The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-07

not reject all the rest7 How can we
believe in religion that is proven
false as to its own origin? If our re-
ligion is not trustworthy as to its
own origin how can it be trustworthy
as to anything else. 1t will be seen,
therefore, that this doctrine that our
religion is an evolution and not a
revelation, a coming up from below
and not coming down from above,
is revolutionary. 1t must change the
whole character of our religion and
our whole attitude towards it. Chris
tianity cannot be to us what it is
now and we cannot be Christians in
any sense that we call ourselves such
now. 1t would be we'll, therefore, to
hesitate little before we reject all
special revelations and so revolution
ize Christianity and ourselves too.
But passing this, let us attend to
the question, are there any such
special revelations? Does history
furnish any evidence of the incoming
of new light? Let it be observed
what we mean by new light. We do
not mean light that is new now or at
any time subsequent to its coming,
but new at the time of its coming.
Does history furnish any evidence
that at certain periods in the pro-
gress of mankind new light has come
to man, light that is direct revela-
ton from God?
1t may not be easy always to de-
termine whether new light is d.
rect revelation from God or not
it may be discovery of man-and it
may be more difficult to discover all
the direct revelations from God, but
there are certain signs which do not
often mislead and it is not necessary
to discover all the revelations. If we
make certain of one or two it is suf-
ficient.
1t is not necessary to determine
whether or not God has specially as
sisted in the development of some
of the forms of life; it is sufficient for
our philosophy to know that life it.
self is his special creation. So it is
not necessary to determine all the
new lights that have come into the
world, if we make certain of one; it is
sufficient for our philosophy, that
the third element in history, direct
revelations from God, is a reality.
Now one of the surest evidences of
the coming of this new light is the
receptiveness of man caused by his
conscious need of it. When man is
made receptive toward God by his
conscious need of new lightthat light
is pretty sure to come.
AS the pupil at school,. when he
has exhausted all his resources be-
comes receptive to his teacher be-
cause of his own conscious need, re-
ceives the help he needs, so God
helps man when he becomes receptive
to God by the consciousness of his
own need. When these conditions
exist the light given will be direct
revelation from God.
Such was the case at the advent of
Jesus. When Christ came these con-
ditions existed. The advanced souls
were receptive to God from con-
seriousness of their own need. The
civilized world had exhausted its
light and was anxiously looking for
more. The Jews had exhausted
Moses and the prophets and were
eagerly looking for the coming of the
Messiah, and though they rejected
him when he did come, the select"
souls received him and the "rest were
blinded" The Greeks and Romans
had exhausted their philosophy and
religion. They could go no farther
Godward. They had reached the end
of natural religion. They had wor-
shipped man as God and had out
grown this worship. Their gods
were dead. They had lost faith in
them and the ''elect souls" were pain
fully conscious of their need of some
thing better. Hence their receptive
ness to Christianity. When Christ
came they received him for they were
ready for him.
AS Greece was, so is Japan today.
Her religions are dead. She has ex-
hausted her light and she is conscious
of it. Hence her receptivity. She
is holding out her hands to the "Son
of Man"
China is in the same condition save
the consciousness of her need. Her
religions are dead. The light of
Confucius she has absorbed and
worked up. Buddha has been tried
and found wanting. Religiously she
is in a condition of arrested develop
ment, but is not conscious of it..