The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-17

let me be baptized"
Boccaccio saw the truth, that is
more evident today, as we have a
better perspective, and that is, in
spite of all the cruelty and immor-
atty that may be placed against the
Christians in Rome and all over the
world, Christianity has thrived. If
it had not been filed with the holy
Christ spirit, its friends would have
smothered it long ago. To the true
student the greatest evidence that
Christianity has the seal of Gods
approval upon it, is the fact that it
has thrived in spite of its enemies
and in spite of it's socalled friends.
There is a phase of Christianity,
that is engaging the attention of the
religious world today more than any
other phase, and that is the philosophy
of Universalism. The central thought
of Universalism is not new, it was
not new when the church was
founded more than hundred years
ago, it has pervaded thought where
ever noble mind has risen to a high
conception of God. While the cruder
elements of Christianity have forced
themselves into notice, it was not till
man came to higher conscious
ness that he was able to grasp with
much of conception the ideas of
Universalism.
1t is one thing to believe in a God,
it is higher thing to believe him all
powerful. 1t is one thing to conceive
a creator, and it is higher thing to
conceive him as the great over-father.
1t is one thing to conceive lawful
God, but it is higher thing to con-
ceive loving God. AS the mind of
man rises out of his animal stage,
the higher truths of religion become
more apparent. The truth of Uni
versalism is becoming better under
stood as the world advances. To
those who would ask, els this Univer-
salistic phase of Christianity going
to survive9" we can say yes.
Let us look at some of the evidence
that clearly indicate that Universal
ism is bound to survive.
The first reason for the lasting
strength of the Universalist thought
is found in its fundamental principle.
That principle is the power of good
over evil. Now, do not confne Uni
versalism to the mere limits of the
Universalist denomination. The de-
nomination is a means of disseminat-
ing the truth, but it by no means has
monopoly on Universalist thought.
The term covers largely all the
thought that is opposed to the old
orthodox view. In the old thought,
thought that is prevalent even to-
day, evil is too often pictured as the
conquering force. The devil is made
being greater than God. Many
people are making greater effort to
get away from the devil than they
are to get to God. They fail to see
that so long as they harbor evil and
hypocracy in their own lives, that they
have the only real devil within them.
The emphasis put on the thought
of the fearful power of the evil has
been the one great mistake of Chris
tianity. The effort of the church to
frighten the Goths and Vandals into
it has tended to brighten many
church members into hell on earth.
That it is against all philosophy is
readily understood by the merest
student. When the student, what
ever may be his church connection,
studies the matter of the relation be-
tween good and evil, he invariably
comes to the conclusion that good is
the force that must conquer. If he
writes philosophy of religion he is
forced to state conclusions that, while
he does not name them, are neverthe-
less Upiversalistic. This has been
done by the best educated men in
many churches. The church of Eng
land is well known in this regard, and
other churches are doing the same,
though the men may not be 80 prom
inent. Even Martensen, the Danish
theologian, is forced to acknowledge
that the only philosophical position
is that one where the triumphing
power of good is recognized.
Universal salvation is the doctrine
for which the Universalist Church
stands. This doctrine is based on
the indisputable results of the philos-
ophy of the power of God. The Uni
versalist Church says, God wants to
save all souls, and he is able to, there
fore he will. The good is powerful