The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-04-17
DIR. HILLS AT CENTRAL MUSIC
HALL.

On Sunday morning, March 14th,
we went to hear DIR. Hills preach.
We were attracted by his subject, as
announced in the papers and
Man, and the one far-off divine event
to which the whole creation moves"
We presumed that this topic was of
DIR. Hillis's own making. We had no
right to suppose that he would allow
another to state his topic for him.
We thought it very likely that on
such topic he cannot but indicate
something definite as to where he
stands, as to what he thinks and be-
lieves on the great question of hu-
man destiny. We thought that we
might be able to get some definite
utterance as to whether he believes
in final and universal triumph of
good over evil; whether he believes
THAT nothing walks with aimless feet,
Or cast as rubbish to the void,
When God has made the pile complete"
1t was most thoughtful, excellent
and able sermon on the general topic
of progress; but not syllable in it.,
from beginning to end, giving the
least intimation as to his thought and
faith concerning the final destiny Of
the race.
1t might be said here, incidentally,
that the prayer preceding the SER
mon was much more definite than
the sermon. It was one of the most
full, masterly and comprehensive
outpourings of faith, and love, and
sympathy, and tenderness, and
pathos, and hope, ard ,iration, that
we had ever listened to. The prayer
showed his whole mind and heart to
be in the right place.
Evidently, in a general way, DIR.
Hills is a man of broad mind, of
large thought, of catholic spirit, and
has no sympathy with narrowness.
But, from all we have seen and
heard Of him, while it seems evident
that he has little if any sympathy
with the doctrines of the Presbyte-
rian church, and does not propose to
preach those doctrines, it is equally
evident, on the other hand, that he
does not propose to antagonize those
doctrines, and does not propose to
preach definite doctrine of final and
universal triumph of good over evil.
There seems to be something like a
mutual understanding between him
and a considerable number of the
wise and liberal ones in the Presbyte-
rian ministery. Heis to preach prac
tical Christianity.
He is to deal with current practical
and popular themes, and to let dog
mas severely alone. As reward for
this he is to be left undisturbed by
the Presbyterian Church; he is to re-
main in the fellowship of that church,
and his movement is to inure to the
benefit of the Presbyterian Church
and they are to have all the prestige
of that movement.
That is the way it seems to be to
some of us outsiders.
Now, we do not object to that ar
rangement. No doubt DIR. Hills is
doing much good in preaching very
large and much needed Gospel. 1t Is
we'll, however, to understand the
exact nature of the movement. No
doubt there is strong sympathy, in
these modern times, with unsectarian
and undogmatic Christianity; and
with good reason, considering how
sectarianism and dogmatism have
been abused. But there is reason
able, and helpful, and necessary Sec
tarianism, and reasonable, helpful.
and necessary dogmatism.
We are not ourselves sectarians, or
dogmatists, or textualists in any mar
row sense, but we aim to be definitely
SO in certain large way, in broad
and catholic spirit.
DR.. Hillis's movement is supposed to
be a continuation of the work of the
late dearly beloved Prof. Swing. But
there is this differences: Prof. Swing
was outside of the Presbyterian
Church. DR.. Hills is inside of that
church. Prof. Swing gave ample as
surance that he repudiated the cen
trail dogmas of the Presbyterian
creed. DIR. Hills has never given
any intimation, so far as we know,
that he rejects single article of that
creed although he probably does re-
ject most of it. Prof. Swing, although
by no means dogmatist, textualist