Evening journal., 1911-11-25
DELUSORY
UNIVERSALISM
By The REY. R. |. JACKSON

One of the most gratifying signs
of the times in the religious world Is
the way men Of all types Of thought,
liberal as well as conservative are
emphasizing the great spiritual facts
and forces which give human life its
meaning and value. Those who have
experienced in a vital dynamic way
the reality of these facts and forces
are not spending much time upon
outworn creeds and dogmas. Theirk
supreme desire is to focus the atten-
tion of thoughtful, serious-minded
men and women upon certain facts
and principles which underly all
worthful living. They are concern
ed with those great moral and spir-I
itual laws which condition every hui
man life and determine every human
destiny.
The questions they are propounding
are the deepest and most searching
questions men can ask. What is the
meaning of mans life? Wherein does
its value lie? What does it demand
of us? Is there an after life and IL,
so what relation does it bear to thisl
life? 1t is significant that conserva-
tives and liberals alike who have giv-'
en- these questions profound attention.
are giving them similar answers.
Recently the most prominent Until
tartan minister of Brooklyn said from|
his pulpit, I cannot honestly preach,
Universalism. I look upon life as al
tragic drama with real losses and real
failures. II is up to me to make good
in this universe. but while have thatl
chance I can lose it.
The most Orthodox Methodist orl
Presbyterian endorses this sentiment.l I
This liberal minister has uttered Al
most timely word. Many a man thinksI
that because material hell fire is mol
longer preached from the ChristianI
pulpits there is no such thing as bel
ing lost If they think at all they
think that they can slide through the
world devoting all their time to feed-l
ing their bodies and sharpening their
minds, and heaping up material treas
ure and when they pass into the next
world such is the love of God they
will enter upon a life essentially mol
different from that enjoyed by those
who made so much ado about their
souls salvation. They think it is all,
matter of what Almighty God is
! pleased to do. What they are in their
inmost self and being has nothing to
do with their future destiny. With
q loving indulgent God in control OF.
the situation. they need not worry
about their fate in the hereafter They
can go out Of this world a bundle Of
animalisms, a collection of physical
appetites and be given the same
status as those who go out with AZ
well-developed spiritual manhood.
! These men do not realize two
things: First, that in passing from
this world to the next we enter az
realm in which spiritual character is
the supreme test and. secondly. that
this spiritual character is not some
thing that can be handed to us as one
might hand us a cloak to wrap around
US. II IS something which with the
help OF God, and by the saving grace
OF Jesus Christ, we must develop for,
ourselves. The development of such
character is what the Brooklyn min
verse.
, Ihe fool in the parable as he be-
neiu ms Well-stored farms, but saw
hOt MS poor, dead soul, lives i'm many
MODERN man, who sees his stocks
ana MS bonds. but fails to behold his.
shrlVeled spiritual self. To 20 out Of
thls world as many are going out of
u today with souls dead to God and
tne relationships and realities of the
eternal world is TO incur a risk too
great Tor rational minded men to,
| run.
Think it over, and see if this is not
the truth.