The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-03

The retort courteous to this criti-
cism, l think, would be for us to in
vite the Rev. DIR. Lyman Abbott who,
in these latter days, has found such
rich cleaning in fields which the
Universalist fathers long since har-
vested, to come with his recent certi-
ficate of heresv from his orthodox
neighbors, with his too evident dis
trust of our name. with all his ilk,
into the fold of our church.
For the author of quite new def
milton of orthodoxy, he himself is no
new species. If the present religious
classification were really scientific, it
would be found to be case, on his
part, of approximation to our type;
not reversion on our part to his.
But we have no reason to be dis
turbed by these criticisms. A denom-
nation must be judged not simply
by what it has done, but by what it
is and what it is doing. If there is
no work for it to do, it will die; moth
ing can save it. But one can no more
tell from the early life of a church
than from that of man, to what
larger life and duty it shall be ulti-
mately called.
And while [ hope we never shall
become so selfish in our denomina-
tional life, so unmindful of the end
for which we exist as means, as to
forget that the Good Shepherd lay
eth down his life for the sheep; while
l long for the time when the sympa-
thies of the religious life shall prove
stronger than the differences of creed
and thought; while I rejoice at the
signs that we are coming into closer
fellowship with other churches, espec-
tally those naturally allied to us, I
wish to say that in my opinion never
before was the duty of the Upiver-
salist church so manifest; never be-
fore was it's responsibility so great, as
that laid upon it today,
Our present mission is a positive
one. 1t is not to whack away at the
old and dying dogma everytime, still
defiant, it raises its feeble head. That
is small business. 1t is not to re-
iterate that all people ultimately
will be saved. That was necessary
when thought was centered on the
last things. Ifpessimism is prevalent,
let us assert our optimism. But to-
day when the disposition is to leave
the unknown future with the good
God and Father, and to concentrate
thought and energy upon the needs
of this present world, which contains
the germ of every future, our duty
is in the power of that faith we cher
ish, that success shall crown our
efforts, go about our Fathers bust
ness as it was revealed to us in the
life of our Elder Brother. That is
our distinctive superiority, if we have
any, to every other church. One man
says he hopes he can do given
work; another declares simply out of
his faith, 81 will do it," 1t is the
difference between hope and faith
between the inspiration Of expecta-
tation and that of determination. If
we possess this faith, then it is our
dynamic; not our shot, but our pow
der, to send us forth strong and zeal
ous,-not in antagonism with other
churches, but to destroy iniquity, to
befriend the unfortunate, to comfort
the sorrowing and reclaim men every
where from the dominion of sin-to
fulfill the mission of Jesus.
And l raise the question, Are we
doing thisl Are we alive to our
business! The man that is conscious
of great talent ought to achieve
great things. The church that has
a magnificent faith ought to do
magnificent work. Is not that right?
What are the factss Are we in
spired by our faith7 Is the Univer-
salist church noted for carrying its
Gospel to the poor7 Do we seem
urged by any mighty impulse to lift
up the degraded and discarded
masses of mankinds Do we grapple
with confidence in the Gospel as a
divine solvent, with the evils and
problems of the day! Are we en-
thusiastic to enlighten and bless
those afar off?
We are asked sometimes to observe
the work other denominations are
doing, all the organizations and
agencies they have in operation to
provide for work at home and abroad,
to behold what they accomplish by
organic united effort, the money
they raise and the good they do.
If the intention is by comparison
to indict the Universalist church