The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-02
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| WIS AOS hOW IL nhy VI uOW OioCh OBO .
sins may be they will all be washed
white il he will but "plunge into the
crimson tide" of jesus blood, for Jesus
paid it all upon the croee' And l
thought, that renders it pretty easy for
him who can believe. but it makes OF
doubtful ethics the judgment of God.
1t is sstrauge justice that puts upon
the innocent the punishment of the
guilty. And this is saying nothing of
the encouragement to sin that is given
to those evilly disposed by plan where
by they can escape the consequences of
their wrong doing.-ReU. Carl F. Henry.
Not Proof of Total Depravity.
know that many truly conscientious
people quote passages from the Old Tes-
lament concerning the iniouity and
grossness OF humanity, really believing
that the strong and even exaggerated
language used by proph cts. against re-
bellious Israel. were statements that ap-
ply to the entire human race. But this
is not proof of the depravity of human
ity, OF whom it is more justly said in
Scripture, GOD made subject unto van
ity, by reason of hope" History, rea-
son, observation and experience tell us
that while there is an admixture of
weakness in our nature that leads to
evil; that by heredity, environments and
influences. natural instincts that are
not evil of themselves become perverted
and corrupted, leading to an almost end
less procession of wrong here in this
world.-Mrs. Mary A. Billings
The Church Sacred Place.
The place where we meet to wor-
ship God is made sacred by that wor-
ship. 1t becomes "holy ground" in.
deed. And we derive the greater bene-
fit from the environment in which we
sing and pray and mediate, as that en-
vironment is kept free from all distract
ing or nullifying associations. Does not
the introduction of entertainment into
the place set apart for worship have
tendency to disintegrate the moral
PoWOA VI uLO VI budt DldG6I
OF course the higher the grade of that
entertainment the less of the disinte-
grating effect. But whatever the grade,
will not the mind of the worshiper, by
the very law of association, recall the
entertainer and entertainment even
when he sits in that place for worshipY
This law of association operates when
we wish it would not; and it brings into
the mind events. occasions. figures, per-
sonalities, which it were better should
not be there at the hour of prayer and
worship.-Rev. c.. T. Nickerson.
The Work of the Church.
Mighty changes have affected the
whole range of human thought and Gus.
tome, but the mission of the church re-
mains unique. 1t has definite work
to do in this world. 1t is still the soul
con servator of spirituality in theory and
it's field of endeavor must not be con-
foun ded with that of other institutions
better equipped for secular aims. We
are in fullest sympathy with the use of
lite erature, science. art and all culture as
al DIS to religion, but we insist that they
shall not serve as substitutes for the
same. When we consider the ingenious
devices invented by churches to induce
people to become attendants perhaps,
or members, we wonder If religion has
deteriorated to such a degree that a
bo nus must be given in consideration of
the poor, shrunken article that can no
longer pass on it's merits. Has religion
ceased to be an urgent necessity? May
we still experience hunger and thirst
after Righteousness that does not mock
of church suppers; or must the bread of
life be sandwiched with amusements to
be palatsble? A cause is hard pushed
when depending on "pin money" teased
out of men who were fairly nagged to
church by their lives.-Rev. F. ". Dick
ernan.
The New Motives.
Herein Is the excellence of the Chris
tisn thought, that it plants new motives
tnO SOblt AhdhCS llhO W COA5A6b
not in having but in being. The Chris
tian measure of life is not what are you
worth? what do you for the earth time
own? but how much spirit growth have
you made? what are you? and are you
conscious of making some progress in
the better things of life day after dayF
II any man can answer these last three
questions in positive manner, if he can
say he is comprising spirit growth, that
he is kind, noble, generous. that he is
conscious of finding himself advancing
on the upward tracks as the days glide
by. | think we must accord to him the
honor of fulfilling in some measure at
least the claims of God upon him.
Whether he is advancing as fast as he
ought and as he might, are other ques-
tions deep with solemn meaning to every
one, who would be perfect. There is credit
to man il he is entering the kingdom,
il he is keeping the lesser laws Of help
full life; there is greater credit il one is
striving to be perfect in the kingdom of
G ID. 1t is a high standard of life TO
love the Lord thy God with all the
power OF thy being, and thy eighbo as
thyself; il is a still higher Christian
g. ~ IA n.