any
other department of the child's life.
Everywhere else they are taught and
directed into true ideas and into right
ways. But in matters of religion,
which have more to do with their sue
cess or failure, their happiness or
misery, than all else on earth, there
they are left untaught, undirected,
to form what notions they will, early
notions that are pretty apt to cling,
and if false, to darken the whole life.
Such pitiable happening is largely
prevented by the Universalist train
ing of the young people in their de-
votional meetings. Again, one cannot
be given his Universalism. Ny father
is Universalist, but | did not, think,
inherit my Universalism from him,
nor did he give me what | have; that
he could not do. By the frequent
expounding of our doctrines he could
make familiar way for my thought,
and one, therefore, which my thought
would be pretty likely to follow, for
naturally we move along the line of
least resistance. This he did,-this
all true Universalist parents and
teachers will do. But even that did
not make me Universalist. Only as
| afterward traced this course of
thought for myself in my own mind,
grasped it by my own reasoning, en-
tered into its meaning through my
own understanding and experience,
did | come to hold so much of con-
ception of our truth as l have and
love it as I do today. And thus it
comes to all. By personal atten-
ton, personal study, personal exper-
fence, and SO only, are there developed
true and loyal Universalists, and in
conformity to this law is the young
peoples devotional work
In the sympathetic atmosphere
of their religious meetings, and in
their quiet hours of private devotion,
they do give their own thought to
the great affirmations of our faith and
speak their thoughts one to another.
And now what good does it do?
What comes of it? Let us see. If week
after week one affirms Gods Father
hood and day by day learns to speak
with him in prayer, will not this sim
cere repetition bring some good re-
sult7 Surely by it Gods Fatherhood
will become less and less a phrase
and ever more reality. AS the
life honestly affrms it as a truth the
heart will come to feel it as fact. 1t
will come to be realized in all the life
that God is the Father. And the
young man or woman who thus de-
velops this personal conviction will
find peace, strength, a courage, in
knowing God, that will make this
confidence exceedingly dear to them.
You no longer merely hear this truth;
you see it and feel it now for your
selves; its light is in your own souls.
1t meant little spoken to you, but
speaking within you it means the
greatest fact of your life.
And so is it with our affirmation of
universal brotherhood. Discussing
this truth in the devotional meeting,
thinking into it, ever affirming it as
true, seeking to realize its meaning
for ones self under such sustained
conception, humanity will gradually
take on q new meaning. Social prob
lens will stand in new light; there
will come into the heart a new dispo-
sition and purpose toward all classes.
One will feel ones self coming into
a right relationship with mankind,