tion for the American Unitarian Asso- the work more effective, it was voted to ciation was considered. A feeling was increase slightly the apportionments of expressed that when the association en- the various churches. But conference ters its new building it should have the votes, however hearty or wise, are of means for a larger work. The loss of practical avail only as our ministers and Mr. H. P. Kidder was also spoken of, churches stand by them and help realize and to the question "Who will supply them in deed. Only two months more his place ?" it was answered, "We have before May! Our western work was all got to do it." The result was, that never more important than now. It it was resolved unanimously, there and was never more necessary than now that then, to try to raise not less than five it have the co-operation of the churches. thousand dollars a year as the Arling- Its finances are in arrears and pressing. ton Street contribution, and to invite We can come to the end of the year in all our churches to join in a movement good financial condition if all our for a general doubling of contributions churches that are behind in their payto the A. U. A. ments will come forward at once. But there is no time to be lost. Brethern of the western churches, this work is your work; will you sustain it, and with promptness and vigor? Now, friends who read this, go to work in your respective societies, and try to have this done. Do not leave it to the minister to take the initiative. It is always a hard thing for a minister to urge upon his people such a large increase. And yet there probably is not AS FREE AS YOU PLEASE, BUT STILL one of our churches but can "double up" without any one being really hurt, Some friends cannot quite accept our if the people are willing. Let one or statement, in our January number, of two laymen in each parish speak to one" What Church Liberty Really Means". another, and tell their minister to go ahead and they will back him! THE WESTERN CONFERENCE. CHURCHES. They want something a little freer yet. But what can be freer, in the case of any institution whatever, than simply to emphasize the object for which it exists, and then leave it to every one to judge for himself whether he means that, or even means enough in that direction to really wish to join and work with it? The Treasurer, Secretary and Directors of the Western Conference desire to remind the churches of the west that the present conference year is fast Now, there is no real difficulty about drawing toward its close-only two all this, in the case of our Unitarian months remaining before May 1, when churches. (Unitarian Christian churches all accounts should be closed-and yet we might say-but it is not necessary. many societies have not yet forwarded No one thinks of writing "Methodist their yearly contribution to the confer- Christian churches" or "Christian ence treasury. Will not our western Presbyterianism". Unitarianism is just ministers, and not only our ministers but also the trustees and financial committees of our western churches, be so good as to give immediate attention to this matter, and see if they are among the list of those whose apportionments are yet unpaid? Attendants at the last annual meeting in St. Louis will remember that the feeling there was that we ought all to join hands to push the important work of the Conference with greater vigor than ever; and, to make as much a branch of the great growth of Christianity as Methodism or Presbyterianism). A church means religion and worship; a Christian church means eral line of Christ as the great teacher; a society studying religion on the gena Unitarian church is such a society taking its stand in that fellowship of Unitarianism, which though never deaned, and in some things gradually changing, has been just as distinct for three hundred years past, as any other branch of Christianity. Besides this, 66 "Unitarians" have another peculiarity and yet, as we pointed out, if he by-andwhich differentiates us from all other by, comes to believe that chemistry is churches (at least this is true in Amer- all nonsense, and wants to turn his laica and England-we are not quite boratory into a gymnasium or a newssure how it is in Transylvania), room, his trustees will undoubtedly put namely: that while other churches it to him,-not, "don't you see, sir, that formulate their faith into some the table is full, and that there is the sort of "creed", and put various door," but " Sir, a gymnasium or a gates and barriers around their fellow- news room is a very excellent thing, but ship, ours have steadily refused to do that is not what our chemical departso, and have left our doors entirely ment is for; and so we can no longer open. To repeat what we said before: continue you as a professor." Any one is free to join our churches, Or, let us suppose a case still more even to come in to their innermost fel-apposite. Suppose a newspaper establowship without any examination. Even lished by a group of people, not even as in entering our ministry it is not put to the organ of anything so definite as a a man to define his belief." Only, all church, but simply as the advocate of association for any purpose necessitates the most absolute religious freedom; some belief in that purpose, and so we and suppose that one of the editors added, "But if, in the course of those gradually develops a difference of opinchanges which are constantly occurring ion from the rest of his colleagues as to in such a time as the present, he comes what constitutes freedom, or as to how to have no longer any belief in God- much religion should go with it. To no longer any such belief as admits of repeat our own words: "Can there be real worship, can there be any doubtas any doubt what he should do?" to what he ought to do?" We add the course his fellow-editors wouldn't quite italics in order to make our meaning like to say, begone, and yet in some more unmistakable. But then it is pre-courteous, but unmistakable way, they cisely this meaning which seems to some to be inconsistent with our professions of freedom. They think-as one friend puts it that it amounts to saying to such a minister: "No Unitarian ever quite tells another to be gone; but don't you see, sir, that the table is full, that you are not wanted, and that there's the door." Well, we suppose it does amount