The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-11
IS 1T A HERESY P

w aShlDgt0n GLADDEN., of Columbus, o.,
n regard to current religious and social
,opics, and especially the Andover
leresy trial, is printed in recent issue
Of the Cincinnati EUening Post. Mr..
GLADDEN. is well known as one of the
most accomplished Congreg ationalist
divines of the country, and man of
broad and humane tendencies, in SYM
patty with all true progress in the re-
ligious and social world. In this inter-
view ne is asked for his opinions in
regard to the coming Andover trial, and
responds as follows:
II am not a judge of what constitutes
heresy. AS TO these five particular
men, there has no proof been brought
that they are teaching or have taught
the doctrine of restorationism, which
they are accused of teaching. The
only indication that these men hold
views obnoxious to their accusers is
that they are all editors of the Andover
Rerie,c, which contains some of the
statements objected to. One of these
IL.
elocution. | do not think there is any
heresy in his elocution. | am sure it is
about the best elocution l ever heard,
and if it is heretical 1 must say l wish
there was more heresy of that kind in
our pulpits. The accusers of these five
professors have been asked to specify
and individualize-tO name the precise
heretical declaration and connect it
with time, place and the individual ut
terer or iDdorser. That will be very
diff rent question to try from the one
they have undertaken to try"
This answer does not strike us as en-
tirely worthy of Mr.. GLADDEN., and looks
very much like an evasion of the point
in controversy. The distinguished Con-
greg ationalist understands, as we'll as
any divine in the country, just what the
heresy in question signifies and while
he may not feel himself qualified to
pronounce on heresy in general, he un-
doubtedly understands the full signifi-
canoe of the particular charges brought
against the Andover professors. The
main question involved is that which
concerns possible probation after
death for those who have not had Christ
preached to them in the present life,
the myriads of heather to whom the
gospel message has not been communi-
Gated, and who pass out of existence
without knowledge Of the historic
Christ. The Andover divines are ex-
plicit in regard to the possibility of a
state of probation beyond the grave for
all who have not enjoyed this privile ge
and they fairly ridicule the idea that
any will be damned before an opportu-
nifty is presented for embracing the
terms of salvation in Christ. Mr.. Glad
den overlooks this particular point, and
the question on which we should like to
have him express his opinion is this: Is
this view of future probation for the
heather who have not heard of Christ,
as advocated by Andover, a here5y in the
view Of orthodox Congregationalists :?
Or making the matter personal to Mr..
GLADDEN. himself, does he regard this
doctrine of future probation for, the
heather as a heresy, or, in his view, is
it permissible under the orthodox Con-
gregational doctrines ?
This is a question in which many
outside of the Congregational body are
interested. According to the old views
of New England, the heather are SUBJ
jects of eternal damnation. Their only
hope of escape is in having the gospel
preached to them in the present life,
and accepting its conditions of saliva
ton. The whole missionary scheme of
the orthodox church is built up on the
conviction that these myriads of hea-
then, which no man can number, are
rapidly passing out of existence and adj
vancing in solid platoons, daily and
hourly, to everlasting damnation. Now
arises a new school of thought on tn
subject; the heather are not damned
without the historic Christ; and the
hypothesis of a future probation is
preached to save them-or rather to
afford them an opportunity of salvation
in the world beyond the grave. Is this
view a heresy, or is it not, from the
standpoint of orthodox Congregational
ism? What is Mr.. Gladden's opinion
on the subject
1t seems, indeed, rather slough"
doctrine that claims that the heather
are to be damned according to the edict
of a gospel whose conditions have not
been made known to them. We are
not concerned now on this particular
branch of the topic. We are only inter-
ested in knowing how Rev. Washing
ton GLADDEN., whose views on many
points of social and religious reform we
have learned to respect, looks at this
question. A plain and frank deliver
ance on the point would interest many
of his friends.