El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-08

" HE organization of a campaign
to extend the membership of the
Unfversalist church will be the
principal subject of discussion at the
23rd annual convention of the National
Young Peoples Christian Union of the
Universalist church which meets in
Portland Ne, this week.
The distinguished theological tenet
which gives this discrimination the
| name 'Universalist" is the belief that
all souls eventually VIII be saved, and
| that ultimately good will triumph
over evil throughout the universe.
| One Universalist minister has said
| that his church believes that what
ought to be will be-
An American Institution.
Although the peculiar doctrine of
universalism has been held by a great
| er or less number of theologians
| throughout the history of the Christ
! ian church. the Universalist church as
| a denomination is an American insti-
tuition. 1t now has about 1000
| churches and nearly 100000 members
in the United States and Canada The
young people of the church, whose
union in convention at Portland this
week corresponds to the Christian
Endeavor and the Epworth League
societies of other denominations, has
paign to increase the church men,
bership, confidently believing. as they
do, that there are vastly more Univer-
salists in belief than may be found
on the fellowship rosters of their
churches
Universalism, according. to its mod
ern adherents, was taught by the
early fathers of the church in the
First and Second centuries, notably
by Clement of Alexandra. Gregory of
Nyssa. and Origen of Alexandria. 1t
also was proclaimed in the schools of
Antioch and other eastern religious
centers in the third century, and was
held by that bishop Theodore, who led
the schism which resulted in the or
ganization of the HISTORIAN church
The doctrine in more modern times
became associated with the name Of
Origen, and It's adherents among Ger
man ard French Protestants after the
Reformation were frequently called
Origenists The first religious orga1i-
cation to take the name -Universalist"
originated in the preaching of James
Reilly in London In 1850 There are
still few Universalist churches in
Europe bearing that name, but the
greater portion of European Universal
lists are now united with the Unitarian
organizations.
Starting of the Church.
The UniversaIist church as an eccle-
siastical institution dates from the ar
rival in Good Luck, n. J., in Septem
ber 1870 of the Rev. John Murray, Of
London. He was a Wesleyan Of the
whitefield following. but had come I'M
der the influence of Reilly and had
accepted universalism while still cling
ing to the Calvanistic doctrines Of
ordination and election.
He predicted his belief in universal
salvation upon a faith in universal
election. He preached his doctrines in
several towns in New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania and Massachu-
sets. Finally he sett.ed N Gloucester. |
Mass, in 17T4. The orthodox Cenrega-
tionalist church at Gloucester in 1774.
The orthodox Congregatfonalist church
at Gloucester in 1873, suspended 10
members who had persisted in attend
ing Murray's meetings. These 10 sus-
pended members organized the "Irde-
pendent Christian church In Glouces- !
ter" which became the parent or
ganization of the Universalist demon !
nation. In 1898 Mr.. Murray went to !
Boston, which ever since has been the /
headquarters Of Universalism. Soon /
thereafter Hosea Ballou arose to prlm- |
inence in the church and for half q |
century was its leader.
The Winchester Profession.
AT first the churches were congre- |
gatfonal in government and recognized 1
no central authority However, annual /
conventions were head and the first /
step for a general organization was !
taken in 1903 at a convention held at !
Winchester, N H. This convention /
adopted a statement Of belief which I
ever since under the title of the Win |
chester Profession has been the ac-
cepted. statement of the essential doc
trines OF the church. The Winchester 1
Profession is:
Article / We believe that the holy
scriptures of the Old and New Tesla
ments contain a revelation of the char
ter of God and of the duty, interest
and final destination of mankind.
Article We believe that there
is one God, whose nature is love, re-
vealed In one Lord Jesus Christ by one
Holy Spirit of Grace, who will finally
restore the whole family Of mankind
to holiness and happiness.
Article 3. We believe that holiness
and true happiness are inseparaibly
connected, and that believers ought to
be careful to maintain order and prac-
tice good works; for these things are
good and profitable unto men,
For many years the annual conven-
tons continued to maintain their vol
untary character, but at the centen-
NAL convention in 1870, a general sys-
TEN of church government modelled up
on the federal constitution of the
United States was adopted The indi-
vidual parishes are constituent parts
of the state organization, and subject
to its authority. There are now Al
state and provincial conventions, each
of which meets annually, and each OF
which elects representatives to the
general convention, which holds bien-
NAL sessions, and which exercises gen.
eral authority over the entire church.
Principles Added.
At the general convention in Boston
in 1900 the Winchester Profession was
by a briefer statement
Of essential principles" belief in
which was made the condition
of fellowship in the church
1t is: IL. The Universal Father
hood Of God: 2. The spiritual
authority and leadership of His Son
Jesus Christ; 8. The trustworthiness of
the Bible as containing revelation
from God; 4. The certainty of just
for sin; 5. The final har-
mony of all souls with God"
For many years there has been some
agitation for the consolidation OF the