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

ODeulouCo 10 HIS law hoO 10 OnO
principle. 1t melts. and subdues-
conquers through the higher intelli-
gence and affections.
G) Further, we emphasize the
thought of Christ as present Saviour.
Salvation is something that relates
to the welfare of the soul today; it
concerns the souls immediate and
present condition. 1t is not prem
ium paid to insure me against future
chances of fire, or evil of any kind,
but truth accepted, a life adopted
the truth of Christ and the life of
Christ-because they are so divinely
excellent above all things else-be-
cause of their value to me now, today
and forever in them and in
them alone, can live truly, and grow
in life; adding tomorrow to what l
have to enrich me today. Christ as
sures me of today if l will accept
him, and not of tomorrow except as
tomorrow is spiritually related to
today. Christ does not save me to-
day for the sake of tomorrow, but
today for the sake of today;-not in
this life for the sake of the next, but
in this life for the sake of this life
in the next for the sake of that. He
is a present Saviour. "Now" is the
accepted time; "now" is the day of sal
walton. Now" not because you may
die today and it will be too late, but
'now" because you are dead and God
would have you live; -''now" because
you are tormented and God would
have you full of blessing;-"now" be-
cause the unrest of evil is in you and
God would have you at peace; snow"
that you may fill the high ideal of
manhood and virtue that God had in
your creation, endowment and bless
ing; and of which be has shown you
pattern in Christ. He is our Saviour
for today--teaching us how to do the
duties of today-guiding us in the
path we are to tread today. He en-
courages us amid the difficulties of
today,-shows us how to meet its
trials and disappointments-how to
find comfort in the midst of its sor-
rows-not so much by pointing us to
a future where these evils shall not be,
and where reward awaits us for
what we have endured here, but ra-
ther by showing us the meaning of
these things teaching us how to
meet them, and how to make them
ministers OF our growth and good.
(q.) Still further. Christ is Saw
our forever. Not a Saviour for the
period of this life. He is "the same
yesterday, today, and forever" He
"ever liveth to make intercession for
u.s." Ever liveth to make interces-
sion! The same forever The same
reason why men should be saved to-
day, and in this life, will hold good
tomorrow, and in the next and ever
lasting life. The same ends precisely
will be accomplished by it, namely,
Gods law and love indicated, and
the good of the saved effected.
Therefore, why not Saviour forever?
He is, for che ever liveth to make in
tercession." His love for righteous
ness and truth are forever the same
his love for souls is forever the same
his Joy in their salvation forever
the same.
(h) Finally, on this point. We hold
him to be a Saviour of all men, to the
last lone wanderer out amid the barren
wastes of sin-to the last bewildered
one amid the mazes and darkness of
ignorance and error. God through
him becomes the Saviour of all men;
the especial Saviour of them that be-
lieve." Our firm reliance here is the
Scriptures. They are positive, abso-
Lutte, unequivocal, literal, multitudin-
GUS. For example: the absolute dec
laration OF the Word is that 1T is the
will IF God that all ShOuld he saved
and come into the knowl edge of the
truth" his will both of pleasure and
of purpose, for, "it pleased the Faith
or that in him should all fullness
dwell; and having made peace
through the blood of his cross, by him
to reconcile all things unto himself;
by him, whether they be things on
earth or things in heaven" (Col. 1.19)
And again, According to his good
pleasure, which he hath purposed in
himself, that in the dispensation of
the fullness of time he might gather
together all things in Christ both
which are in heaven and which are on
earth, even in him." (Eph. 1.10). Not
only this: the same truth is taught
by implication, by figure, by parable,
not less constantly. The general
trend of Bible teachings, argument,
and principle, confirms our view.