The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-27

the open saloon and the gambling
den, and oppose the restraint OF law
to protect the young, and conserve
public morality, and under the false
and specious cry of liberality work
to forge the chains of immortality on
the bodies and the souls of men. 1t
is as great misnomer to call those
liberal in religion who occupy the
position of those who we're addressed
By Paul on Mars Hill-who deny as
did those pagans our Lords miracu-
lous power and divinity. How much
broader these pagans regarded them
selves than they did the narrow
fanatic who taught of the Christians
God, and of our Lord Christ.
I have observed in some quarters
disposition to exchange the name
that distinguishes us as Christian
people for another less definite, Lib
eral Christian. MY first objection to
the term is that it is Extensively ex-
elusive and pharisaical. We have
always complained of those who ar
rogated to themselves the term
"evangelical," on the ground that it
excluded us, who claim an equal
right to the word. Surely, if any
people in this world are evangelical,
we who proclaim the best news man
ever heard are entitled to be called
evangelical. And yet, it is proposed
to style ourselves Liberal Christians,
and thus exclude those whose broad
sympathies rank them under that
description, if any are entitled. to
wear it. Think of appropriating a
name that would exclude, GLADDEN.,
Farrar, and Phillips Brooks
Some years ago the sainted Ryder
called attention to the fact that ours
| is the only name of Christian body
that describes the religious principles
of those it designates. Catholic, in
deed. is Greek, of which universal is
Latin, but the term Catholic only in
| dicates claim to universal member
ship on earth. Episcopal, Methodist,
Congregational, Presbyterian, mere
| ly denote different modes of church
government. Baptist indicates
church rite. A Lutheran, Camp
bellite, is follower of the man
Luther, Campbell. Unitarian orig
inally related to metaphysical
thought of the Divine existence. and
latterly seems to stand for the apo
theosis of the human unit, the ego,
in it's own estimate of itself. But
Universalism covers every attribute
of God, all Gods relations to man.
and mans to God, and each other.
1t denotes universal fatherhood,
universal brotherhood, universal
Saviour, a universal heaven. We are
not only the single sect of Christians
whose name describes its principles,
but ours is the only denomination
whose name covers the Divine char
acter and government, and human
duty and destiny. Of course others
deal with these great themes, but
not one indicates its principles in the
name it bears.
Moreover, all other sectarian names
have temporary use that cannot be
perpetuated. When, in the progress
of thought, the best method OF bap-
tism, of church government shall be
agreed upon, there will be no Bap
lists, Methodists, Congregationalists,
Presbyterians, Episcopalians,- but
no progress can ever outgrow the
grand proportions of the word that
includes all that is divine in religion,
Universalism. Every step of prog
ress in other sects is towards the di-
mensions that word describes,-no
possible progress can transcend it,
| When, young man, was intro
duced to Ralph Waldo Emerson as
Universalist student, he said,
"Grandest of words, a religion
worthy of it must be the best OF allP'
When one of our clergymen was in
troduced to Elizabeth Barrett Brown
ing, in Florence, as a Universallst,
she exclaimed, Beautiful world
And when in answer to her enquiry as
t. it's import she was told OF our prin-
ciples she said: "But do not all
Christians think that9"
1t is the one name broad enough to
cover the whole of Christianity, and
large enough to fit the needs of
Christian progress in the coming
ages. We should name it with pride
and pronounce it with exultation. To
live up to its requirements will re-
produce the life of Christ, and in
carnate the spirit of the Father. 1t
is synonym of all that is beautiful
in life, and divine in disposition, and
1