The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-22
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Universalist Thought
OUR OWN WRITERS.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


Three is no Death.
Heaven and hell are in the soul of
man, and wherever be lives in accord
ance with the law of God he will find
heaven, and wherever he disobeys that
law he will find hell. In the spiritual
view death is of no consequence. 1t has
no reality. God is the God of the living,
and not of the dead. for no man can die.
Req. G. II. Eaton. D.D.
Punishment After Death.
In denying the existence of place of
en- dless torment we do not deny the
fact of punishment after death. and we
leave its place and nature entirely to
speculation. Our people have been ex-
planning for many many years that they
believe as much as anybody else in the
future punishment of the wicked, but
they do not believe in as much punish
ment for the wicked. They believe that
the wicked will be punished as much
as they need to make them good: that
they will be purified "as by fire." We
hold it to be divine law in this life
and in all existences that so long as
there is sin there will be suffering and
so rrow. 1t has been so ordered to per-
suade men not to sin. And we believe
as firmly that all men will be made to
see this truth and will then gladly con-
ha,v D. L
Henry.
Confirming the Logical Defenses.
There is more than one way to prove
the value Of dwelling in these spring
days when so many of US are house
hunting. When man tells you he has
lived in certain habitation and knows
by experience that the cellar is dry, the
plumbing good, the rooms conveniently
adapted, il we trust the man, that is
sometimes better than all the assertions
of the architect that it ought to be good;
that was sufficient reason why Laban
believed in Jacob and Jacob loved Ra-
chael after seven years. They had both
learned by experience, and to live re-
ligion or to observe it's moral and spirit.
ual influence upon others, may not
prove its truth as an intellectual system,
but is will go far toward the confrma-
tion of more logical defenses. This can
be done with Universalism. One may
see both in theory and example whether
or not this is house built upon q rock.
-ReU.J. K. Mason.
forgiveness Of Enemies.
Concerning the forgiveness of our ene-
mics. there is noble word in that de-
formed old Greek slave, Epictetus:
Hath any wronged thee? Be bravely
revenged. Slight it and the work is be-
gun; forgive it and it is finished. He is
below himself who is not above an in
jury" 1t wonderfully facilitates our
forgiveness of injuries to recall it that
it is not so great misfortune to suffer
an injury as it is toinfict one. Who, in
the honorable pride and content of his
heart, would not prefer to endure a
wrong than to accomplish wrong toward
another? The humiliation of personal
acquaintance with ones self is at least
out of the account. "Our enemies"-
how have they become our enemies?
What is the cause? Have we done the
wrong that has created the enmityY Let
us raise that question first and if we
find the occasion laid at our door, there
is no higher honor due to ones self than
a speedy effort to right the wrong. To
be on the wrong side of moral question
or moral circumstance, is to be weak.
To correct wrong is noble act. 1t is
ignoble to make life more difficult for
any one heavier and less joyous.
To thrust person into wrong or un-
just attitude before the public, or in
private life. is brutal thing, il done in.
tentionally, and calls for speedy repent
ance; and, if done ignorantly. it calls for
speedy correction.-Rev. DR.. ReGford.
Change After Death.
1t is amazing with what sublime COM
placency our partialist friends will refer
to the parable of the rich man aud Laz-
arus to disprove the Universalist idea of
a change after death. They tell us. there
is no change after death and cite this
parable as sustaining their position.
But with their literal application of the
par able, they prove greater change
after death than any Universalist ever
advocated. Heaven and hell will be in
seeing, hearing, speaking distance, and
yet the mother will be so changed that
she will be oblivious to the groans,
shrieks and pleadings for mercy of her
son, in the agony of literal flames. Whit
tier says:
''If man goes to heaven without heart,
God knows he leaves behind his better
part"
He does not desire to sit among the
lazy saints turning deaf ear to the sore
complaints of souls that suffer.
have great respect for the infideI
whose unbelisf consists in rejecting the
familiar subterfuge Of partialism involv-
ing the eternal ossifcation of the heart.
II in the flame of the bottomless pit there
shall remain some feeling. some tender
sensibilities, some little tremor of human
svpoDathv thare give ma tho hottonoIo..