The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-02-13
TN the study of this creed of Ian a


TN the study of this creed OF Ian
Maclaren we find that it does
not move directly forward from be-
ginning to end, with each added
article introducing new element o.
faith. but it returns upon itself ana
by repetition creates the sense OF
the superhuous. Such phase would
hardly appear in closely-adJusted
statement. In the second article
with which we concerned ourselves
last Sunday evening, he asserts his
belief in the swords" OF jesus
believe in the words of Jesus" lie
then writes his third and fourth
articles: 81 believe in a pure heart"
and 81 believe in an unworldly llfe'
And then he writes: 81 believe IN
the beatitudes." But the "beatl-
tudes" are the words of Jesus, and IN
this article he is seen returning 10
one of his former statements. / do
not know that he intended to be sys-
tematic OF precise. 1t may be that
in the beatitudes he sees condensed
statement of Christ's teaching-a
summing up of the whole volumln-
GUS word of Christ. 1t has often been
said that the
Sermon on the Mount.
contains the whole spirit of Christ's
teaching--tbe history, the incidents,
the varied attitudes of mind and
heart, the essential meaning OF all he
said or did, and the beatitudes seem
the more concentrated meaning Of
the Sermon itself.
1t may be that DR.. Watson returns
to these simple but far reaching
statements for a repeated impulse OF
faith and conviction in divine things,
and in this particular instance OF the
third article, 81 believe in a pure
heart" is found the sixth beatitude,
stating it with greater force and with
the added significance of great and
luminous result: BLESSED are the
pure in heart, for they shall see God"
This statement advances the thought
beyond the limits indicated by Ian
Maclaren. He says, 81 believe in
pure heart" but the Teacher of Naz-
areth gives a reason for it-a compen-
sation; anchors it amid the eternal
realities and so rationalizes it and
gives to this condition sympathetic
fellowship in the economy of affairs
in this great universe of life.
1t is thinkable; atleast, and it may
be wholesome to inquire,-Why be-
lieve in pure hearth Why believe
in justice, or mercy, or love? Why
believe in divine things at all? Why
seek any alliance with these high
qualitiess What advantages have
they to confer upon usi And has
not Solomon been reported as saying,
GAIL things come alike to all; there
is one event to the righteous and to
the wicked; to the good and the
clean and the unclean; to him that
sacrifceth and to him that sacrifceth
not. AS is the good so is the sinner,
and he that sweareth is as he that fear
eth an oath. There is an evil among
all things that are done under the sun,
that there is one event unto all; yea,
also the heart of the sons of men is
full of evil, and madness is in their
heart while they live and after that
they go to the dead" Hath not Sol
ONION, the reputed wise man, said
this? And where is the folly and
where the shortsightedness in the
allying of oneself with the impure,
the unjust, the merciless?
What Answer Shall We Give?
What answer shall we give to all
this questioning-what answer that
need not to be answered again9 Is
it not this, that the law and order of
the universe in which we ]ive-the
law and order of this earth, is set to the
march and melody of the high
virtues, and forever refuse the per-
manent fellowship of the corrupt and
the oppressive' George Eliot writes
more divinely than Solomon wrote in
the passage | have quoted, when she
wrote her conviction that
sIife on earth is being shaped
To glorious ends, that order, justice, love,
Mean mans completeness, mean effect as
sure
As roundness in the dewdrop; that great
faith
Is but the rushing and expanding stream
OF thought, of feeling fed by all the past 4"
think Solomon must have written
his gloomy sentiment out of mood
of doubt and despair and somber
clouds, while George Eliot wrote her
sentiment from the elevated regions
where Gods sunlight was shining
and the pure airs were breathing
their inspirations around her. l
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