The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-22
Our Ohio Churches.
FROM J. W. HENLEY, d. d.
State Secretary.
HAMILTON.

HAMILTON.
From Hon. B. f. Thomas we learn
that our church in Hamilton will soon
have settled pastor. Rev. r. e. Ohm
stead, of Earlville, ILL.,, having accepted
the unanimous call recently rendered
him. Mrs. Olmstead formerly Miss
Margaret Titus) is an ordained minis
ter, of good standing. and we trust that
she and Mr.. Olmstead will give atten-
ton to the outposte, of which there are
several within convenient distance OF
Hamilton, where much good can be &C.
compished.
MILFORD CIRCUIT.
Rev. j. A. Stoner reports AFFAIRS on
Milford circuit to be in good shape and
everything to be moving along harmon
iously. His last visit to Newtown was
specially pleasant; two children we're
dedicated. Since taking charge OF the
circuit be has dedicated sixteen child
rem, baptized two adults. and received
two persons into the church.
CLEVELAND.
Rev. Mrs. Abbie e. Danforth preached
in Cleveland on Sunday. August ..
Rev. Carl F. Henry thus pleasantly an
nounced her services in "Good Tidings."
the parish paper Rev. Mrs. Danforth is.
in way, mother of the Ohio Womans
Universalist Missionary Alliance; the 0.
WI. M. A. is the mother of All Souls
church. The grandmother of our church
will preach here next Sunday. Fill the
house." Good Tidings also announces
that Mr.. and Mrs. Henry are at Mad
ison, Ohio, and are having good rest
on old Erie's sandy shore"
SECTARIANISM.
Under this heading. in recent mum
Der of the Gospel Banner. DIR. Q ii.
Shinn, General Missionary of the Uni
versalist Convention, has these words.
which we heartily endorse:
This is one of the great needs of the
Universalist Church. We are sect. l
believe in sectarianism in the sense of
being loyal to our church, standing for
our own, doing something, giving for our
faith-every one who believes it. how
ever isolated from church organizations
or from other believers. 1t is great
sin for Universalist to be idle. Ii
there is any one not doing something
for his faith, he ought to be disturbed.
Sectarianism in the sense of assuming
that we are all right, and all others are
wrong in the sense that other churches
have no mission and are doing no good.
is despicabe. The loyal Universalist is
the man who will cheerfully and gladly
recognize the good done by other
churches. and rejoice in it, and still con.
secrate himself to the service of the
Universalist Church"
Lack of "loy atty" on the part OF pro-
fessed Universalists. has been and still
is one Of the great weaknesses of the
Universalist Church, and prime cause
of its slow growth. We are not sectar-
ian enough in the true sense OF that
word. In Cincinnati Springfield, Cleve-
land, GAINESVILLE. there are many times
more Universalists in connection with
partialist churches, than are associated
with the distinctive Universalist
churches. One main reason for this is,
we have lacked organized aggressive
ness and have failed to put our church
and its beautiful and harmonious sys-
tenn of doctrines before the people as
we should have done. To overcome this
we need more ministers. filled with the
missionary spirit of the apostles. Men
and women who will not wait for
''call' from some we'll established
church, which is able to guarantee
''good round salary" but those who will
carry the Gospel taught by Jesus into
new fields. and SOW the seeds of truth,
and cultivate the same, when they have
taken root. We need in all of our
theological schools missionary Pro-
censorship" in which students may be
taught the necessity of becoming "build-
ers," instead of being 'occupiers" of
places already established.
Another necessity is the education OF
churches not able to support pastors
singly, to unite in circuits, or 'joint
pastorates." Could this be done, every
church could have services regularly,
and many churches. now weak, in time
would become strong. The "circuit
system" has been one of the chief
sources of the growth and present
strength of the Methodist church. An
other cause of slow growth is the opin-
ion entertained by SO many ministers,
that there is no necessity of preaching
distinctively Univer salist doctrines. We
care not how long a church may have
been established. its prosperity can be
measured by the amount of doctrinal in
struction that is given. The children
who are every year reaching years of
reason, need to be soundly taught in
Universalist doctrines. SO as to be able
to give reason for their faith" We
are glad to note a great improvement
over the loose method in church work
prevailing over a century ago, when we
entered the ministry of our church; still