The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-30
A THEOLOGICAL PROBLEM.
BY REV. j. N. PARKER.

w HEN III Cdu EIduCi5CO I0Coublt L
had an interview with Rev. DR.. Cox,
one of the most talented and popular
preachers connected with the Metho-
dist church. In presenting what l
now wish to offer, l will do 30 in the
form of dialogue; C. standing for
DIR. Cox, and p. for the writer.
p. Doctor, do you really believe
that part of the human family will
suffer eternally in the future world in
place called hells
C. Yes l most truly believe it.
p. Does not that idea or doctrine
ever present difficulties or problems
to your mind which trouble you to
solve?
G. No, l have never been troub-
led in the least that way.
p. Well, l think can present
problem to you which you nor any
other person of like faith with your
self can solve to the satisfaction of any
candid, we'll balanced mind.
C. No you cannot do it.
P. Well, let us see. You believe,
do you not, that children dying in in
fancy will be saved?
C. Most certainly | do. Christ
took little children in his arms and
blest them saying, "of such is the
kingdom of heaven"
p. Well set that down; we have
got one point. You believe that if a
child lives to adult age, and commits
acts of sin or disobedience and dies
unrepentant and unregenerate, in the
day of Judgment in which you be-
lieve. that child's place will be on the
left hand, and it will be lost forever,
do you not?
c. Well-yes it must be so.
p. Set that down; we have now
got two points. Now mark you well
what J say. If it is true that child
dying in infancy will be saved, and
one reaching adult age, and after
committing acts of sin and disobed
fence and dying unrepentant and un-
regenerate is lost forever, there must
be line in the life of every child, on
the one side of which is infancy, on
the other side adult age.
We may call it the line of accoun-
liability the time when child
reaches the age when it knows right
from wrong, obedience from disobed-
ience The line may be nearer the
birth of one child than it is in another,
by reason of greater mental develop.
ment, but the line must exist.
(To this the doctor made no reply.)
Now for the argument which presents
the problem for you to solve, which
is to show Gods goodness and love to
all his children, and especially to the
two Twill now introduce. There are
two little children, twin boys, John
and William, born to bless the home
of loving parents. They are beauti-
full little cherubs; everybody loves
them. John dies just before he
reaches the line of accountability, and
is waited by angelic messengers to the
abode of the blest; William passes
over that line but day, an hour if
you please. commits but one act of
in or disobedience, dies unrepentant
and is destined to spend eternity in a
world of darkness and woe. with devils
and damned spirits; and this you call,
do you, rewarding those boys accord
ing to their work? that Gods good
ness and love was manifested to both
alike, which is the problem for you to
solve?
C. o, you have no right to draw
the line and reason the way you do
p. l do not draw the line; if the
doctrine you preach is true, God
draws the line.
1t is in the hymns you sing:
''There is line by us unseen,
That crosses every plain,
That has it's boundary between
Gods patience and his wrath.
C. We have no right to draw an
imaginary line in the lives of children,
as you do. and reason as you have
done.
p. Doctor, you know just as well
as you know you sit in that chair,
that if child dying in infancy will
be saved, and if a child arrives to
adult age and commits acts of dis
obedience or sin, and dies unregene-
rate, will be lost eternally, that line
must exist in the life of every child.
1t is just as potent as that two and
two make four.
C. We have no right to argue as
you are doing.
p. Well, doctor, there are two
classes of persons in the world with
whom it is not pleasant to have any
controversy. One class is made up of
those who have not brains enough to