The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-10-30
DEFINED BY DR.. ABBOTT
JIIS THEOLOGTC4L POSITION A S RE-
CARDS UNITERSALISM.

Sermon Delivered by the Rev. w. f.
Dickermnn at the Church Of the Mes.
siah sunday Evening, October 29th.
AT the general convention Of Univer-
salists, held in Boston last week, DR..
Lyman Abbott defined his theological
position in unmistakable terms. He
dsavowed one after the other of the
cardinal doctrines Of orthodoxy, as I'M
scriptura unethical and unthlnkaple,
until one would think he had parted
faith entirely with so-called Evangelical
teaching. yet" said he, Il am not
Universalst. Because L believe abso-
lutely in the freedom of the Will. l
would have to be a Calvinist in order to
become a Universalist. That God de-
crees the salvation of all souls is an IN
depreciation of divine sovereignty IN
consistent with human freedom. That
high heaven will not coerce the Will IS
at once mans dignity and degradation.
While rejecting the doctrine of an end
less hell of suffering as monstrous, still
1 am forced to believe that persistent
disobedience will fix the character in
sin beyond remedy. That moral paral-
ysis will ensue, ending in extinction of
being. All my sympathies are on the
side of hope for every living creature;
but in my mind such hope cannot be
entertained if man is left free to choose
his way"
This, in simple terms, is DIR. Abbott's
doctrinal position. AS we enter upon
review of his opinions we are not UNI
mindful of his great and varied gifts.
We are deterrent to his learning and pl-
ETY. and would not for moment think
of pitting ourselves against man with
such splendid mental equipment. Still
it is our right to humbly offer differ
ent point of view. We desire only that
our thoughts shall be taken on their
merits. We court only the truth.
''We want the truth wherever found
On Christian or on heather ground"
We hold that there is only one abso-
lutte free will, and that is the will of
God. The will of man is not perfectly
free. Human will is free under limita-
tions. The fish is free to live and move
In the waters, but not on earth or in
the air The bird in the air, but not in
the sea. Man can breathe the air, but
cannot survive in water. Thus the hu-
man mind in body is related to
limiting environment. There Is a de-
terminism in the barriers which the
mind cannot overleap The will OF man
is handicapped by heredity, ignorance,
poverty, perplexity and thousand out
ward circumstances. Human Volltlon
is ever more in changeful moods as the
creature of suggestion and education,
good or bad. Choices are made in the
light or darkness of an antecedent I'M
derstanding Hence the will to believe,
to do, or to be, gets its incentive from
the Judgment, which is subject to emo
ton or rational persuasion We sub
init to you then, if the integrity OF the
will is broken down because of modify
ing influences that may convince the
understanding and thus induce new vo-
1itions? In what proper sense does the
teacher violate the will of pupil in inn
parting wholesome instruction? The eff
feet of persuasion upon either a plastic
or dogmatic mind is not that of de-
structive invasion of mental function.
Is it unreasonable that the everlasting
Father out of His infinite resources of
love and wisdom may convince and per-
suade the minds of His erring children
WlCnOul uepliVliiS ticHl VI lio PpNSl VI
choice? Even under conviction of right
or wrong Is not freedom left intact?
How shall ignorant humanity come to
knowledge of the truth here or hereaf-
ter except by instruction, reproof and
correction? And why should divine
1hinistrations calculate to produce "tbe
peaceable fruits of righteousness be |
more incompatible with the freedom of |
the will than human discipline? Why |
is not all interference with the will and |
ways Of ignorance incident to all pro-
gressive education. according to the
laws of mental and moral growth, vi
plation of human freedom?
Man may choose his way, but God is
IN that way. 1.-THE High and Holy One |
iphabiteth eternity. He is unacceptable.
You may row against the stream of |
Providence until convinced that Gods |
ways are better than your own ways.
You will now conform to the divine will
with freedom and with pleasure. If |
God shall not stand in every way that
man may choose, and with the loving
suggestions of truth, and If needs be,
with tribulation persuade him OF the
error of his ways, has God of infinite
love. wisdom and power done His whole
duty to the weak, ignorant creatures
He has made?
81 walk with bare, hushed feet the
ground
Men tread with boldness shod;
I dare not fix with mete and bound
The love and power of Cod
If the hand of heaven be held in
check by considerations of Incompatible
tty. then is Gods will limited also. What
becomes of Gods freedom, wisdom and
love if man has will that thwarts the
resources and purposes of an Infinite
Heavenly Father? What shall we say,
not of finite man, but of God. when
man succeeds in destroying his being
in spite of Heavens will? To endow
the will of man with such awful re-
sponsibility seems to be putting into
the creature something that belongs to
the Creator Does not the very affir'ma-
ton of the untouched unimpeded, in
trinsic independence of human freedom
imply an impotent Providence There
fore we conclude from DR.. Abbott's
premises that the will of humanity is
an instrument of eternal suicide and the