The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-03
In man. Most of all. And when a

some reform, establishes some need
ed mission or charity, be assured
that it has been brought about by
the work of man impelled by the
spirit of God within him. And except
by the power of God in man not
much, if anything, has been accom-
plished in human affairs as all his
tory will show. 1t is not right nor
sensible to expect in these days that
God, disassociated from and indie
pendent of man, is going TO work out
his omnipotent will, any more than it
is to imagine that because we have
the best constitution among nations
on the face of the globe, and the
most democratic government under
the sun, that this guarantees the
preservation of our free institutions.
Eternal vigilance is the price of lib
erty, and the indissoluble partner
ship of God with mantle Christ
life-is what regenerates mankind.
There is a kind of blissful trust
that is born of our conception Of the
eternal goodness. I would not dis
turb it. We do we'll to take and to
give comfort in the conviction that it
will yet come true that all the fami-
lies of earth shall one day be united,
brought together in one fold by the
power of Gods redeeming love and
grace. Yes! But it will come true
through the love of God in the en-
larging heart of man, seeing until it
finds the wanderers that are astray
and bringing them rejoicing into the
fold; and it will come true in no
other way. The man who says he
believes in Universalism and does not
work and give to make it true, is not
a Universalist. The people who pray
God to hasten the day when the
kingdoms of the earth shall be united
in the kingdom of the Lord, and do
not discover by that prayer the divine
energy in themselves to go out, and
by their honest, self-sacriticing Chris.
tian work hasten it in fact, might as
we'll have talked to the winds, and
have yet to feel the force of that
spirit in whom we live and move and
have our being.
1t is my conviction that we have
not begun to make use of the power
that is latent in a faith like our own;
that we have not walked up to the
responsibility laid upon us. We are
obliged to be missionary church.
Our faith should compel US to it.
Cyrus Field believed in the teleg-
raph, believed in the possibility OF a
transatlantic cable, and in that faith
he went to work and made it reali-
ty. Paul believed in the Gospel of
Christ, believed it was the power of
salvation unto all men. Jew and Gen
tile, and he went to work to make it
a power to all. That was his Univer-
salism. 1t is more prophetic than any
other kind. 1t devolves upon the
| Universalist church to be the actual
prophet of final success by its pres
emit work-not by telling everyone in
trouble and sin, "God loves you"
sit is all right, the Lord is in his
heaven" "Be ye comforted," but by
bringing around them wholesome and
elevating influences, and making
them feel by our work, our sympathy
and our life, as by the presence and
touch of the great physician the love
and power of God.
My brothers and sisters, theappeal
that comes to us as Universalists and
to all Christians, is not to our fears
for other peoples safety, but one to
our sympathies and fellow-feeling.
The question is, Are you not con-
cerned that affiiction has laid its
heavy hand on far off Armenia? Are
you not troubled for the thousands
of children that run the streets by
day and night, learning lessons Of
vice because of no opportunity to &C
quire those of virtue? Are you not
moved that millions of Gods children
everywhere are oppressed by the tyr
any of despotism, held down by the
strength of ignorance, enslaved by
the bondage of SIM Are you not
disturbed that at your very door evil
agencies are at work, corruption is
rife, and death has cast a gloom by
her mysterious visit. If you are, then
work in the spirit of Christ, as God
has given you means and faith, to
elevate mankind and alleviate all
this misery, sorrow and distress
1t matters not whether you be rich
or poor, high or lowly, do good and
cease not. If | am poor and hum
BILE, and fine young man with
his few apparel, staggers by and