The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-10-30

words, by the cultivation of righteous
ness, man may develope spiritua
| strength enough to survive death. 1t il
the scientific theory of the survival o
the fittest, applied to organic forms, car
| ried over into the field of metaphysics
and applied to spirits not immortal un
til they are fit to be. Through MISUSE
| of the will, stass of the moral circu
lation occurs and a consequent afro
ply of the incipient spiritual constitu
tion. Through disuse Of good volitions
the function of goodness is destroyed.
AT this point a great gulf Is fixed be-
tween DR.. Abbott's school and universal
lism. 1t is not uncommon to hear il
reported that the new theology men, Of
the Lyman Abbott school, preach as
good Universalism as can be heard any
where. This we most positively deny
for the sake of honesty and for thos;
who would be pleased with the''same
without the name" Universalists are
neither agnostic nor materialistic in re-
gard to mans origin, nature and des-
tiny They are dogmatic in their belief
in the spiritual nature of man. To them
man, is as much a spirit as he ever will
be.
Whatever begins in time must end in
time; and if man is not intrinsically
immortal, no act of faith, or course of
conduct can recreate him into death
less being. DR. Abbott has never shown,
philosCphically how mortal man can
extend his existence indefinitely by a
mental act or by good deeds. Neither is
it conceivable how a being devoid of the
germ of immortality, can earn or merit
infinite duration Even if based on sound
philosophy, this humiliation doctrine Is
not preachable, There is no sentiment
in it. The heart recoils from 1t. In
stead of being glad tidings, it is the
very worst news to the weak, the poor,
the struggling men and women in, the
slums, and in the palaces often. 1t is
they who are not likely to survive the
fittest;" and what kind of gospel is it
that can only foredoom them? Another
reason why it is not preachabe, is be-
cause it's heralds, for the most part
silent, cannot assure any man that he
has reached the turning point between
the mortal animal and the incipient an
gel. Just how much grace is required
to survive death, is not provided by this
theory.
This new Orthodoxy, which is neither
new or orthodox, is at least more ethi-
cal than the dogma of endless pain, and
more worthy of God; but can never find
wide acceptance among those who hear
the whole creation groan." and who
believe the Good Shepherd will follow
the last, wandering sheep" until he
find it" The laity have a right to
know what is held by the new Theology
men, respectively human destiny. Sin
certify and progress, the ceaseless
slaughter of affection by death, and the
agnostic materialism of the times, all
demand preachable eschatology. If it
be medieval, Universalist, or destruc-
Zionist it should be known without
Juggling, or hiding behind an eosteric
substance of doctrine"
No, DR.. Lyman Abbott is not Uni
versalist. because of reasons above CIV
en-, and because Universalism holds a
positive faith in the spiritual nature of
man, and in a God who will succeed in
harmonizing the will of man with his
own in true righteousness.