You may possess only a small light but uncover it, let it shine, use it in order to bring more light and understanding to the hearts and minds of men. Give them, not Hell, but hope and courage. Do not push them deeper into their theological despair, but preach the kindness and everlasting love of God.

–Universalist professor of preaching, Alfred Storeer Cole, 1950

There’s been some confusion as to the origin of this quote. It has been attributed to early American Universalist preacher John Murray. But rather, these words were written by Cole according to what he thought Murray was hearing from the spirit inspiring his work in early America.

Nonetheless, they are words which we can turn to for inspiration (adjusting the gendered language, of course). They are at the roots of universalist theology. They capture the spirit of this faith. Universalism is, in its very basic form, the belief in universal salvation, that no one goes to Hell for eternity. But what resonates in this quote for us now, I think, is that it calls on us to create that Heaven on Earth that we so desire by spreading kindness and love.

I get it, that statement sounds naive because indeed, this is no easy task. But, the early Universalists were up against authoritative Calvinistic beliefs and the British Empire and surely, they did resist and endure.

As a UU community in 2022, we come together seeking healing, truth, and a way into the future. We are UUs because we value the inner voice inside of us despite what others have told us about ourselves, despite what others tell us we should believe. The lesson we can learn from our early Universalist ancestors is how to listen to this voice, how to discern what is meaningful and true to us.

As this year progresses, I will learn more about our Universalist (and our Unitarian) ancestors and I will share my learnings with you. We will also be forming small groups so that we may practice deep listening– to ourselves and to others. I am really looking forward to discovering our still, small voices together, so please consider joining a small group. There will be many opportunities, so keep an eye out for them in the newsletter!