to that, with one difference, but a difference which changes the whole aspect of the matter. The question of our Unitarian church and ministry is not one of coming in to a feast, and sitting at a table, and of a hint that the table is full; it is one of coming into an institution for worship and work, and of a hint that if a man does not mean that, well--as one of our workers we certainly do not want him. Of would probably hint to him that he had better withdraw. They would not say that their "table was full;" so far as that side of the matter was concerned they would no doubt gladly continue him as a subscriber, just as a Unitarian church willingly retains agnostics among its general supporters, but as one of the editors, to share in shaping and expounding their course? No! And the lookers-on would say that, on the whole, the exclusion was right, though they might be amused at such a practical demonstration of the necessity of some agreement, even in an association for promoting "freedom" itself. Now, "Unitarianism," as an association of churches, is an association for promoting Religion, and we insist and shall continue to insist, that however wide open we leave our pulpits, it is fo It is this fact of a church standing those who are really with us in this obfor certain practical objects of worship ject. And in saying this, we speak for and work which gives points to the il- the West quite as much as for the East. lustration we used of a professor of Our churches everywhere are longing chemistry. He is engaged to lecture for more earnest, positive, Christian in the most entire scientific freedom, preaching. If any man. means that thing, even though like some devout and said that he desired an interview and tender souls we know, he shrinks next day. The friends with whom I from calling it by that name, we are was stopping told me that he had lived thankful to have him with us. It is in the county many years, had been for such men that we kept our doors county auditor and superintendent of open. But for those who do not mean public schools, and was highly esteemed that, well, we are not going on their by all. account to shut the door, but we shall point with all the emphasis we can that it is the door of a church-not of a discussion hall, not of a lyceum, not even of an ethical culture society with a possibility of some time developing into religion, but of a Christian church. HYMN FOR EASTER DAY. In that blessed light abide So let all our voices ring, And the flowers their beauty bring, Praising thee, our Father! BROOKE HERFORD. A SIGNIFICANT INSTANCE. Next day he told me that more than thirty years ago he read Channing's works and was made a Unitarian by them; that without association with Unitarian people he had all these years kept his Unitarian views; and that now he would like, in whatever way he was able, to be a preacher of Unitarianism. A good deal of interest had been aroused by the meetings of the day before, and I suggested that he begin by preaching there on the following Sunday. He agreed and preached to an audience that included about everybody in the town. He now writes me: "The spirit is on me to preach. My convictions in that direction are too strong to be disobeyed. I trust I am influenced from the right source. I shall begin in my own town, and preach my first sermon here next Sabbath." It is probable that as we go over this broad west we shall find that this man is not the only one of his kind. May there not be many, not ordained ministers, who can be led to take up our word and present it in effective ways to people with whose thought and customs they are familiar? O. C. MR. TREVELYAN, in his Life of Lord Macauley, says: "There are few general remarks that so uniformly hold good, as the observation that men are not willing to attend the religious worship of people who believe less than themselves." Recently I preached at a small town that would be usually thought hardly that "lasts for a night"; in the other God holds in one hand the sorrow worth attention. But in that little hamlet the congregations were better hand he holds the joy that cometh in than sometimes greet our preachers in the morning.-W. M. Bicknell. the great cities. An educated gentleman living at the county-seat ten miles away, hearing of my meeting came over on Sunday evening to attend. After the meeting he sought an introduction, From out the future, Hope, with waving hand, beckons back to us, bidding all human beings come on, come on, come very straight and ever on.-W. M. Bicknell. KNOWING GOD AND BEING KNOWN a passage from the "Music of the Fut OF HIM. A SERMON BY FRANCIS G. PEABODY, PROFESSOR “Ye have known God, or rather, are known of God."— Galatians, iv., 9. ure" has its way for a time with its inVOlved harmonies and its clash of sound, and then melts into a simple strain which every mind can follow and enjoy. The letter to the Galatians was less Paul corrects himself. He writes at elaborate. It had a special and practifirst in one form and then in what cal end. It was written simply to check seems to him a better one; first in the the notion that people had to be Jews. language of his philosophy and then in before they could become Christians.. the language of his faith. Again and It was no place for developing a comagain in his letters we can see this self-plete theology. It was only necessary correction. Take, for instance, the to state the reasons which should decide Epistle to the Romans. It begins with the case. So they are stated in a phrase a complicated mass of reasoning and instead of a series of chapters. Why speculation about sin and grace and the should the Galatians not fall into this. law, which has perplexed the unlettered practical mistake? Because they have student and has been the basis of so known God-says Paul the Theologian many schemes of theology ever since; and because this knowledge of God's but after a time it seems as if Paul said ways has taught them better; or rather, to himself: "This is but one side of because they are known of God-says what I wanted to say. It is only the Paul the practical Christian; and becolorless sketch of my letter. I have cause this life in the consciousness of written of theology; now for what is God sets them free from such distincpractical. Let me put my thought into tions and in need of no such laws. the life of