The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-17

i uttered so long ago has been
sounded down through the ages in
one continuous mighty prayer. The
desire to know, and to know the truth,
has been the consuming desire OF
mankind. The savage blindly CROPPED
in the dark, the Hebrew looked about
in the morning twilight, and we to-
day, in the dawn of the great age,
search with half open eyes for the
truth which God is ever ready to re-
veal to his children.
Jesus came in answer to the prayer
of the Psalmist. He came as incar-
mated light and truth. Some may
not consider him a perfect incarna-
fion. but it is certain that he was so
much more perfect than those around
him. that even we today have not
surpassed his ideals and his concep-
ton of God. If he were not direct
answer to a particular prayer, he
came naturally, in response to an
universal need, and at an opportune
time in the worlds history. He
came as the light; for he cleared away
the darkness from many mind. And
he came as the truth, for he revealed
the truth of Gods universal love and
power to the waiting world.
The religious system which came
to US from Jesus was too great to be
comprehended by those who received
it. The light was stronger than their
weak eyes could bear. Naturally,
either consciously or unconsciously,
they sought to dim the light. As we
see Christianity today it is usually
not that Christianity that came from
Jesus, but something that has been
wrapped in the swaddling clothes of
ecclesiasticism or which is made to
shine through the stained-glass win
dows of Journalism. 1t would some
times appear that it is not question
ssWhat would Christ do if he came to
Chicago9" or to any particular city,
but what would he do if he came to
Christendom9 Skeptics have said
that there is less of Christ in Chris
tianity than in almost anything else.
They are right only in regard to ex-
ternal appearances; for if the spirit
of Christ were not in Christianity, its
friends would have killed it long ago.
This may seem strange at first
thought, but he who prayed that he
might be delivered from his friends,
made righteous prayer, considering
his friends. He felt that he would
rather face his enemies openly, than
to be sucked to death by his friends.
Many man has been hurt by those
who claim to be his friends. There
is hardly man of experience but
that can recall at least one instance,
where a self-elected friend caused
him much harm. Those who have
fiocked under Christianity's banner
have been the ones who have placed
it in the greatest danger.
This fact was realized many years
ago, and early in the fourteenth CEN
fury, Boccaccio, the great italian
story writer, illustrated it by the story
of the Jew who was converted to
Christianity. The Jew had Chris
tian friend who tried incessently to
convert him from the faith of his ia
theirs. The Jew was at first immov-
able, but finally the Christian friend
was so persistent that the Jew said
he would journey to Rome and see
Christianity at its great center.
The Christian was much wrought
upon this. He told the Jew that in
Paris there were priests and the
bishop he could consult. But the
Jew was bound to go to Rome, and
when he started the Christian babe
him farewell with faint heart, for he
we'll knew the corruption he would
see. The Jew went among his people
in Rome, and from the outside care
fully studied the conduct of the Pope
and his cardinals. Boccaccio pic.
lures it just as it is pictured in all
fair histories. 1t was a time that
Christianity can remember only with
sorrow and shame. The Jew re-
turned to Paris, and reported to his
friend: IF l know how to draw con-
illusions, there was no holiness, no
devotion, no good work or good ex-
ample of life in any other way, in
anybody who was priest; but lux
urv, avarice, and gluttony,-such
things and worse, if there could be
worse things in anybody; and / saw
rather liberty in devilish operations
than in divine; on which account l
conclude that with all possible study,
with all their talent and with all
their art, your Shepherd, and conse-
n