And not only has that Church formally taken that position, but the
spirit of the larger doctrine has so prevailed in the Church for some
years past, that individual congregations could take the broader basis
without having their soundness in the faith called in question. In a
manual published by the Third Presbyterian Church of Chicago, for
instance, the "Articles of Faith" of that Congregation are set forth
under seven heads. Article III reads thus:--"We believe that Jesus
Christ our Mediator is truly God and truly man, and that by His
sufferings and death on the cross He made Atonement for the sins of the
world; so that the offers of salvation are sincerely made to all men,
and all who repent and believe in Him will be justified and saved." That
exposition of the doctrine entirely accords with my view. It was by mere
accident I saw this manual; it may be presumed that many other
congregations have taken similar ground without challenge.
Not only so, but we have the doctrine of a universal Atonement accepted
and clearly expressed in the statement of doctrine proposed as a basis
of union between the Presbyterian, the Methodist and the Congregational
Churches in Canada, so the orthodox people have cut themselves quite
loose from their ancient moorings. Here is a marvel indeed. Wedded to
the Confession of Faith as the Presbyterian Church has been, at least in
theory, that Confession is now ignored. Surely the truth is advancing.
* * * * *
I am glad to see such an explicit statement of this great doctrine. I
can only imagine that the compilers of the Canadian Hymn Book forgot for
the time their technical theology, and adopted the expression of their
hearts. For, despite all theology, universal Atonement is the faith of
the people. Yes, and it is the faith of the preacher. Since I was a
child I never heard a limited Atonement preached; but I have heard a
universal Atonement preached hundreds of times; and no one raises a cry
at want of orthodoxy.
I am glad, especially, that we have been delivered from the hardening
effects of the narrower view. In earlier times there were theologians
who almost gloated over the damnation of millions of our race. And they
were damned--so these theologians thought--simply because they were not
elected and Christ had not died for them. With the utmost equanimity
orthodox divines contemplated their eternal torment. To such hardness
can men be brought by a false view, and in the name of religion. So the
position of Queen Mary was logical enough from that point of view. When
she was asked if she thought it right to burn heretics, she said: "How
can it be wrong for me to burn them for a few minutes, when God Almighty
is going to burn them for ever?"
Speaking of the hardening influence of such views, it is a great joy to
think that we shall not always be so callous as we are now. Deep down in
our souls there is a susceptibility to tenderness that we do not
generally suspect. Sometimes, from no cause that we can see, there
breaks on our hearts a ripple of peace like a breath of perfume from
some far off land of flowers, or a snatch of melody from some distant
land of song.
I have the idea that one of the functions of sleep is to arouse this
latent tenderness. At all events, we have sometimes a strange tenderness
in sleep, of which we hardly seem capable in our waking hours. I
remember one very vivid occasion of this kind. A man whom I had seen but
twice--a very common man, with no special attraction--I dreamed of, and
in my dream I loved him with the utmost intensity. When I suddenly
awoke, and when I realized that in this life I should likely never see
him again, it was almost agony. Many a time I have had such experiences
in sleep; and I doubt not that so have others. Such experiences do seem
to be forecasts of the tenderness that we shall yet have for every
brother of the human race, when we come to our best. With such feelings,
how could we bear the thought that any so dear to us are in
everlasting torment?
It may be well to quote here a few passages of Scripture in which the
doctrine of universal Atonement is stated with all clearness. It is
stated again and again without any ambiguity that Christ died for all.
It is said that "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours
only, but also for the sins of the whole world." It is said that "He
gave Himself a ransom for all," It is said that He "tasted death for
every man." We read that "the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
These are but a few of many passages in which the great idea is set
forth. Language could not be plainer. Jesus died for the sins of the
whole race.
Now the question arises: Will He not find some way of redeeming every
soul for which He died? Would He die for the world, and then permit any
of the world to perish? Let us remember that He has ways and means of
overcoming opposition without doing any violence to human freedom. We
instanced the conversion of Saul of Tarsus to prove that point. What He
did in that case He can do in others.