New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-10-16
MR. MOODY AND THE UNiTARIANS.
A LETTER FROM THE REy. j. L. SUNDER-
LAND.

A LETTER. fKOM HE hi4f' - l. Do'DH"
LAND.
40 CONTROVERSY WITH Mr.. MOODY-THE PREACH
tyG OF ORTHODOX" DOCTRINES BY THE EVAN
GtLISTS.
To tho Editor Of Ths Tribune.
SIR: In an editorial paragraph of THE TRTB-
USE Of sept 81 you say
The Unitarians II seems, have takon some ofense ~
something that has been said or done III these NotnuSu
meetings and the pastor OF the village chlth ol tha %
nomination preached Sunday last sermon enbody-
ing a series OF vigorous attacks on orthodoxy, &c
wish to say few words in your columns by way OF
correction should not to do so only that hnd TINS
idea of some oiensc and controversy between myself
and Mr. Moody growing out of it, to have been taken up
y large number OF other journals, some OF which have
not hcstaed to draw powerfully upon pure Imagination
for settings and filings out until to-day paragraph OF
a quarter of a column in length comes to me from
leading Western paper representing the thing as having
resulted in regular theological fight, of character
ANYTHING hut creditahe either TO myself or Mr. Moody
am sure am not aware that any preaching has been
done here growing Of any oense lin any true sense
OF that world given taken by anybody am not aware
that nythng has been said or done in these Mortified
meetings to occasion oense to Uutarians except the
oese Gf Ii is proper to call it by that namel when
always comes sincere and earnest persons from hear
ing doctrines taught which they do not believe TO be
true The personal relations between Mr. Moody on the
one side and myself and my people the other have
be en- and are rs pleasant and cordial as could be asked
Nor has there been any public controversy between
us whatever. have never mentioned Mr. Moody IN any
public discourse; and only once, To my best rccoectlon
have directly referred to him or his work since his
meetings here begun / think much can be said OF
MI. Moody. | have attended most OF his meetings,
and | have not heard anything that seemed to me
TO be lat least than Indirectly an auson to me or
any sermon of mine. so much then, Tor tne eoh i
versy," contest" war between us, ana the using
up of by the other in debate and that kind OF thing
which the newspapers have been telling about
The origin of the which preached on the sub
iect OF "Orthodoxy" Sunday, Sept 10, brief but
very correct outline Of which appeared in THE TRIBUNE
OF sept 21 simply this: The meetings of Mr. Moody
had been going on for between two and three weeks.
During that time he had received more or less assistance
from Mr. san,ey Major white and Prof. Bliss of Chi
cago, Mr. stuart of Philadelphia, Mr.. McWiams of
NewYork SIR A. IL Davis and Col Fairbanks OF Vermont,
and others perfect ocean of preaching eXhortatlon,
PRAYER and song had been rolled over the community.
For once least think the people OF Northfield were
able to realize the condition of poor Pharaoh aud his
host in the Red Sea. Nor was this all This ocean
the was directed simply against SIN and wickedness,
else no word mine should have been uttered other
than To help on. Put II turned in every pos
sble against the DISTINGUISHING doctrines OF Unar-
hortation and sermon and hymn and prayer was
shotted 10 tho lnuzzle with orthodox theology
God me fa i of the race in Adam tot dcprayy cleo,
ton, local and literal hell and heaven, personal
devil, the inallible inspiration OF every w0rd OF the
Bible and. above all salvation solely by BELIEF IN ana
the atoeIncnt NlcailOus sacrlllce
Jesus the blood" Mr. Moody prefers usually to
express it, Ii these things had been preached Incl,
dentally something secondary in Importance still
should have held my peace BIT they were preached and
insisted upon constantly "a the rerY essence Of CHRISTIAN
uy-as the things without which there is sdicat'on
Well, that being the way things were going think it
not 10 be regarded Us strange that something having
little the look of the smoke of controversy should have
begun to apnear in the sky. For one do not believe
that those doctrines which have mentioned and which
have been powerfully pushed here tOr the past four
weeks have anything whatever to do with salvation,
only to hinder it, Nor do / believe they have any other
relation to Christianity except that Of harnaces to
ship the ulcers and of hospital patient to the
patient. And of the sadest things of
our time-saddest for the sake of Christianity
itself-tlat they should be proclaimed be-
ing instead Of ulcers. and barnaclcs, the very
marrow and life OF the Gospel Accordingly week
carefully ana fully rs could in single sermon, gave
my reasons Bnt my sermon was no more directed
against Mt Moody than against the other gentlemen who
have been SINGING ana PryHg ana prfncinE ~, tne
and upholder- Of that theology everywhere
l profoundly regret the necessity of saving anything
selves Christians. and trying to do good Especially
did regret to say anything which should conflict IN any
way with the believe sincere and honest effort o Mr.
Moody and his colabOreTS to do good In Northcld. |
with everybody who is trynto make Others better
help the Kingdom Of Heaven to prevail ON
the earth. ! took the stand l did simply
A. to Mr.. Moodys replying To my sermons IA some OF
the papers have had It, he hG done nothing of the kind
He preached upon several subjects, since week
last sunday, which touched upon in my sermon OF tat
day But that is all As have already intlmated our
relations personally cordial, aud have doubt
they viii remain | sincerely rejoice In any good
which he may accomplish. and only sorry that lac
shapes his preaching and work To make that good
meagcr and limited rs It must be- IN community where
people whole, much accustomed To think for
themselves they here i say these things in
wise apologize for the course have pursued in OppOs
ing the theological teachings OF Mr.. Moody think the
apology would have been due If had not opposed them.
write simply TO correct some false impressions that
have gone abroad. j. L. SUNDERLAND.
Norihhed Mass, Sept 30, 1873