in his "way" and in his "work," then his Government over man is a perfect Government. It is perfectly adapted to accomplish the object or end, for which it was established, viz: Το secure the permanent good of every human being over which it extends. If God has made his Government perfect, then it is perfectly adapted to man, in all the varied conditions, circumstances and extigencies, of his being. It has light and truth for the ignorant, which it will assuredly pour into their minds and hearts. It has lars to restrain the sinful-rewards for the virtuous, and punishments for the guilty. But these punishments are not retaliatory, revengeful, or vindictive. They are inflicted in justice, tempered with mercy, and designed for the reformation of the guilty, and an example of warning to others. To suppose that Deity, in establishing a Government to promote the good of all men-to bring all to obedience to the commandments which require them to love God supremely, and their neighbors as themselves, would take any step, enact any law, or inflict any penalty, which would result in fixing vast multitudes in endless disobedience, hatred and misery-is to suppose him affected by greater blindness, ignorance and stupidity, than has ever been exhibited by earthly rulers in all time!! Originating his govern

ment for the endless benefit of the whole intelligent creation, nothing would be done by him to counteract or frustrate that worthy and holy purpose; but all his measures would be aimed directly and solely at its completion. His Government being perfect-its means and resources being amply sufficient to accomplish the object of its establishment-the infinite Law-giver being infinitely able and willing to secure the greatest good of the greatest number,

which is THE WHOLE---we are brought to a conclusion, as gratifying as it is glorious, that the final and grand result of the operations of that Government will be the establishment of Universal Obedience, Universal Love, and Universal Happiness!!

THE PROBLEM OF PHYSICAL PAIN.

Is physical pain consistent with the perfect goodness of God? Why should suffering be the common lot of all who live long in the earth? Do not the existence of accident, disease and pestilence lead many to doubt or even deny the being of God? Such questions as these have troubled many minds, and surely they demand the attention of Universalists, who claim to have a reasonable and satisfying faith.

The sceptics arguments seem weighty, to some perhaps convincing. The widespread prevalence of pain

seems to show that God has no concern in man's happiness, or as some claim, that he actually finds delight in human misery.

It is a fact that man's capacity for physical suffering is practically unlimited, while his possibilities of bodily pleasure are much less in amount, and are limited both in duration and intensity, Many parts of the human body afford scarcely any pleasure, but every square inch may become the seat of excruciating torture. What pleasure do the teeth produce? They afford no sense of taste, but from childhood to old age, one may suffer the vexatious agonies of toothache. When warm and in good condition the feet are ignored, but what torture can be more poignant than that produced by a sensitive corn? Lacerate any nerve, sprain any muscle, or discolate a bone in any part of the body, and what severe pain will result. If God were good, would not the ratio of pain and

pleasure be reversed? Would He not have made every part of the body capable of a happiness greatly in excess of any possible pain? Might He not have made man with unlimited capacity for happiness, but incapable of suffering?

Again, physical pleasure leads to pain, but there is in pain no tendency to change to pleasure. It is a law that every physical enjoyment long indulged leads to satiety, then to disgust and acute pain. Some people are fond of quails, yet it is said to be impossible to eat one quail at a meal for fifty consecutive repasts. The first ten or twenty may be eaten with relish, but at last they become so loathsome that the stomach refuses to receive them. Even the most delightful amusements, like riding, rowing or dancing, too long indulged in, become wearisome and painful. If God were good, would He not cause pain to melt into joy, instead of becoming more intolerable, and put no limit to the duration of pleas

ure?

Moreover, severe pain absolutely excludes pleasure. What is the finest landscape to a man suffering from lumbago? Has music any charms for one who is tortured with headache? Acute pain is imperative, while it endures it excludes every other sensation. This seems to prove that man is made for misery rather than happiness, that God does not intend any one to go through life without suffering.

Notice too, that in several respects, civilization increases the capacity for pain. Civilized man has less strength and endurance than the savage, and because of his far greater sensitiveness, is less able to bear suffering. Physicians know a long list of ills, like neuralgia and nervous prostration, which are called "the diseases of civilization." If increased wealth

and luxury shall still further augment man's liability to suffering, will not the bald and toothless race predicted to live in the twenty-fifth century, find life an unbearable curse, from which they will gain release by suicide?

Admitting the four important facts already stated, the Christian replies that while man's capacity for pain is unlimited, the actual amount of pleasure greatly exceeds that of pain. It is only when carried to harmful excess that pleasure becomes painful, and then the suffering is a beneficent warning. It is well that severe pain is imperative, for it thus arrests the attention, and secures relief. Civilization adds to the capacity for pleasure as well as pain, and thus gives that larger scope and fullness of life, which all men crave. In a state of ignorance and imperfection pain is beneficial and necessary.

It is a signal of danger. Like the red light upon the railway track, it warns against impending peril. In perfect health there is no pain. Were it not for pain's timely warning, man's vital functions would be impaired beyond remedy, before he was aware of the presence of danger. Unrelieved suffering grows more intense, because the need of relief becomes more imperative. They who heed the gentle warnings of pain are saved from its fiercer assaults, and our severer agonies are due to the fact that we turn a deaf ear to lesser premonitions.

