EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. OFFICE OF MANFORD'S MAGA ZINE. Chicago, Ill., No. 774 W. Van Buren St., to which all letters should be addressed, for the present. REV. T. H. TABOR, Editor and Publisher. THE MAGAZINE. TERMS OF THE MAGAZINE are the same as usual, $1.50 per annum. NO DISCONTINUANCES until all arrearages are settled. MOST HEARTY THANKS. Those of our friends who have promptly remitted to us in answer to bills sent, will accept our ardent thanks. We speak sincerely and feelingly. Just think of your friend, sensitively alive in the wish to do right, and to meet all his obligations, writhing under an accumulation of such obligations, and the resources for discharging them scattered in littles over a vast extent of country,-can you not imagine how dear every name seems to him which he finds attached to a letter bearing a bank note in payment of his due to the MAGAZINE? All who have not thus responded, if they will consider what a pleasant thrill the sight of their remittances will give us, will attend to it, without fail, to-morrow. THE JOY OF CHRIST. The love of Christ was wonderful; surpassing the love of woman. And his joy will be more wonderful, for it will spring from love's desired work. Oh! how deeply it was desired-perfected and completed. And what can equal the joy of Christ over a world redeemed and saved? He tells us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. What then must be his joy when he sees the last lost one return to the Father? It will be glad tidings of great joy to all people; it will fill all heaven with songs of gladness forever. But it will be boundless, exhaustless, an ever new fountain of joy in the heart of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master. It will be a rich and glorious reward for the agony of Gethsemane and the pains of Calvary. And as we press around him, and lave our purified lips in his exhaustless fountain of joy; as we learn the exhaustless songs of praise sung to him by angels and arch-angels, by cherubims and seraphims, what joy will thrill our souls, as we recall the blessed truth, that we knew and confessed him here on earth? That here we accepted of his invitation, and remembered him in his appointed ways; that here we endeavored to be faithful to his truth in season and out of season; not for the purpose of gaining some worldly profit or advantage, but simply to gain Jesus Christ our Lord. That here we watched with prayer, and labored without hesitation or weariness, because we loved him so. Ah, to have such an experience then will be worth ten thousand worlds. ABATED ZEAL. In the early period of our denominational history, our best thinkers were eager to write and print. Zeal was fresh and therefore warm. Opposition was strong, and brethren suffered for the faith. As thought cost them personal sacrifices, they prized it the more; and for this natural reason, the disposition to defend the faith was the more intense. Hence, the Ballous and the Streeters "wrote for the papers." Then our periodicals almost edited themselves. Our thinkers quired no "drumming up," no teazing. The editor had to select from the best. re But circumstances have changed; and while our strong men think as profoundly as ever, and know how to write better than ever before, they feel no spur to "write for the papers!" A revival of this abated zeal is needed, and would be attended with blessed results. The idea that the Universalist pulpit, does away with the necessity, is a sad mistake. There are many thousands hungering for the bread of life, who have no pulpit nor minister, but the printed page. And the best thoughts, and the deepest feelings, of our ablest men, are greatly needed for them. And men who neglect to write, do not let their light shine as they should. Our brothers and sisters scattered abroad deserve their attention and are in need of it. CHRIST'S WORK. Christ works in men, as well as for men. His work is distinctive and conspicuous. He creates a society with a genius, not for art or literature, but for goodness. This is His unique work. He forms a new moral creation. The first century begins a new era, an era of men pre-eminent for their gentleness and strength, devotion to truth and right. Christ does not only aid in the ordinary moralties, but makes a race of men of penetrating and conspicuous goodness. These men have a radiance that is prophetic of more brilliance. As the star of morning leads on the day, so the era of midday splendour in goodness is heralded by the Christians of the past and pres ent. The day has yet to come, and it will come, though Christ's conquering dies. For there will be a final soVereignty of goodness. He who is made radiant as the star of the morning is clothed with the might of right, not the right of might, and He rules by the genial lustre of His goodness, and not by the iron strength of His robust will. EDITORIAL JOTTINGS. We have several articles in this issue of the MAGAZINE, that deserve special attention. And first among them, we mention the article by Rev. J. C. Adams, D. D., "It is Never too Late to Mend." Then, Our National Park, by Mr. Henry S. McLean, of this city, and several others. Do not fail to read this number with care The worst skepticism-the skep ticism the most to be feared, is home. bred. Its father is dry stupid preaching, Its mother is bigotry and exclusiveness. -Tidal-Waves in