The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-06

small matter. Now we are finding it
great part. The noblest thing is to
be good man. Piety is helpful, but
goodness is supreme. Human life is
not cursed thing, to be disinfected
of its poison, but wonderful seed to
be studied, nurtured, given right soil
and grown to its native perfection.
Edwards would say of a newborn
babe: ut is lost soul, baptize it
quick lest it die and be lost to the
next world" DR.. Watson would say:
"What beautiful thing is babe; a
world of good possibilities. We re-
gret its sufferings in this world, but
still We know that the struggle will
develop it's native powers" The
world grows human! What mean
ing in this It is as if we had come
out of the dank and noisome atmos-
phere of the Sibyline cave, with it's
dreadful shades of the past, as we re-
call the stories of Virgil, and had
stood on the hill above, looking over
the blue Vesuvian bay, with it's in
spirations to be glad and hopeful.
Again, such position as this of
DIR. Watson raises religion to prac-
tical place in all our lives. 1t be-
comes the supreme interest to men,
for they are now told they must save
themselves by their deeds. 1t is no
longer question whether they at
tend this or that church, but whether
they are doing good and living in
daily affairs the law of the Sermon on
the Mount.
The church has been to many a
cloak, comfortable thing; and to
that extent harmful; but as school
of learning spiritual morality and
moral spirituality, it will be an i'm
mense help to all men. Religion, as
defined in this school, is life accord
ing to the divine plan-after the pat
tern set in Christ and according to
the Sermon on the Mount. Ian Mac
laren's teaching is, that nothing worth
anything can be gained without
struggle, and no long struggle can
be endured without long training for
it. So the power to be an honest
man, kindly man, courageous
man, is to be for most men result of
long practice. Those sweet old pic
lures of faith, hope and charity we
still enjoy, but they are rather Ian
guild for our present life. We need
them reinforced by honesty, common
sense and good nature in everyday
affairs.
The position taken by DIR. Watson
and those of his liberal thought is
reinforcing our Christianity. The
world has drifted from the Gospel
Christianity to Catholic, Presbyteri-
an, higher criticism, lower criticism,
high church Christianity. We have
had it literalized and spiritualized,
and now | do not know of any term
to use for what Ian Maclaren is doing,
unless it be that of naturalizing
Christian Scriptures; trying not to
see too much, and not to believe too
little; trying to make Christ re-
ality, and yet not nonentity; trying
to find what he meant, and not what
our church thinks he ought to have
meant. This position has been a
help in substantializing faith. Faith
has seemed to most as presented in
church terms, very vague thing. In
the new thought it is sort of sixth
sense, by which we apprehend the
realities not seen, yet existing in our
consciousness. Out along this line
DR.. Watson and others of his type
are leading the world nearer to God
and to his better self, and this will
mean better life here and hereafter.
DETROIT, Mich.