The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-02-13
Universalist Thought.
OUR OWN WRITER'S.
F ace to the Future.

Most of US. ere this, have ACQUIRED
facility in writing '97. But as we pass
from the old to the new are we deter
mined.to
Live each day better; that another round
Of earth may find us farther from the
ground
Where fallen manhood dwells, and nearer
heaven.
The past is goneforever. Repentance
or resolve will not recall it. The future
lies before US, though untried, available.
Let US. therefore, consign even the sue
cesses of the past to oblivion and, since
time wears all his locks before" address
our energies to the future. Thus shall
the chisel of experience carve out for
us. from common Joy and sorrow, work
and rest, hope and fear, not only the
granite pedestal-achievement, but what
is far better. the marble statue-charac-
ter. Life indeed is short. We should
live mightily.-Rev. B. B. Gibbs.
The Minister'S Dream.
The pastor had dream few nights
since. 1t may have been the result of
an unusually rich meal eaten at the
board OF some of his wealthy parishion-
ers. Be that as it may, the dream seems
worth recording.
He dreamed that he went away to a
neighboring city to preach. When he
ascended the steps of the pulpit, as the
congregation was gathering on Sunday
morning. it suddenly occurred to him
for the first time that he had made no
provision for the supply Of his own pull
pit. He saw in mental vision his own
congregation fiocking into the church as
usual THAT is, about ten minutes late):
he heard the organist playing. saw the
uneasy looks and whispered conferences
as the people waited vainly for the ap-
pearance of the minister. AS the min.
utes dragged on and the desk still stood
vacant, the enormity of his offence
flashed upon him and an overwhelming
sense of confusion and shame came
over him. What will my people think
OF me?" he cried, and with the cry woke
to find himself bathed in perspiration
brought on by his mental pain.
He was glad to find it was only a
dream; but the thought came: Is it
any more your duty to go to church
than it is the duty of the people? Would
any layman find the sweat start at
dreaming that the organ was playing.
the minister had come, the Sunday SER
vice had begun and he was not in his
pew?
Not being able to answer this ques-
ton, the pastor turned over and went to
sleep; but not before he had vowed to
print his dream and query and give the
laymen chance to answer. REQ. r. =. :
Johonnot.
The Philosophy of Adams Fall
To student of history the fact OF the,
progress of the world is self evident
Man is ever climbing higher and higher.
He is developing new powers, Opening.
new avenues of growth and is expanding
intellectually, morally and spiritually.
Man is becoming divine as the ages roll
away! There was time when man wac
SO ignorant that he knew not right from
wrong. But he could slowly develop,
The forces of nature were at work; the
great law of evolution was operating
and man tasted of the tree of knowledge.
A dim light was let into his soul; he be-.
gan family to perceive right, and to dis
Germ wrong. The prerogative of choice
was his. and many times he chose evil
instead Of good. and sin come into the
world. M fl
This is the real fall of man. Thank
God for it! Not for the sin and misery. !
but for the prerogative. of SHINING, for
unless we have the power to sin, we can
have no power to become righteous We
are righteous when we are tempted and
sin not. There is no strength in baby
innocence. This was a great epoch in
mans development. 1t was mighty
convulsion. whose tremorss still shake
the world, but every convulsion and re-
volution makes growth. history and ma
ture teach this. So it is with the con-
vulsions that are within our hearts.
Temptations assail, desires, passions, ap-
petites struggle for the mastery. They
burst forth at times and cover with
fiery pain the noble resolves. Then the
soul struggles for the mastery, and at
last it emerges, purified, cleansed and
strengthened because of the mighty con-
test. The knowledge of right and wrong,
which has been called adams fall,v is
isThe great worlds altar stairs, +
That slope through darkness up to God"
have an exalted opinion of humanity.
perceive the dignity of man and the
inestimable value of the human soul.
perceive also the awfulness of sin, and
am never willing to compromise with sin.
1t deforms man; it degradea him; it
weakens him; it is the mother of woe
and misery. But for all that it can
never destroy the value of a soul. for if
is still Gods, and he will take care Of
his own. A sinful soul is superior to
any other creation lower than man, for
it is made in the image of God. 1t is
Gods child, though gone astray. 1t is
worth saving; il is worth purifyino for