New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-03
DR. EATON REPLIES TO DR. PARhHt hSF
THE PASTOR OF THE cHURCu or THE DIVINE
PATERNITY SPEAKS on UNrvERsALIsM.

PATERNITY SPEAKS OF UNIvERsALIsM
Tho congregation OF the Church OF the Divine Pa.
,ornity met Yesterday morning for the first tire 10
Carnegie Iyceum. at Fifty-sevenh-si. ard seventh
ave where, until the beginning Of the summer va
cation season for pastor and people service VII %
held pending the completion OF the new church "
Central Park West. The Rev. DR. Charles II
Eatoo's sermon was a reply TO some criticisms on
Tniversaiism uttered by the Rev DR.. ParkhursI The
subject was: "Dr Parkhurst's Mistake About Uni
versalism." and his text was: MANY belong u
thee o Lord for thou rendere,h unto every mar
according 10 his work" In the course OF his sermon
DR.. Eaton said
.No ore who has intellgently watched the trent
Of theological thought of the last halfcentury car
but concede the great landslide toward Cniversasm
The heresy OF 1923 has become the orthodoxy OF 10
day though prediction at that time. when the sd
yocates of Unversalism were being stoned In the
streets that our creed would leaven the whole theo
logical lump would have been ridculed. The change
of our opponents attitudes not only indicates thai
they are of larger broader belief but that the great
BODY of men have been led into higher level OF
thought Bat even now there is but limited con.
cep,ion on the part OF scholarly. theologicallJ
trained men OF the true Unversalism. In spite OF
this limited knowledge. however views on endlesi
punishment have been 80 greatly modified. the Old
time view and the modern idea. that famous theo
logical professor said that the comparison was SINH
lar TO that of a Bengal tiger and house In theo
logical halls these old-time beliefs stu wander az
harmless ghosts of a onetime vigorous. tragic sub
stance.
.The conception that God leans back His throne
Indifferent whether man Is saved or NOT IS terribly
unjust. God is certainly interested in the scheme By
which man IS lost saved. The sociological liter
ature Of the day Is baptized IN the hope OF mani
eternal life. A man whom We all honor FOR SINGER
ty his Titanic force and his civic services; mar
vino is the friend Of all and who has the friendsh,
OF ali favorng social order, recently warned hif
fFVFtr. 1ffat,a rsAi.
auiy in his own congregation as he has few inter
ess with Cniversalsm outside. The attitude or I'M
DIS tingUished ceIg yrnan is that OF one who but i'm
perfectly gyasps the truths OF UEiversllism. lie 10
not alone In thinking that the tniversalst closer
friend ana the friend % every lover VI good order
: VINO comes ont OF dark room into the day
expected to clearly for he has but lust come ou
Of The dark ca'acombs Of pagan theology. When IN,
the earth Or. Parkhurst wi!l see that the easy-go
ing. condonng religion IS no. Unversalism. He vii
Tniversaism condones SHINING msropresen.s crees
than which there Is none more severe, yet logical.
our attitude toward salvation Is not understood
by orthodox theoloeans. permeated by the belief 10
day was asked: II Jesus does not save from END
The Presbyterian Church declares that savaiio,
can only ne achieved through the election o! God
ancc Of Chris, can DO aught toward accomplish
ing H. Unlversalism afirms that I, Is the rew,rd
ike character Salvation never be achieved
without His help salvation comes TO the worker
with God but we must work. We cannot achiev
heaven until heaven Is brought into US. There Is al
old alegory representing heaven az a swinging
bridge above bottOmless gulf and Jesus guiding tn
Christian II the Christian loses his hold ol
the Saviour Il H. 20 fan from the bridge. Universal
ism goes even further. II would make the Chrsilai
delve into the earth for The iron with which TO con
struct the bridge and then aborousy build Il. Thu
man works ont his own salvation. There Is noth!ni
llckadaiscal about such a creed
some one has said that when the tragic elenen
I. taken out OF Christianity is force IS destroyed
Men don't believe IN endless punishment because
Is 50 terrible Fear Of terrible legal penalties ha
never acted 4 restraining influence upon the law
less Gigant- punishment does not prevent SIN
God renders to every man according 20 MS worth
Where others cry: Here beholdcih the wrath OF God
we cry: Here heh0' leth the love OF Cod
~ a man destrov his life hy licentousness, thei
he DESTROYS his life here. mans very thought tina
he Is ungodIxe e a punishment. out OF the slen
mist Of error and sin there stretches out hes,nl
hand FOR God Is - heipg OF infinite resources. Blu
nv rInIshment as Nv reward the end Of all thing
VIII bo accomplished. and In the end wei find th'
,...o,,tfnp - al, mon by seeking md praying.'