The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-22
UNTVERSALISM OF
PAST AND TODAY
Rev. MARION D.. SHUTTER, ID.
MAKES STATEMENT OF FAITH.
The Church's Progress from Views of
John Murray~an Ballou to Boston
Convention of 1899 Briefly Reviewed
How Universalism of Today Differs
from That of Yesterday.

In view of the Universalist conven-
ion now in session 1 in IN Minneapolis, tn the
Jniversalism of Yesterday and To-Day
prepared for T h e Journal by Rev.
--Iarion d. Shutter, DID, pastor of the
church of the Redeemer, is of especial
interest. DR.. Shutter says:
''The first period of Universalism in
his country is represented by John
Iurray. He was in most particulars,
decided Calvinist. He was trinitar-
an in his ideas Of god and in his views
lie believed in the traditional fall of
Adam and all it's consequences, original
in, and transmitted depravity. He be
ieved in vicarious sacrifice. He held
hat endless punishment was, indeed
he just due of sin; but that Christ
lad borne the penalty of all; and that
III would at last be saved. He held,
his own peculiar way, the doctrine
f election, but he enlarged it, in the
hat fell from heaven. - He did not
20 quite so far as = Origen, who be-
ieved that the devil himself would be
inally brought to the 'mourner's bench
nd soundly converted. Murray be-
ieved in personal devil, but handed
i'm over to be dealt with upon strict
y orthodox principles.
"Such was the theology Of Murray.
such, for the most part, was early Uni
ersalism. Such was the rock from
which we are hewn, the hole of the pit
rom which we are digged. There was,
lowever, especially during the latter
art Of his ministry, those who differed
rom his views in regard to the person
nd mission of Christ. Among these
we're Rich, Winchester and Ballou. The
econd period of Universalism has Bal
-ou for it's great representative.
The Atonement.
"In his remarkable work on 'The
Atonement,' a work which embodies
most of his own system, he distinctly
epudiates the doctrine of the Trinity;
lie teaches that Christ was dependent,
reated being, and not God; he rejects
he vicarious and substitutionary sacri-
ice. and holds that Christ was sent
ntO this world to teach men the way of
Tod and reconcile them to him. He also
epudiates the doctrine of a fall and Of
Inherited depravity, and insists on the
riginal Brightness of human nature. In
lis early life he appears to have be-
ieved that there would be disciplinary
offering In the next world; but latterly
e. abandoned this idea: His matured
0 DR.. Gone, that sin is punished when
nd where it is committed; and as he
lid not believe that men would sin in
he life to come, he did not think they
would suffer punishment in that state
# existence.' His doctrine, for this
easOn, was known among his opponents
IS the death-and- glory doctrine.
: Revolutionized Denomination. 80
%"Mr. Ballou's book and preaching
'evolutionized the denomination. He
4 Gems to have realized that the spirit of
8 ruth would constantly lead the earnest
4 ecker into new regions; and in the
4 ,ver eighty years ago, he writes: 1T
happy circumstance that in the de-
& domination of Universalists no one feels
~0ound to support or defend the particu
ar opinions of another any further thar
le is himself convinced Of their truth
md Importance. Our platform Of
'aith is general, and allows individuals
IN extensive latitude to think freely
o investigate infinitely, and to adop1
What particular views best comport will
he honest convictions of the mind, an6
searlessly to avow and defend the
7 anne Golden words, and words we dt
| we'll to remember today.
The Third Period. -, 49,
"The third period of Universalisn
nay be represented by the Boston con
nent Of the creed was made. The de
domination still stands with it's founda
ions in the past. It retains the doc
rine Of human destiny for which Nun
'ay so zealously labored, but it dis
, ,laims the Calvinism, with which tina
doctrine was associated in his MING
+ With Ballou it repudiates his ideas o
he Trinity, the deity of Christ, vicar:
|. ous sacrifice, and total depravity. /
accepts with Ballou the unity of Coo
he original rightness Of human nature
. -p,.nd the morally educational work 0
Jesus Christ. But it no longer az
/ ,epts the later teachings Of Ballou, tina
punishment for sin is confined to thi
I life; the vast majority today would sa
I hat penalty may extend and does e.
/. end into the other life, and lasts Will
'in lasts. The statement at Bosto
simply puts it, 'The certainty of jus
? etribution for sim But if moder
retains 50 much Of til
work and thought of the past, we ma
/. we'll ask, HAS it any characteristics {
is own What distinguishes the I'm
versalism Of today from the Universal
\ SIN Of the fathers?' It is already a
I parent that there is a large body
( ruth which we hold in common wit
( hem. Wherein do we differ9
The Oak and the Acorn.
"First-The Universalism of tods
differs from that of yesterday, in son
respects, as the oak differs from Il
acorn. It is the development of &c
;ain germs of truth whose unfoldi1
/ vas long delayed. 49, ~,
"For example, our fathersfi in Il
confession of 1903, departed so far fro
orthodoxy as to declare that the Ho
II4-5criptures Of the Old and New Test
nents contain revelation Of, the cha
ecter Of God, the, duty, interest, al
Il loxy said, The Scriptures are SUI
l ! revelation from beginning to enc
/ We can hardly realize today the leng
| If the departure measured by the wo
! contain. The fathers also affirm
\ mans right to use, his reason in t
Interpretation of the Bible, to whs
ever conclusion he might be led. T
1 orthodoxy of the day insisted that re
IA son must only be used so far as
n brought one back to the predestin
4 conclusions Of the creeds.e All this W
/ before the day of scientific CRITICS
md while our fathers affirmed the d
Il ference in value and Importance of d
ferent parts of the Bible, yet in tn
9--N-nandling Of proof texts they proceed
lpon the orthodox assumption, and
their answers and arguments treat
every passage, from whatever part
he Bible it came, as if it, stood up
III 1nue1 with every o+bor no eco oto - nh