The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-06

to cast down their burdens and hence.
forth be free from the sins of this
world and live in eternal felicity in
the world to come. This would be
all very we'll if we could find anyone
who, after receiving this salvation,
was free from the temptations of the
world, and saved in this world, not to
speak of the world to come. l have
found few who believed they could
not sin. Some are in the insane asy-
lums and some preach within the pull
pits of the churches. Even Jesus
said to the lawyer who came to him
Why callest thou me good' There
is only one good What strange de-
lusion, then, is this, when frail mortals
imagine that henceforth they cannot
falls
1--WE hear good deal said about
the churches growing liberal; that
the doctrine of eternal damnation is
not preached any more to the people
of our land. | wish those who make
such remarks might come to Benton
Harbor. You can count on the fing-
ers of your two hands all the liberal
ministers of any Importance in the
orthodox churches of our country.
What are ten men compared with
the 999, $3.50 ministers who are preach
ing eternal damnation?
"Our friends in the other churches
do not like to preach the doctrine of
eternal hell; their minds revolt at
the idea, still insisting, however, that
it is true if you or l should die with
out coming to their religious opinions.
They do not like to preach it, but yet
we find their position is that this doc
trine is the word of God and that the
eternal spirit of love finds it neces-
sary to damn men for their own good.
eff the ministers of Benton Harbor
would preach this doctrine as the
evangelist will preach it, we would
have revivals fifty-two Sundays in
the year and everybody would be
afraid and played upon through their
fear to love their God. Now why
don't the ministers of Benton Harbor
do its Why don't they have the
courage to do what the revivaliss is
paid for doing?
"Some one says this world is be-
coming liberal. How can the world
become liberal unless we teach the
liberal doctrine? Can we teach it by
keeping our mouths shut7 There is
an irreconcilable conflict between this
spirit and the liberal belief, and they
know it, and that is why we have re-
vivals. It is fact that this church
in this community has had an effect
upon the preaching of other churches
and an effect upon the effect of revi-
walls, for l have watched them as they
are becoming more and more impo-
tent every year and men refuse to be
terrified into accepting these doc
trines.
"There is in social and political
economy law that is being merciless
ly put into operation, which declares
that if one man can do two mems
work, the other man shall be dis
charged. So in religion, either the
ministers of Benton Harbor are doing
their work or they are not. If they
are. why do they need revivalist to
say what they do not dare, and why
do we have five ministers unable to
reap a harvest that one revivalist can
reap in a few weeks? Why not build
a large church and keep the revivalist
here to preach and exhort and thus
economic on the revenues? l don't
suppose my advice will be acted upon
or that it will even be welcome, under
the circumstances.
"Jesus does not teach that by ac-
cepting Christ we escape our just
share of experience and punishment.
Jesus came into this world to make it
better, not to repair the mistakes of
the past. They are the stepping
stones by which we have come to the
consciousness of ourselves and the
knowledge of the love of God.
$50, my friends, love the sinner,
love the man who goes wrong, the
woman who makes mistakes, love
father and mother and each other,
wheresoever you may be. Your duty
is to keep the home bright and your
heart open, and when those that are
in the fields with the swine come to
themselves, see to it that you are
ready to receive them. Amen"
BENTON HyRBoR, Mich.