The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-16
ALONG WHAT LINES?

In a former article we had some
thing to say concerning Campaign
of Religious Education. We spoke
of its need, not only in the world but
in our own church. 1t occurs to us
that word as to the lines along
which this education should proceed
might be helpful. If, then, we are to
have campaign of education, along
what lines shall it proceed? Where
shall it begin? and in what direction
shall it go?
We answer without hesitation that
it should begin with the great funda-
mental doctrine of Christianity, the
universal Fatherhood of God. In
this campaign there is no necessity
of going back of this and inquiring
into the existence of God, the reality
of religion or the authority of the
Scriptures. Take these things for
granted. God is, and religion is, and
the Scriptures are authority in relig-
ion. This is enough. Starting here
let us go forward with our religious
education.
God is. Let us find out who and
what God is. According to Jesus, God
is the Father. Let us find out what
that means. Let us give the Father
hood of God a profound study. Let
us fathom the depths and grasp the
significance of this great doctrine.
But you say we all understand that
doctrine. All Universalists, and many
not so called, believe in the Father
hood of God and understand its sig
nifcance. We much doubt. Pro-
fessedly all Universalists, and many
others, believe in the Fatherhood of
God, but that their faith is clear,
strong, enlightened faith we much
doubt. Indeed we do not believe,
take our people together, that one in
ten has any adequate conception of
this doctrine; has ever sounded it's
depths or grasped its moral and spir
itual significance. They profess to
believe that God is their father, and
yet hold notions and do deeds that
utterly belle their faith. They call
God Father, but they seldom or never
worship him. They profess to be-
lieve in the Fatherhood of God, and
yet they treat all men but themselves
as though the7 were the children of
the devil.
Hear misunderstanding nothing
of others-talk, and see them act, you
will be convinced that not one in ten
has any clear conception or heartfelt
conviction of this great doctrine of
OR religion. 1t is on their lips, but
it is not great light in their minds
or a great power in their hearts.
Here, then, our campaign must be-
gin. We must educate ourselves in
the Fatherhood of God. We must
give it deep, wide and profound
study. We must understand, first of
all, that it is primary and fundamen-
tai in Christian thought, that it is the
center truth of the Christian system,
which if once understood, the whole
system lies open before you and you
can go in any direction and walk in
the light and know you are right.
Knowing this great truth you have
the key to every doctrine of faith and |
practice, of duty and destiny. Know
ing God as the Father, you know man
as child of God in nature, and the
bridge which theologians have ever
been trying to make between God |
and man is broken down and swept |
away, and man and God are brought
into tender, enduring and unbroken
relation. There is no bridge because
there is no chasm Men first made a
great gulf between God and man, and
then they expended world of in
genuity in trying to manufacture
ways in which Christ bridged that
gulf. But Christ did not bridge that
gulf, for he declared that there is no
such gulf by affirming the Father
hood of God, and so opening a great
highway of love and sympathy be-
tween God and man. Man is a child
of God; therefore there is reciprocity
between them. God acts upon man