The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-27
THE UNIVERsALIsT IDEA.
the Editor Of The Globe:

| To the Editor of The Globe:
My attention has been called to a report,
which appeared in the Monday b e.
of a sermon by Dr. S. B. Smith on
Wireless Photography, Have We Any
News From He'll" If Dr. Smith is cor
rectly reported, he said:
Now there is a base line which we
must find in order to learn about the
world beyond the grave. The base line
l think is this: All goodness leads to
peace; all evil leads to pain. Taking this
as the basis of Our problem we will learn
the lesson that Christ came to earth to
teach which was that he who does right
will receive his reward, while he VINO
does evil must expect condemnation
Much has been said about hell, and
many different ideas have been advanced
as TO what it is. There has been sew
eral theories that have prevailed as to
what the teaching of the Bible really is
on the subject. The Calvinist teaches
that it is a place where all men will go
who are not of the sect, no matter what
may have been their mode OF life. The
Universalist on the other hand maintains
that 1T is place where no man VIII be
condemned to go, because Christ died for
all and saved all men from hell. Both
are wrong. Hell is piece of punishment
and he who deserves hell will be sure to
have it
Whatever the Calvinist may think
about DR., Smiths statement l cannot, as
a representative of Universallsm in this
city, permit the erroneous statement
about my own faith to go uncorrected.
DR.. Smith and the public will be glad to
be set right.
1t is not true that the ''Universalist
on the other hand maintains that it (helD
is a place where no man will be con-
demned to go because Christ died for all
and saved all men from hell" That is
the very kind of teaching that our church
has been vigorously protesting against
for at least fifty years. Universalists
have been unable to find in the Bible or
nature any assurance that the just pen
atty for any sin viii be sent away. DIR.
Smith will hardly miss finding if he
reads our literature with attention, the
oft repeated statement of his belief and
evil leads to pain Christ came to send
away sin, not penalty. All ideas of an
atonement that means price paid by
an innocent victim to send away the
just punishment of others sins we utter
ly repudiate.
We believe in a God as good at least
as the best of us; "an adequate God who
will not let His worlds run away with
Him. a God who will at last by ways
severe and gentle bring all souls in
harmony with Himself. Does it follow
limp and lavender You will hardly
think so if you read what we have said
of punishment here and hereafter. 1
speak by the book when / say, Love may
be- yea must be. severe as well as gentle.
A flame as well as q cooling drink. God
will not let YOU rest in sin. Our God is
a consuming fire. A fire to burn until sin
shall be no more. God bids us go forth
to struggle until temptation be overcome
and virtue won. But if we decline the
glorious hardness of the task, love will
not let us 60 Even from the vilest
covert Of the degraded soul the LASH of
severe goodness drives us forth to endure
new pangS and make new efforts for that
virtue without which heaven is impossi-
bic. Sin is an infinite stupidity We
shall never get to heaven until we get
heaven in US. What folly to wait
If any of you readers desire to know
what kind Of religion ,Universalism
is l will gladly send them literature on
the subject without charge
Minister ST. Pau1's Universalist cRurcb