these people, my philosophy Knowing God and being known of him into their religion"; and so the letter-here are the two ways by which husweeps on into that wonderful series of man life has had to choose in its outpractical precepts which make its last reachings toward some relation with part more dear to the humblest mind eternal things: the way of thought and than its first part is to the wisest. the way of life, the way of the awakened beseech you, therefore, brethren "- mind and the way of the consecrated "therefore", as if it were a consequence of heart. Both were real and trodden his metaphysics and theology-"that ways to the Apostle Paul. He believed ye present your bodies a living sacrifice. in theology, in its place, its gains and Be not conformed to this world. Let its service. He would have thought love be without dissimulation. Be not nothing more foolish than the scorn of overcome of evil, but overcome evil with theology which is now SO common good" and so on to the end of the among would-be defenders of religion. letter. And with the change of pur- The knowledge of God was to him the pose and tone, the whole style of writ-rational end of the thought of man. ing changes. The involved, difficult But over against this whole range of sentences disappear, and all is terse, abrupt, direct, as a man always is when he is in earnest. We feel that this is the real Paul. He has restrained himself till now. He has wished to lay his foundation of philosophic speculation for his cultivated Roman audience, and he has been able to do it. But now Paul, the religious man, supplants Paul Knowing God-that is the sublime the philosopher; he speaks to cultured summing up which religion makes of all and uncultured alike in their common human researches and capacities. All attitude of dependent and sinful human other knowledge, it believes, leads up beings, and to the reader it is as when into this knowing of God; and then in its "I knowledge there remained that wondrous sense of "being known", to which from all his speculations he turned as one turns from his work to his prayers. I ask you now to follow along, in turn, each of these two ways which thus open before us and try to see something of their course and end. turn this knowledge of God descends of our daily work; but sometimes, often like a ray of sun-light along the lines of in unexpected moments, there come to all other knowledge and enlightens the every life that has any breadth of love whole. Knowing God it is at once the or depth of feeling moments when the climax of theological learning and the concerns which seemed most practical beginning of practical piety. If there drop away from one's grasp like the is no such thing as knowing God, then toppling of solid walls amid the shudall theology would be but fairy tales, dering of an earthquake, and then the and all worship the morbid soliloquies single cry of the heart is for God, the of unhealthy minds. Even so bold as living God, the permanent amid the this is the self-confidence of religion. transitory, the interpreter of mysteries, It believes that it really knows some- the soul of goodness in things evil. In thing about God. "We speak that wo such times as these-which come, I do know." We do not believe that tho say, now or soon, to every life, there is whole history of devout inquiry is the but one knowledge that can be called history of a guess; we do not believe "practical", and that is the knowledge that the whole series of saintly souls of a power and love controlling events who have sought God in prayer have simply been making a colossal mistake. When a soul like that of Jesus Christ appears in the flesh and testifies of this intimate and real knowledge of God, we believe that he can be trusted. He is not likely to be misled. He is at home in this region; he stands higher than we and can see facts more clearly and broadly. If you 1 could have asked Jesus what was the one thing he knew with an absolute confidence, he would have answered, "God, and all else through this knowledge and by means of it". for good; there is but one support worth having and that is the being able to say, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. In short, there are some things which are of practical use in some contingencies and other things which come into use elsewhere, just as Alpine climbers walk their own way through the meadows but tie themselves together with a rope when they come to the ice; and the most unpractical of all men is he who comes into this higher region and finds that he has brought no liferope there just because he did not need it below. "But this knowledge of God is impossible." Here we come to a much more serious matter. Here is where so many That is the view of religion, and nothing could be more frank or uncompromising or bold. But then, over against it, appears the complete denial of any such knowledge as trustworthy have halted of late. They would or real. What, it is asked, can be believe in God, if the evidence were more impossible or unprofitable than all strong enough, but it really was not this talk of knowing God? It is impos- convincing. They might be sorry, but sible, because our minds do not reach they must be sincere. Over against up into this kind of knowledge; it is the knowledge of God they have set the unprofitable, because there is so much unknown and unknowable, and they real knowledge lying close to our grasp turn away with a certain mild despair and sufficient for our needs. What has to the things which may be safely and religion to say to such objections as surely known. Now I do not suppose these? that religion can gain much from disIt addresses itself first to the "practi-cussions with this state of mind. cal man", the man who cares only for that which touches and serves his daily needs, and who finds religion does not pay him and is not a practical concern, and asks him simply to consider what the practical concerns of life really are. Sometimes, no doubt, they are the bread and money, the business and tools This is not the way in which religious conviction is conveyed. But suppose that instead of debating what can and cannot be known, one turns to that about which there is no doubt, and tries to make the most of it. Suppose one takes his own life and work, with all their own inevi table ambitions, ideals, hopes, affections, |