The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-29
OREGON LETTER.
PORTLAND LITERARY BUREAU.


Saturday, September 10, to the Uni
versalists of Portland and indeed of
Oregon and Southern Washington, will,
we confidently believe be the red letter
day of their calendar. 1t will be the be-
ginning Of what we are sanguine enough
to think will terminate in the unfit
cation of all our forces in the State,
and for the dissemination of literature
and for the spreading of Universalist
seed will be of incalculable value.
On this date will be opened four
weeks exposition in which are set forth
the products of Oregon's mines, her soil,
and her factories. IT will be of great
interest to all contiguous and tributary
territory, and we expect Portland to do
herself justice as the metropolis Of the
North west, and as the only business and
commercial rival Of the city on the
Golden Gate.
In connection with this great indus
trial exhibition the Universalists of the
Portland church have sought to organize
a Universalist Bureau, and will during
the whole time of its continuation, be
ready to meet and to greet any who are
looking toward the larger hope and who
are anxious to cast aside the letters of
false theology and accept in their place
the liberty. the freedom which realiza.
ton of the Fatherhood of God and Bro.
therhood of Man inspires. We have
thought to enlighten the people of Ore
gon as to the principal truths of our faith,
to show them our distinctive doctrines
and to as much as possible differentiate
them from those of our orthodox and.
as we think, mistaken brothers.
We have encountered since coming
into this field the usual lam entable de-
gree of ignorance as to what we believe
and as to what we accept as authority in
religion and practice. We have been
asked if We have any use for the Bible,
if we believe in God. and in Christ.
And on the other hand, we have been
condemned because we do not consider
reason as of any authoritative value. In
matters of the personel and polity of
our church the same dense ignorance is
TO md have been often met by the as.
se,tion that we appeal to a class of an
inferior grade of intelligence. and that
we conduct our work very like the Saliva.
ton Army. To the former, we confess.
We are of an inferior intellectual class.
We do not have that great intellectual
gift of believing the Incredible, CT accept
ing the irrational. and raising for special
alteration and faith that which does
monumental violence to all human reason
and insight. AS to polity we simply in
vite them to investigate.
1t is in the correction of these mis-
taken ideas and in the dispslling of this
dense ignorance that we find the motive
for enterprise. And we are hoping that
while we are there laboring to inculcate
into some the rudiments of a liberal.
generous Christianity. we can find those
who in days gone by left home and asso-
citation in Universalist communities to
brave the dangers. to endure the trials,
and to at last surmount the obstacles
incident to an early pioneer life, end
bring such again into touch with those
in whose hearts beat that same eternal
principle that has kept them from dark.
est despair.
We believe that the enterprise is a
laudsble one, and that it will be far.
reaching in its consequences; and be
cause we believe in it do we ask hearty
CO operation in our work. We need your
advice. your suggestion. Do not say
when reading this; This or that could
be DONE" and then go off and forthwith
| forget all about this enterprise. Sill