The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-09-18

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principles, can fail to confess. | shall
be ready to renounce Universalism
whenever it can be proven that it is
not fully represented in Christ, or
that anything but its principles Can
claim him as their expression. 1t was
once said by an opponent of Univer-
salism that it has mo oaths of its
own, and that the worst person,
actuated by its spirit, can say to an
other is God bless you" This in
tended ridicule is but noble eulogy.
1t is even as he said; and this fact is
only one of the evidences which pro-
claims our doctrine to be his who
said: "Swear not at ALL" 'Love
your enemies that you may be the
children of your Father in heaven.
reject the prevalent doctrine for
the reason that it cannot be lived.
Christ did not live it. No good man
or woman, living godly life, ever
lived it. Only Universalism can be
lived. Think of the common idea of
punishment-of punishment as an
end-and then try it in your family,
in your school, in the prison. You
will soon see that it cannot be en-
forced. 1t cannot be lived. The
Universalist's view of punishment is
that it is means to glorious end ;
and that it can and will be inflicted
on the sinner until the end is Sc
cured, even the salvation of the soul
from sin.
Again Universalism is superior to
orthodoxy, so called, in that it brings
punishment nearer. Suppose our
legislature should enact law to
prevent theft, making its penalty
death, which is not to be inflicted
until twenty years after the crime
had been committed. And not then
if the criminal will but go to the
Governor and ask his forgiveness.
What would you think of such law?
With a twenty years credit and a
cheap way of escape, the effect would
be to increase crime.
This is exactly what the prevalent
doctrine does by its theory of proba-
ton. 1t is the serpent's doctrine
that deceived the first pair. The
very first warning to man was, "In
the day thou eatest thereof thou
shalt surely die" Right in the face
of this warning from God, the SER
pent preached his first great lie when
he said, "Ye shall not surely die. :"
Everyone must see the tendency of
all this. "Woe to them that are at
ease in Zion," said the prophet of old,
"ye put far away the evil day." This
is what the church does when it de-
MES retribution here and transfers it
to another world. Our doctrine, on
the contrary, brings punishment
close at hand and makes it certain.
Above all, my Universalist brother
or sister, to whom the world looks
for an illustration of the superior eff
cacy of our doctrine, will you fully
appreciate its meaning and theappeals
it urges upon you, and be the pure.
aspiring, morally earnest, and conse-
Grated man or woman that it is fitted
to make you and that you should be?
Verify, for all purposes of convincing
unbelievers, do | say that Universal
ism is in its principles, and ought to
be in it's results, the most efficient
Christian power; if, by the tone and
quality of your daily life, you prove
that it is so. Do not, | pray you, de-
feat the purpose for which the truth
is proclaimed. Do not. think for
moment that you can advance
Universalism by your talk alone. Let
your daily life testify that it is true.