The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-09


reasonable to say that God has no
purpose in mans existence. Itwould
show Him less than God to say that
His purpose cannot be accomplished.
Such distinctive feature of Univer-
salism ought not to be omitted from
the Universalist Profession of Faith.
The original objection to Article
II-and this was for long time the
only objection to the entire PROBES
sion of PATHWAYS its containing the
word "restore:" "Who will finally
restore the whole family of mankind
to holiness and happiness" The
"whole family of mankind" it is said,
never had "holiness," and therefore
cannot be restored to what they never
experienced. 1.-THE first act of dis
obedience is, it is said, "a fall from
innocence, and every subsequent act
OF SHINING is falling yet further
therefrom." Let the statement con-
corning our " first act of disobedience"
be conceded; but does it thence
follow that all subsequent SHINING is
no more than fall from innocence?"
Will our experience and conscious
ness allow US to fatter ourselves in
that way? As innocent children we
fall, no doubt; and then great
variety of influences and motives,
some suggested and urged by those
who seek our good and some imposed
by our own conscience, impel us to
penitence and amendment and lead
us to holiness, i. e., to spiritual purity,
conformity in purpose and character
to Gods requirements, desiring and
intending to sin no more. But we do
sin. Allured and tempted we fall
away. Do we fall from mere inno-
cenc9? Do we not fall, rather, from
the degree of holiness which our
former penitence opened the way for
us to attain? Is it not holiness then
to which we need to be restored?
This certainly is not an unique ex-
perience, but one, which so far
as we know, is common to our race.
If it is urged that this cannot be
affirmed of "the whole family of man.
kind since holiness never was in
any degree attained by all, it ought
TO be sufficient to say that any ra-
tional theory of human nature and of
the saving work of God through
Christ on 1.-The whole family of man.
kind" must of necessity exempt in
fants whose innocence has never been
furnished, and imbeciles who cannot
choose either good or evil from being
in any sense sinners and to be saved
from sin. The declaration of the
New Testament that "all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God"
must necessarily be understood with
as have come to years of account
ability and are of sound mind must
be conscious that we have gone
astray, and have then sought after,
and some for period, however brief,
attained to some degree of holiness,
to which. if we have again departed
from it, we need, in order to accept
ance with God and our own peace of
mind, to be restored. Certainly no
one who has had such experience
can object to the wording of this
Article. And if, as we think is I'M
deniably true, this is the experience
of all who have come to years of
accountability, is it not true of all
who are in need of what the gospel
proposes to do for human beings?
1t only remains for us to notice the
objections to Article III. There are
two, the first is that it is not true
that "holiness and true happiness
are inseparably connected" If by
happiness is meant merely physical
enjoyment it may be truly said that
happiness is separable from holiness;
but if, as is reasonable to suppose,
happiness means in any religious or
ethical statement, spiritual blessed
ness, or the pleasures of an approx
ing conscience, then it is undeniable
that happiness is inseparable from
holiness. The uniform teaching of
the Old Testament is, He that keep
eth the law, happy is he;" and of the
New Testament, eff ye be reproached
for the name of Christ, happy are ye,
for the Spirit of Glory and of God
resteth upon you." Indeed, for us
to deny that holiness and true hap
piness are inseparablY connected, is
to deny what we have always insisted
on as true concerning the perfect
harmony of Gods commands with
our moral constitution, and to make
the result of holiness arbitrary and
not causal.
The other objection to this Article
is that it is utilitarian in its doctrine
that "believers ought to be careful to
maintain order and practice good