The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-03
sBCTARIAE BIGoTRY.


We have from time to time noticed
in Eastern papers, and occasionally
mentioned the controversy between GER
tain members of the "Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union," of Massachu-
setts, and Mr.. Moody, originating in the
demand of the latter to change its name
by substituting Evangelical" for
"Christian," as the price of his cooper
alton. The object of Mr.. Moody was
declared to be to exclude Unitarians
and Universalists from the society.
This declaration was said to have been
made by him through Miss Frances
Willard, who further asserted that Mr..
Moody had made arrangements to start
another organization unless the man.
date was Obeyed. The secretary stated
that this debate concerning the change
of name and the president, Mrs. Liver
more, whom Mr.. Moody was reported
to have declared "not a Christian"
went on for weeks; and that he had re-
piled, when they had endeavored to
convince him that their president was a
Christian woman, "If so, why don't she
join the church ?'
This personality Mr.. Moody, in a let
ter published in the Springfield Repub-
Licdn, denies, but says:
| I explained that could not connect myself
with any society where there might arise oppo-
sitiOn to what 1 deem the fundamental doc
trines of the experimentation justification
/ by faith, and atonement
What he has gained by this denial we
are unable to see. When be declines to
work in the great temperance reform
with a body that may possibly contain
members who do not interpret the New
Testament exactly as he does, he GER
tainly displays a narrowness of mind
that writes him down a sectarian bigot;
and when, as the price paid for his CO.
operation, he demands the exclusion
and expulsion of earnest Christian tenn
perance workers who differ from him in
doctrinal points, but would fain unite
with him in rescuing from inebriety the
victims of appetite, he assumes the of
flee of dictator, which lily comports
with the character of a true reformer.
This "stand aside, am holier than
thou" spirit has spanned the centurie;
that roll between our day and the time
of Jesus of Nazareth, and is never so ar.
rogant or so presuming as when closely
hugging a book of creeds that contain
not the essence of Christianity. 1t i:
the very same spirit which prompted
the cry, "Crucify Him! Cruelty Himv
"That through the ages that have gone befor,
us,
In long reverberations reach our own"
Born of bigotry and nurtured by in
: tolerance, this spirit gives no quarter Ol
help in any good work to those who's,
"human hands are weak to hold to iror
creeds," being always disposed to ask
"Can any good come out of Nazareth p
The Woman's Journal, commenting
upon the controversy above mentioned
says:
This type of sectarian bigotry is not new no
peculiar TO Mr.. Moody alone. But how mucl
more manly and truthful it would be, if MI
Moody would frankly say what his words nee
essarily imply, mo one who does not believ
as l do can be Christian, and I will not wor
for temperance with any one who does not ac
cept the so-called evangelical scheme Of the
ology."
We congratulate Mrs. Livermore and tn
Woman's Christian Temperance Union upol
having defeated and exposed this sectarial
, conspiracy to narrow its platform and impai
its usefulness. Let them appeal from Nj
Moody to One who has said: "Thou shalt low
the Lord thy God" and "thy neighbor as thy
self; nthese two commandments hang all tn
, law and the prOpheUsD