The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-09-11
stitution as revised in 1894 that I'VE
accept the religion of Jesus" etc.
Whan tho Woctorn Unitarian Com


ference took the action DR.. Sweetser
refers to, of putting itself upon a
purely ethical basis, it stirred up a
controversy that threatened to quite
disrupt the denomination. Many of
the strongest Unitarian churches in
the west withdrew from the confer
ence after this action and the Ameri-
can Unitarian Association refused to
allow the Western Conference to dis
tribute its missionary funds in the
west, on the ground that the funds
were given to diffuse Christianity
and it could not permit them to be
used by body which did not call
itself Christian.
To refer to such action of the
Western Conference as typical of the
Unitarian movement is to mistake an
eddy in the stream for the main cur
rent. 1t should be noted also, to
state all the facts bearing on this case,
that in 1892 the Western Conference
practically revoked its action of 1886
as above noted and since that time
has stood for a more conservative
type of Unitarianism.
At present, therefore, the situation
is that most Unitarians are glad to
call themselves Christians and those
who do not like to so style them
selves are entitled to be SO called by
others, judged by the standard of
their lives, which is the standard set
by Jesus himself in regard to his fol-
lowers. Measured by this gauge the
Unitarian body is as Christian as is
the Universalist. Certainly no one
among them who happens to differin
his phraseology from his brethren is
treated in so un. Christian a manner
as is the case among Universalists.
when one can not say the old shib-
boleth. l have lived among and min
istered to Unitarians and know that
their Christianity does not suffer
when brought into comparison with
the Christianity of any other sect.
But DR.. Sweetser makes his greatest
mistake in saying that the Unitarian
body is losing ground and is dying
out as compared with U niversalism
and they are striving to form union
with the Universalist body on ac-
count of its greater promise and
vigor. This will certainly be news
to Unitarians. The fact is that the
majority of them are quite ignorant
whether Universalism is losing or
gaining ground and are somewhat in
different to its condition. Any effort
on the part of any of them to form
an alliance with Universalists pro-
ceeds wholly from desire to co op-
crate with body which, as they be-
lieve, stands in a nearness to them in
method and thought, without any
reference to whether it is strong or
weak body, whether it is growing or
not. In fact many Unitarians, far
from believing Universalism to have
such bright prospects as DIR. Sweet
ser imagines, believes the denomina-
tion to have accomplished its work
and to have future only as it
adopts the Unitarian attitude.
do not care to compare the pros
poets of the two denominations at the
expense of either; but to outsiders
the cause of organized Unitarianism
looks quite as hopeful as that of or
ganized Universalism. But certain
it is that great injustice is done the
Unitarian body in representing it, as
does DIR. Sweetser, as fast dying out.
Every liberal Christian must regret
that both Universalism and Unitar-
ianism have made such slow progress
as organic forces. But justice re-
quires us to recognize that the Uni
tartan body, far from growing weaker,
has never made such progress as a
church as during the last fife en-
years.
In the raising and expending of
money for missionary purposes; in
the building of churches; in the or
ganization of its missionary work and
in the spirit of denominations loyal
ty great gain has been made in late
years in this church.
1t is idle to talk of any organic
union of the two denominations. With
less knowledge of the facts, once
dreamed of such a union; but the
reasons making it impossible are not
so much the difference in beliefs, as
the matters of trust funds, education
al institutions, historic traditions and
present organization. But co-opera-
ton between two bodies so nearly
allied in sYmpathies and methods is
not only desirable but sure to grow.
What is needed most at present is a