UNIVERSALISTS
663
UNIVERSALISTS
only perfect way, truth, and life for man ; that he is Lord both of the dead and the living, able to save to tlie uttermost, i. e. in all places and under all cireum- stances, all who come to ( Jod by him ; and that he must reign till every creature in heaven and in eartli. and under the earth, confesses him Lord, to the glory of God the Father, and God is all in all.
3. Of the lloli) Sj>i/if.— That while it is not now to be expected that (Jod's Spirit will, as in apostolic days, be manifest in conferring miraculous power on believers, the promise of its assistance is still fultilled in the souls of believers, to whom the Spirit comes as the Comforter, and, as testified to by the apostle, helps their infirmities, inspires their prayers, and pours into their souls the peace of (iod which passeth all understanding.
4. Of Afdn. — That "a man is the image and glory of God;" and that whatever tendencies may be inherited, or by whatever sins man may detile himself, the divine image is never wholly destroyed, but that under the care of the appointed refiner and purifier, the stains, de- filement, and dross can all be removed, and the divine likeness be manifest; that the human will, which con- sents to sin, can also determine on holiness, and use all the means appointed for its attainment.
5. 0/ Sin.— That it is never transferable, but consists in personal disobedience to the divine law, and is the greatest evil in the universe; that no necessity for it is laid on any mortal, yet that it is incidental to the career of a being who can be drawn away of his own lusts and enticed, and who is created with the ability of choosing good and evil.
6. 0/ Rewards and Punishments. — That obedience to the divine law, the attainment of holiness, piety, and the Christian graces, are their own exceeding great re- ward, and are manifest in the soul's consciousness of nearness to God and of approval by him ; that punish- ment is in like manner the natural fruit of sin, aliena- tion, a cloud between us and God, the burden and sor- row of an unreconciliation and enmity. That while the reward is intended to keep us in love with obedience, the pimishment is designed to make us feel that it is an evil and bitter thing to sin against God, and to incline us to repent and turn to our peace, possible only in holi- ness.
7. Of Conversion. — That conversion, regeneration, the new birth, or whatever else the turning from sin to holiness may be called, is the change etfected in the will and heart of man, when, wrought upon by the gra- cious influences of the (Jospel, he turns from his sinful loves and ways, and, drawn by the Spirit of God, seeks to consecrate all his powers to holiness and duty; that while the commencement of such a change must of ne- cessity be instantaneous, it is only by patient continu- ance in well-doing that it is completed.
8. Of Saleation. — That salvation is deliverance from the practice and love of sin, the bringing of the soul out of its bondage of error and evil into the liberty <tf obe- dience to the truth, and love to Gcxl and man; that Christ saves when he turns men away from iniquity, and that his saving work will not be completed till (iod's law is written in and obeyed by every heart.
9. Of Forgiveness. — That the forgiveness which God promises to all who confess and forsake their sins is the covering of past offences from sight, and bringing them ho more to remembrance against the penitent; and that this is the forgiveness which Jesus teaches ns that we ought to exercise towards all who are penitent for any wrong which they have done to us.
10. Of Iinmortolity. — That God has implanted in all men "the power of an endless life;" and that what is called the resurrection is not simply the fitting of man with a spiritual body, but also his rising up into a pro- gressive life. That death effects no moral change, but that in many respects the entrance on the life immor- tal must work a change on man's ignorance and error; that all sensual temptations, peculiar to a life in tlesh and blood, will be absent from the world of spirits ; and
that whatever discipline any may need for past offences, or to overcome the effects of sin on the soul, will be ad- ministered in love, and will be efficacious for their sal- vation.
IN''. Usages and Worship. — The usages of the Univer- salist churches do not differ much from those of other denominations that conduct their parish affairs on In- dependent or Congregational priucijjles. The following are perhaps peculiar :
1. Ordination, Transfer, and Disciplme. — For the or- dination of a minister, the rule is for the parish desiring that ordination may be conferred to make formal appli- cation to the convention Committee on Fellowship, (Jrdi- nation, and Discipline, who, if there is no ground for ob- jection, give permission to the parish to call a council, consisting of ten ordained ministers and lay delegates from ten parishes, who, on assembling, organize by the appointment of a moderator and clerk, and proceed to an examination of the fitness and qualifications of the candidate. If these are found satisfactory, the request for ordination is granted, and the parish are authorized to hold the ordination service at their convenience, which being done, the clerk of the council forwards to the con- vention committee a certified statement of the doings of the council, and of the fact that ordination has been conferred, whereupon the committee furnishes the new minister with a certificate of his ordination. On re- moving from the jurisdiction of one state convention to another jurisdiction, it is a minister's duty to request of the convention committee in the state where he has been residing a letter of transfer, which, if he is in good standing, is granted, and is of the nature of a recom- mendation to the convention into whose bounds he is removing. This transfer it is his duty to present to the committee of that convention, who thereupon grant him its fellowship. Should a minister neglect to seek such transfer, he is subject to discipline by the convention from which he removed, and will in time be disfellow- shipped by having his name dropped from the roll of ministers. A minister disfellowshipped for this or any other cause must, if he desires to be restored to fellow- ship, seek his restoration from the convention which punished his offence; but if denied restoration there, he may appeal to the General Convention.