religion, cannot be depended on--for a reaction is quite sure to follow; and the church that is thronged to-day, in consequence of excitement, may be empty to-morrow in spite of all that can be done. --A terse writer has well said: Onehalf the professed Christians amount to nothing. They go to church. They pay pew rents. They have a kind regard for all religious institutions. But as to any firm grip of the truth, any enthusiastic service for Christ, any cheerful self-denial, any over-mastering prayer, any capacity to strike hard blows for God, they are a failure. One of two things these halfand-half professors ought to do, either withdraw their name from the churchroll, or else go so near the fire as to get warm. -Plato says: "Atheism is a disease of the soul before it becomes an error of the understanding." -There are natures that can insulate themselves, and live upon the small island of their own affairs; and there are hearts that have an abundance of room for the distant, the poor, and the sorrowing. -It is said, that when the sainted Dr. Guthrie lay on his death bed, he asked that a little child might come to him and sing. The old man's heart yearned after his child companions. And a child's clear voice, was the bell upon the horses which bore his chariot to heaven. -It is said to be a fact, that while fewer women drink intoxicating drinks than men, yet a larger portion of those who drink become habitual drunkards. And that the common result, is the loss of virtue. -Many parents sin against their children, by allowing their minds to be filled with false views of God, before they are old enough to ask, whether such views, are worthy to be applied to their Heavenly Father. If the instruction related to the character and conduct of the children's earthly father, it would be resented at once. -The bitterness of bigotry, frequently crops out where least expected. The statement is published that recently a temperance address was delivered in Omaha, in connection with the Women's Christian Temperance Union, by Rev. Mrs. Andrews (formerly Rev. Miss Mary Garard, a Universalist minister). An evangelical clergymen is reported to have said, "Mrs. Andrew's address is as far from us as heaven is from hell. I would about as soon think of inviting the devil into the church as to think of embracing the Unitarians or Universalists in this work." -It is said to have been discovered, that this MAGAZINE, under its present management, is strictly denominational. We had more than half suspected that such was the case. -Two of the founders of Spiritualism, Mrs. Katy Fox Jencken and Mrs. Margaretta Fox Kane (these were the first mediums) are said to have come out against it, and declare "that it is all hum. bug from beginning to end." -The best way to induce young men to select the Christian ministry as a profession in life, is to keep the ministry pure and devoted, and give it an honest support for real labor faithfully done, GENERAL CONVENTION. The General Convention of the Universalist church, will meet in Chicago, October 24th; and one of the most important questions that will come before it, will be, the proposed substitute for the Winchester Profession of Faith. And it should be kept in mind in this connection, that no State Convention, or body of churches in our denomination, has ever asked for a substitute or change. The request came originally, from Dr. Sweetzer of Philadelphia, and has been pressed with great earnestness by him. But his main objection has been to the single word restore. At the last session of our General Convention a committee to whom the subject had been previously referred, re ported a substitute for the Winchester Profession of Faith. It is as follows: 1. I believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain a revelation from God to mankind. 2. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; in JESUS CHRIST, His Son, who is the Revealer of GOD and the Saviour of the world from sin; and in Holy Spirit, the Comforter, through which all disciples of CHRIST are united in one spiritual body. 3. I believe inthe necessity of personal holiness; in the forgiveness of sins; in the certainty of retribution; in the immortality of the human soul; and in the final holiness and happiness of all mankind. 4. I believe that the opportunities, obligations and rewards of religion are in their nature eternal, and that I ought to strive earnestly for salvation, by repenting of my sins, and diligently using the means of grace which GOD has provided. This proposed substitute, is to be considered, at the coming convention in this city, It is possible that its fate was foreshadowed, at the recent session of the Illinois State Convention, when all who were in favor of the substitute, were requested to rise; and not a single person arose. We are satisfied that a large majority of our church are opposed to any change and that those who would like to have some change made, will find it nearly impossible to agree, what that change shall be. HOW IS IT ATTAINED? The question of how a religious life is to be attained, is often one of deep concern. People desire to become truly religious, but do not know how a religious life can be obtained. They need to know that a religious life is an education, just as much as a common school education; just as much as a mathematical education; just as much as education in a language, or education in a