Pain is abnormal. The physical system was made for pleasure, and every function in its healthy exercise yields delight. Mrs. Sally Stockwell who died in Brattleboro, Vt., at the advanced age of 104 years and 5 months, through her long life was almost a stranger to suffering, and died as gently as one would go to sleep. Hers was about the ideal physical life. It shows what human existence

and if they rightly lived.

In the educational value of suffering can be traced the law of compensation. By it the capacity and limitations of the body are learned, as well as that care and economy of force, so essential to well being. Patience, resignation, and dependence upon God are also gained in the fiery furnace of pain. By it the intellect is often wonderfully stimulated. The German preacher and poet Freelinghausen, wrote exquisite hymns while suffering from attacks of toothache, to which he was subject. His friends came to rejoice in these seasons of pain, for in them he was inspired to write the most helpful and exalted thoughts. Mr. Gregg rightly claims. that pain often stimulates the imagination and reason, and produces that cerebral excitement necessary to the highest literary work.

By the advancement of knowledge pain is mitigated to a remarkable degree. Medical science has

made wonderful progress in a hundred years, in discovering the causes and cures of disease. In surgery there has been a great advance in appliances and methods while the discov ery of anaesthetics has been an inestimable boon to the human race. As the laws of nature become better known, pain, which is the price of ignorance and disobedience, will diminish, and in the good time coming perhaps well nigh disappear. Meanwhile it is the necessary educator of the race, and it reveals to the thoughtful student, a new evidence of the wisdom and love of God. E. W. W.

ETERNAL LIFE-ETERNAL DEATH,

The first term is Scriptural, the second is not. The Bible nowhere speaks of eternal death. The creeds of men do; preachers in the pulpit

beware of "the death that never dies." But the Scriptures are silent upon that theme.

Men call eternal death the penalty of God's moral law, but we find no such phrase, or idea, coupled with the law of God in the Scriptures. Let us, therefore, reject both the doctrine and the term. But on the strength of this unwarranted and unbiblical word an argument is often built to sustain the doctrine of endless misery. The argument is usually put in this form:-" You ought not to object to the doctrine of eternal death. If eternal life is the re

ard of well-doing, it is perfectly just that the penalty of sin should be eternal death. Perhaps so, we an

swer.

The logic is well enough. We deny the premise, however. The argument rests wholly on the if: “ If eternal life is a reward!" But it is not. No orthodox theologian in the world will undertake to prove in open debate that any act of obedience to God's law merits an eternal heaven. No man among them seriously believes that we deserve an eternity of blessedness for our good works on earth. And since nobody will affirm this, what becomes of the if in the argument now before us? It must be cancelled, and dropped entirely out of sight.

If any doubt rests upon the mind, let us call to our recollection the strong and luminous declaration of Paul touching this point "Eternal life," says the great Apostle to the Gentiles, "is the gift of God, NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast!" In view of this testimony, what ma who believes the Bible can ever again reason in the old see-saw way, "If eternal life is the reward!" Eternal life is not a reward. GOD's FREE GIFT.

man

IT IS

REV. H. R. NYE.

THE

MEN OF THE HOUR.

DUMB CREATURES' FRIEND HENRY BERGH, LATELY DECEASED.

The death of Henry Bergh, the man known throughout the world as President of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was not unexpected, as he had been seriously ailing for a long time. He lost his wife last June, and the bereavement evidently hastened the decline of his physical powers. The life of the deceased gentleman was one of extrarordinary usefulness. He devoted himself to the business of protecting helpless animals, with such success that the New York horse of to-day, for example, is a much better used animal than his predecessor of the time when there was no Mr. Bergh to care for his welfare.

Henry Bergh was born in New York City, in the year 1823. His father was a wealthy man, the leading

American ship-builder of his time. He received a superior education, but did not complete the course at Columbia College. Mr. Bergh married while young a Miss Taylor, daughter of English parents. In 1862 he was appointed Secretary of Legation at St. Petersburg, and began there the practice of active interference on behalf of the right of animals to kind treatment. Of course, his services to abused animals in the Russian capital were entirely unofficial, but they were effective, thanks to the distinguished character of his equipage and the fine livery of his coachman. Mr. Bergh resigned his position on account of ill health. On his way home he became acquainted with the Earl of Harrowby, President of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, London. The society of which Mr. Bergh was the founder, is modelled largely after the English one presided over by this nobleman until his death. He returned to New York in 1864, and spent a year in maturing his plans for the establishment of means to check and prevent cruelty to animals. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was instituted in 1865. In 1866 it was given by statute the powers of prosecution and arrest, which it still possesses. Mr. Bergh was its President from its inception to the time of his death. He received no salary for his work, freely giving his time and energies to it. A statute

of 1866 constituted Mr Bergh an assistant district attorney in New York City, and assistant of the attorney general of the State, in the enforcement of the laws against cruelty to animals. The deceased gentleman was a member of the Bar, and effective in the court room, as well as in interferences in behalf of animals in the public streets and else