Our New Departure (Brooks)

by Elbridge Gerry Brooks

For works with similar titles, see Our New Departure.

Our New Departure:

 

or,

 

The Methods and Work

 

of the

 

Universalist Church of America

 

As It Enters on

 

Its Second Century.

 

By

 

Elbridge Gerry Brooks, D. D.,
Pastor of the Church of the Messiah,
Philadephia.

 

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"Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the
same rule, let us mind the same thing."

 

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Boston:
Universalist Publishing House,
No. 37 Cornhill.
1874.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873,
By Elbridge Gerry Brooks,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

 

Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry,
19 Spring Lane.

To
Carrie:
our beautiful memory
on Earth;
our flown 'dove' awaiting us
in Heaven.

Preface.

 

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This book was planned early in 1871, and was to have been published a few months after. I regret that it could not have been so published. But under the peremptory order of my physician, I was compelled as nearly as possible to suspend all mental labor during the fall and winter of 1871–72, and much of the ensuing spring. In August following, my eyes failed, and during the autumn and early winter, when I had hoped to finish the work, no reading or writing was permitted me. Except for these causes, the book would have appeared much closer upon our Centenary Year, and ere the leading title had become so nearly hackneyed. But though the title—selected, I may be excused for saying, a considerable time before I had ever seen it used in such an application—has lost in freshness, it has lost nothing in significance; and though our Centenary is three years behind us, we are still so on the threshold of our Second Century, that the book is no less appropriate as an attempt to indicate something of what our methods and work should be as we enter upon it.

I make no apology for these pages. For nearly forty years, a humble participant in our church-work, I have been not only an observer, but a student of our denominational life—our condition, hinderances, needs, prospects. I have watched events, and tried to trace effects to causes. These pages record my conclusions—conclusions carefully, some of them, unwillingly, reached. I wish the presentation had been better done. But for the conclusions themselves, I plead neither explanation, nor excuse. They are, I believe, in the main, impregnable. As such, it is my profound conviction, they are what Universalists need, beyond everything else, solemnly to ponder. They indicate, I am satisfied, alike the explanations to be considered so far as we have failed to witness the practical religious results we had a right to expect, and the conditions upon which alone any vitalizing and saving influence is possible to us. These being my convictions, I have uttered them as I have; "according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken."

And having so written, I lay this book as an unpretending offering on the altar of our Faith, to suggest what, as it seems to me, the further growth and power of our Church demand. I solicit for it the consideration to which it is entitled by virtue of the importance of the interests it concerns. The offspring of no hasty impulse, or immature thinking, I ask that it be dealt with in no hasty or superficial way. It does but give voice, in such fashion as I could, to what is deepest—and long has been deepest—in many minds and hearts among us. Not for the sake of speaking, but under an imperative sense of duty, I have spoken frankly, sometimes using "great plainness of speech," though in no instance, I trust, speaking otherwise than courteously and kindly. If any occasion is seen to criticise or disapprove the book, let it be criticised or disapproved in the same spirit. My appeal is to the Bible, and reason, and spiritual law—often to simple common sense. In this court, let whatever issue is raised be fairly tried. I am content to abide the verdict.

Whatever criticism the book may receive, I shall enter into no controversy to defend it. For the reasons already mentioned, growing out of the state of my health and my impaired eyesight, the work has been done, amidst my parish cares, at long intervals of time, and in a broken and desultory manner. These circumstances have not been favorable to connected writing—on which account, any repetitions that may possibly be observed must be pardoned. But as to substance, every sentence has been weighed, and what I have written, is written. I think it sufficiently explains and vindicates itself. Let its mistakes and errors be exposed—and forgotten. Its truth will take care of itself.

With these introductory words, I commend the book to the blessing of God, and to the welcoming sympathy of all who love our Church. May I commend it, also, to the candor and reflection of those who, not Universalists, would know something of Universalism in its present form and tendencies, or who, however they may reject some of our conclusions, would find ground for giving us recognition and fellowship as one of the divisions of Christ's army of redemption? The time, probably, is not far distant when I shall no longer personally labor for our Church on earth. Many years of work for it may be—and if such is God's will, I hope are—before me. I have plans for other pages, which I would gladly be spared to accomplish. But on the western side of the hill, I am not without serious admonitions that my ministry, if not my life, may at any moment be ended. And should either event occur before I can send forth other pages, I know of no form in which I would rather speak my last word than in what is herein said. It is at the same time the utterance of my deepest faith, and a testimony of my love for the Church into which I was born and to which my whole life has been given. Nor, considering what may possibly be said by way of objection to this book, can I better close this preface than in words I wrote, in effect, many years ago:—Universalism is the highest concern of the world to me. I know, or wish, no better work than to labor for it while I live; and when I am dead, I desire no higher praise than to have it said of me, Holding it as the Gospel of Christ, he loved and was always faithful to it.

 

Philadelphia,

November 26, 1873.

Contents.

 

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Chapter		Page
I.	The New Departure	9
II.	A Survey of the Field	41
III.	The Goodness of God	59
IV.	Bought With a Price	68
V.	Christ Essential	76
VI.	Sin	85
VII.	Salvation	99
VIII.	Conversion	112
IX.	Experimental Religion	130
X.	Consecration	147
XI.	The Bible	156
XII.	Prayer	175
XIII.	Our Ministry	194
XIV.	The Church	228
XV.	The Sunday-school	251
XVI.	Man and Woman	268
XVII.	Unity	285
XVIII.	Giving	293
XIX.	Doing	306
XX.	Three Words	315

"Come, Holy Spirit, from above,And from the realms of light and love Thine own bright rays impart.Come, Father of the fatherless,Come, Giver of all happiness, Come, Lamp of every heart.

"O Thou, of comforters the best,O Thou, the soul's most welcome guest, O Thou, our sweet repose,Our resting-place from life's long care,Our shadow from the world's fierce glare, Our solace in all woes.

"O Light divine, all light excelling,Fill with Thyself the inmost dwelling Of souls sincere and lowly;Without thy pure divinity,Nothing in all humanity, Nothing is strong or holy.

"Wash out each dark and sordid stain,Water each dry and arid plain, Raise up the bruised reed.Enkindle what is cold and chill,Relax the stiff and stubborn will, Guide those that goodness need.

"Give to the good, who find in TheeThe Spirit's perfect liberty, Thy seven-fold power and love.Give virtue strength its crown to win,Give struggling souls their rest from sin, Give endless peace above."

Veni, Sancte Spiritus,

Dean Stanley's Translation.