trade. The popular apprehension that there is something blown into a man by God's spirit, which, in spiritual matters, takes the place of the ordinary education that we are subject to in everything else, is in part a mistake. It is true, that when men's minds are brought up by intense feeling to a certain hight, they have views of truth, and purposes, such as they would not otherwise have. It is true that, when the mind is raised to its highest state of activity, to its intensest state of feeling, it makes progress much more rapidly than it or dinarily does. And the common idea is that this exaltation of mind is a miraculous work of God, and that then he "gives the blessing," as some people say; or "converts the soul," as other people say; or, sets up his kingdom in the heart," as still other people say. And they think-though they have a vague notion about details-that, if the work is once done, it is a complete, rounded work made so by the direct impact of the divine power in the beginning. 66 Now, my own impression about it is, that while many persons-some by reason of circumstances, some by reason of their peculiar mental structure, and some by reason of the powerful influences that act upon them-begin to live a Christian life more intensely and more deeply than others; yet, in every single case in which a person lives a Christian life, he begins to live it just as one begins to live another life; just as a boy that is bound out to a blacksmith begins to live a blacksmith's life; just as a boy that is brought up on & farm, begins to live a farmer's life; just as a boy that means to follow the sea, begins to live a sailor's life; just as a boy that is going to acquire his education in a common school, begins his educating life. The first step towards a religious life is deep earnest thought, in relation to its importance and desirableness, producing feeling, and leading to the resolve to be religious-and to begin the work now. Then he is converted. "Well," it is asked, "what do you mean by his being converted?" I mean that he has made up his mind. He has a purpose, and that purpose respects his life. And you all see that the process is a perfctly natural one. A CHANGE HAS COME. Mr. Munger says that the Gospel of forty years ago “was never preached without vehement protest from the clearest minds; that old Gospel broke almost more hearts than it healed; the piety it induced was sad, somber, full of doubts and questions; that it "drove strong men to despair, and turned the lives of gentle women into a ceaseless, brooding sorrow." This is a plain statement of the effect of preaching the doctrine of endless suffering, as it was preached forty years ago. Its results were often horrible to contemplate. Fathers and mothers became insane, sometimes in church, and were taken to the insane asylum to die; or they went home to kill their families and themselves. But a change has taken place in the language used. Though the destiny contemplated is the same. The torment in store is just as severe, and just as protracted, and just as useless. But there is less denunciation and less singing of such hymns as "Parents and children there will part, What has produced this great change, and made it necessary? The preaching of a more humane faith, has been one of the principal instrumentalities. If the change is really beneficial, why not have the candor to acknowledge the obligation of the religious world, to the men, and the faith, that have helped to produce the change? When this is done, the Universalist ministry, and faith, will, we are sure, receive a large amount of praise, UTTER TORMENT. Rev. John G. Wilson writes as follows to a young lady (Miss L. K.) who undertook to defend the doctrine of ceaseless torment. And still he does not claim to be a Universalist. He says, "Utter torment! What a theme! If your soul does not recoil from that, if that does not exhaust your tears and make you sigh for greater power to weep, nothing else should disturb your placidity or awaken your emotions. Utter torment not only means endless misery, but implies endless sinning, endless pollution, endless hostility against God, endless hatred of God, endless blasphemy of God; it implies that wicked men are able to hold out against God by enduring all the torment he can inflict, and that he is unable to subdue them to his government, and reconcile them to his will; or if he can he will not, and that is still worse; for it makes him a very Moloch, who delights in the misery and torture of his creatures. A father who should not only punish his son for disobedience, but utterly exclude him from all possibility of reconciliation and put him to continual torture, would forfeit the name of parent, and prove that his nature was malignant to the core. Can you think this of God? When God begins to punish, he will also make an end, and push his advantage over the rebellious sinner until he has subdued him to his government and reconciled him to his will. If not, the punishment would be wholly vindictive and cruel, because no good end would be obtained by it. Shall we, then, attribute such government to God, whose nature is love?" TRUSTWORTHINESS. We have a class of would-be reformers in our country, who propose to drive in temperance out of existence, by simply electing temperance men to office. Sobriety and trustworthiness are very desirable, but their roots reach a great |