History of the First Universalist Church in Somerville, Mass. Illustrated; a souvenir of the fiftieth anniversary celebrated February 15-21, 1904

[97] of character. It teaches personal righteousness as the end and object of religious endeavor. It aims to free men from the slavery of sin and selfishness, and to bring into bold relief the divine image, which is the priceless endowment of every child of God. In a word, it strives to save men and to bring them to a knowledge of truth as it was in Christ Jesus.

It undertakes, as a third object, to create and foster right social conditions. It labors to bring in the kingdom of justice, sympathy, and love among men as members of a great social commonwealth. It seeks to do what it can to properly adjust the relations between the various and often conflicting interests of modern civilization, to cement and strengthen the ties of fellowship and brotherhood between those who work with their minds and those who work with their hands. It says to all men, ‘Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one to another?’ It champions the cause of the weak and the oppressed, and insists that men are of much more value than money, and that the essence of social and political liberty is only found in absolute freedom of opportunity for each man to make the most of the faculties that God has given him.

To comfort the broken-hearted is a fourth purpose of our church. ‘Into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary.’ With its matchless faith in God's everlasting goodness and love, with its firm assurance that ‘not one life shall be destroyed or cast as rubbish to the void,’ it brings consolation, comfort, and courage to those who are walking through the valley of great shadows and of great sorrow. It would have men see that, as all the universe is ever filled with light, and clouds obscure the sun but for a day, so there shall come a time when there shall be no more sorrow nor pain, for God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, and peace and joy shall reign supreme.