The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-13

His large abilities are finely present
ed by his biographer, and the rela-
tions he bore to, and the part he took
in the won ierful evolution of religious
thought and feeling that the last half
century has witnessed, are finely pre-
sented in the book that ought to be
welcomed in every home in our com
munion.
One who saw him daily during a
portion of his earlier years recalls
many incidents Of those days, when
the popular religious feeling toward
our faith and it's advocates was very
different from what it is today. Then
the youthful Miner welded his maid
en- sword with as adroit and consum-
mate skill against the assailants of
those years as the venerable divine
and saint maintained the battle
against the enemies of truth and
righteousness in later years.
1t is difficult, if not impossible, for
the younger generation to realize the
tone and temper of the Christian
world toward Universalism when
Rev. A. A. Miner began his work in
Lowell at the age of u. A man or
woman who avowed it's doctrines was
incontinently communicated from
the partialistic church, Gas was the
writer of these lines from the Con
gregational church) for no other rea-
son than for believing God to be
better than the popular church would
allow him to be.
The public advocate of our faith
was regarded as an immoral propa
gator of hell born error. A Univer-
salist congregation was looked upon
as nest of evildisposed persons, de
serving the contempt of all good
Christians, and the treatment received
by those who openly professed our
blessed faith was in spirit not remote
from that which kindled the fires of
Smithfeld and banished and whipped
Quakers. Bigotry had lost her teeth
and her claws were dulled, but she
gnashed her jaws and snarled at Uni
versalism and Universalists as vici-
ously as when she sharpened the ak
and lighted the fagot. AS l look
back today from the genial religious
atmosphere in all intelligent commu-
mites to The hating and hateful tenn
per that everywhere prevailed, l
bless God not only for the wonderful
change that has occurred, but for the
life and labors of the grand and noble
man who was 80 conspicuous factor
in producing it.
This long prelude is PREDATORY to
an incident that came to my mind
when turning over the fair pages of
this valuable book. Among the as
sailants of our faith and its adherents
soon after young Miner went to Lo-
well was very popular Baptist
clergyman, aided and abetted by an
Episcopal rector who for many years
resided in Lowell. The latter so far
departed from the altitudinarian po-
sition of his church with large O.
that he doffed his ecclesiastical mil
linery and entered the Baptist pulpit
with the "dissenter," and the two
made joint TRADE against "the faith
once delivered to the saints" and it's
advocates and adherents. The W tier
of these lines, then ayoung theologue
of nineteen years, attended, and re-
ported in the newspaper the sub
stance of the attack, under what he
thought was an appropriate heading:
"And Plate and Herod became
friends with each other that very day,
for they were at enmity between
themselves" Brother Miner replied
to the attack in fitting terms, and as
the controversy waxed "fast and fu-
rious" went himself to report and
fully to meet every point raised by
the assailants of our faith.
shall never forget the scene enc
evening. The Baptist brother (?) in
the course of his discourse observed
that he had been told that the Uni
versalists had a Bible of their OVID,
not being able, he supposed, to find
any warrant for their faith in the
good old Christian Bible,-probably
referring to Kneeland's translation.
He said he had a great curiosity to
see this Universalist Bible and would
be glad if any one would show him
copy. Whereupon Brother Miner,
who was sitting in front pew right
"under the droppings of the sanct-
uary," rose to his more than six feet
of stature, graceful, courteous, pleas
ant, and taking a Bible from the rack
in front of him he stretched his long
right arm almost to the person of the
preacher, and with gracious bow
resumed his seat. The audience was
electrified, and the preacher was we'll