The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-11-18

Some obecrvant Outsiders affirm that be-
meath the surface, the orthodox chur' hes OF
this country are huucNconlhcd with hctcro-
doxy. They assert that tlniversllism Sw"-
dcnburgianism Spritui,lisn, and other isms
are preached every Sunday. more or less
covcrtly. from hundreds Of nOminally ortho-
dox pulpits.
These assertions might bc disregardcd az
malignant inventions OF the adversary, were
II not for the fact that every now and then
the hercsy crops out on the surface, and the
other fact that whenever it does 80 there Is
witnessed connection in ecclesiastical cir
clcs that seems out of all proportion to the
immediate exciting cause. The natural pre-
sumption Is that men who voluntarily enter
the ministry Of any denomination do so be-
cause they accept it, definitions Of doctrine
IA true, and with the intention OF preaching
accordingly. But We have seen that this
presumption does not hold good III all cases
The Reformed Church has recently been
called upon To discipline DR.. BLAUvELT; the
next Presbyterian General Assembly Will
have to deal with the obstlnately heretical
MI MILLER. The Rev. DR.. NIsBEr, being
taken 10 task by some Of his Baptist brcth-
rem for teaching that the doctrine Of a lit
eral resurrection Of the body laid away in
the grave IL an unscentitc and exploded de-
fusion, promptly produces evidence that the
Presidents of the leading Baptist college
and theological school In the country are of
the same opinion The interesting question
arises how many BLAUvELT>, MlLLERs, and
NIsBErs are there who, with more prudence
or less honesty. keep their convictions to
themselves, or proclaim them with caution
that .ludcs dcnominatiOnal observation and
! c"nsurc!
4 ca.-e still more noteworthy than either
of those "a which we have referred IL re-
| portcd from the heart of New England. The
Rev JAMES +. MERRIAM is a scion of one of
the leading Iougregat ional families of Mas
sachus-'tts. u graduate Of Yale College, a
former pastor of the old church al Farming
ta4,-i' prraehod" 81, 'haRy' wars and has
been esteemed one of the most promising
young ministers in the denomination Some
time since, the Cungregat lonal church in
| Indian Orchard called him, 10y unanimous
! vote to its passionate. The installing cuun-
| ell was convened. and an Amherst professor
was ON hand To preach the installation SER
mon. Mr.. MERRIAM was called upon, in ac-
/ cOrdanc" with the usual form, for u state
mcnt Of his belief. At some passages in this
statement the strictrr members of the coun-
ell prlcke up their ears. In reply 10 qucs-
tions, Mr. MERRIAM frankly avowcd his
conviction that the doctrine Of the eternal
torture Of sinners was not taught in the
Bible, and was not true. The council there
upon refused to install him. six members
voting yes and eight voting no. II is an
nounced that the Indian Orchard church is
not at all disturbed over the revelation Of
Mr.. MERRIAMs hercsy. or shaken in its pur-
pose to have him for its pastor.
The closeness Of the vote in this case,
taken in connection with the avowal OF one
Of the Springfield pastors in the council
that, il Mr. MERRIAM was IA hereto. he him
self was one also, would seem to indicate
that New England orthodoxy is not SO or
thodox a. ii was.