The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-20
"A SINGULAR LIFE"


EMANUEL BAYARD, in Miss Phelps 8
fine story, ga Singular Life" is an
idealized picture of an apostolic pas
tor. He cared not so much to be
''sound" in dogmatic theology as to
save the souls and bodies of lost men
and women. He was called Fthe
Christman" by the denizens of the
'slum" district of Windover, where
he established his "Cnristlove" mis-
sion, and he fully deserved the name.
His story is at once tragic and pathe
tic. He gave up wealth, ease, posi-
ton and all the delights of cultured
society, and devoted his life to the
vicious and depraved. He was ostra
cised as mailman and a hereto by
his church; he was chilled by the
ingratitude and hostility of many
whom he was trying to save; and,
finally, he was killed by brutal sa
loonkeeper only week after his
marriage to the woman he so devot-
eddy loved. 1t is the chronicle of a
martyr, hero, and saint, apparent
ly throwing away his life for fruit
less and visionary cause.
But was his life thrown away? Is
there no room in the organized Chris
tianity of today for the high wrought
enthusiasm and boundless self sacri-
flee of a Bayard? Must such men
go out of the pale orthodoxy, as he
did, in order to do their work for God
and humanity? Certainly the type
of Christianity described by Miss
Phelps must ever be hostile to those
who lay the emphasis on life rather
than theology. 1t is dogmatism gone
to seed, and its sole function is to see
that its members accept every and
all of the formulas into which it has
striven to compress the whole of
Christianity. There is in it no room
for that divine enthusiasm for hui
mainly that sees in every child Of
man, however degraded, potential
child of God, foolish and helpless
prodigal, who may be brought back
again to the home of his Father. Such
is the picture of Christianity in "a
Singular Life" Is it true to the
facts!
1t is certainly not true today that a
man like Bayard would be forced to
work outside the ranks of organized
Christianity. Almost any of the
great Christian bodies would gladly
welcome him, and give him as much
''slum" territory as he wanted. Men
far more liberal in their theology than
he are doing such work in the church
es. The theological coma described
by Miss Phelps may still exist in re-
mote country districts; but it is des-
tined soon to disappear altogether.
Modern Christianity has lost some
thing of definiteness in it's theology;
but it has gained in spiritual vitality
and human sympathy. 1t is power
fully affected by the wave of altruism
that is sweeping over the world. 1t
is keenly conscious that it has a mis-
sion to the "unchurched masses; and
to carry out that mission it is often
willing to adopt any expedient, from
splendid rescue mission building in
the "slums," with its finely adjusted
methods for getting in touch with
men and women, down to "young
lady burnt cork minstrels and
church kissing parties" Grotesque
though some of these expedients are,
the impulse that prompts them de.
serves unstinted praise. Fellowship,
it has been said, is the spiritual dy-
manic of the future; and in cropping
Tor the hands OF the prodlgal and the
lost, Christianity today is finding its
noblest life and mission.
But, though Bayard could find
work in dozen churches today, can
dor compels the admission that the
churches do not tend to produce his
type of Christian ministry. We
would not depreciate the zeal, devo-
ton and self-denial of the regular
clergy. They do a needed work for