The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-23


timents, which continually give the lie
to the fearful doctrines which have
been held to be the very truth of God.
Tbs warming heart of humanity is re.
shaping the old creeds more rapidly than
the head and brains Of humanity. The
new Moses is the modern seeker for
truth in man and nature. and to him
God makes daily revelations as of old.
The new Sinai is the laboratory. the
field, the body. the soul, the mind, where
God reveals the divine laws of being to
eager and curious searchers-R Rec r.
A. White.
Encouraging all Church Interests.
Encourage every missionary worker,
VIII ether he be a pastor endeavoring to
ar ouse an interest in parishes near his
home field of labor, or one giving his
entire time and strength to the gather
ing Of scattered believers in centers in
hich no previous effort has been made.
Encourage the latter, too, by words of
sympathy, of appreciation and goodwill,
and by that substantial support which
comes from the payment of dollars which
every man must have for the providing
of himself and family with the needful
things of life. Let it not matter if an
enthusiastic and honest brother does not
in inc hot NH oh I'll
the best; give him due credit for his
zeal and faith and perseverance, and for
the measure of success which follows his
sincere labors for the truth and the
good of the people. Support h artily
the duly empowered agents of the
Church, but withhold not that which is
due to him who called by his interest
and his talent into uncultivated fields,
org anizes, stimulates and energizes
tn ose who but for his spirit and counsel
would remain unorganized.-R I. j.
Mead.
Mr.. Moody's Converts.
A Congregationalist minister, who
was, few years ago, pastor of church
in New England city of over $4,000 in
habitante. has recently given us his
opinion as to the staying power of the
influence exerted by Mr.. Moody through
his revivals. His opinion was based
upon his experience. His church had
participated in revival services under
the direction of the noted evangelist,
assisted some Of the time by the Rev.
Mr. Pentecost, also we'll known as a sue.
cessful evangelist. About 1000 con.
verts were gathered. When two years
had passed not 200 of those converts
could be found stifl holding to their
Christian professions. or course it is a
great work, out of thousands gathered
/ q assemblies, to influence and perma.
nently hold nearly 200 in the better way,
if that same minority could not have
been reached and held by other meth
ods, and methods more in accord with
the everyday and every Sunday work of
church. But is it certain that the
more stable 200 could not have been
reached by the usual methods of church
work that would, at the same time,
have reached others that could not be
reached, but would rather be repelled,
by Mr.. Moody's ideas and methods,
which are founded upon false ideas of
Gods ways with the human soul? Our
own observation of evangelical churches
is that those that depend upon gradual
training rather than sudden conversion,
and upon normal and continual effort
rather than upon unusual and occa-
sional agencies do more stable work
and permanently influence more souls.
More souls are saved by Christian nur-
ture than by sudden conversion.-Rev
G. L. Waite.
Test of Total Depravity.
Will the doctrine stand the test? Con-
slider what an implication it casts upon
the character of God; that he, an abso-
lutely perfect being. has made such
botch of creation, that it has gotten be-
yond his control and he is satisfied to
save few passengers out of the wreck!
God never made any mistake. and he is
OF going to confess one to save theo-
logians from embarrassment. Look into
the face of the one you have called your
friend next time you meet, and think
all the beautiful qualities that have won
you to him are sham, for. unless he
is converted, he is totally depraved. Look
upon the face of your own mother, or of
your child and think that they are to-
tally depraved. The esooner the Church
retr eats from this absurd position
the better for the Church. The
sin and depravity in any city is the
nnaitiua sin and danrauifv of the indi-