Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-12-17

statements required.
Very sincerely yours,
VI. u. PARNELEP
We always print with pleasure anything
that comes to us from our iar-away CORE,
pendent, for whom we entertain the high
est respect aud esteem. His present letter
forms no exception though in it he seems
10 try, convict and condemn in a bunch.
tie FREE PRESS, the Andover professors.
ana large wing of the CONGREGATIONAL
body
For ourselves we may, perhaps, plead
III mitigation of sentence that orr friend.
in the zeal of his charge, has not quite
correctly stated all the premises. Thus
the FREE PRESS did not advance. a. its
own, the views attributed to It a1ove.
What 1t said was that good many Con
Hregationallsts held those views and
would state their belief in some such
words AS those quoted. This distinction
Is o. consequence, because this is a ruliti-
cal and not theological paper, and it
does not intend as arule to rush into theo-
logical discussions, or to obtrude It's own
opinions on theological questions.
The FREE PRESS, consequently cannot
assume to speak for those for whose bene-
tit certain passages of scripture are above
quoted They might say perhaps. that
the Epistle to the Romans is not unknown
to them, and that these particular verses
have not been wholly overlooked by them
in their studies. They might say that
they never thought of denying that the
heather described by Paul are under lust
condemnation, as are all sinners and
that the problem for Them had been. how
to reconcile their conception of the Di-
vine goodness and mercy, with the theory
that to "A portion of the race is afforded
an opportunity TO escape the common con-
domination through acceptance Of a di-
vine redeemer, while to Il larger portion
of the race no such opportunity is or is to
be offered.
Mr.. Parmelee says that no such doc
trine as is implied in the sentences quoted
is taught in the church in which the edi-
tor OF this paper was born. That is very
true and there has been no impugning
of the faith OF the Congregational body in
our columns. 1t is not the Conglega-
tional churches that have been enforcing
new and stringent tests but a commit
tee of a corporation. 1t is the prudential
committee OF the American Board that
has required candidates for appointment
rs missionaries to say that they were as
certain that there was no possibility Of
salvation for the heather that have never
heard of Christ as they We're of the exist
ence OF a Cod before they could be EN-
ployed us missionaries and that is now
refusing to allow Il devoted ana success
full missionary, trained and tried, for
whose return hi, former field ana his as
sociates in it, are crying who is ANXIOUS
to 20 back and preach Christ and not a
future probation to the heathen-are re-
tuslug to permit such man to return.
because he cannot subscribe TO the parti-
cular uou-essential dogma, which DR.. Al
den aud the Prudential committee nave
exalted to an equality with the essential
doctrines, if not 10 Precedence above
them. These are the things that have
made the issue before the American
Board.
The Audover Professors will soon be on
trial for their alleged heresies, and being
abundantiy able to speak Tor Themselves,
they will show whether or no they are
open to the charge of teaching extra
scriptural theories.
Nh ParmClee thinks that If the posi-
bihty or even probability OF IA future pro-
baton We're all that was under discussion,
the controversy might stop at once since
the Cougregatioualist declared it TO be
the most orthodox belief that the heather
who live up to their light are saved
through the Redeemer OF whom they
never heard-a doctrine denied by the AS
semblys catechism, ana SO "uustHble,"
movable and that the rest who
never heard Of Christ, can Toe safely left
to the goodness of mtrctuI God and
since Prof. Smyth of AndoVer has said
: do not admit that hold, maintain and
iucucate that there Will be probation af-
ter death for all men who do not deCl>iVely
reject Christ during the earthly life good
many have thought that the controversy
might as well stop. There is plainly not
much chance for "A schsm in the Congre
gational body on that point. For our
selves, we are quite willing to leave the
theological point to our friend. That is
not the issue that was and stlll is, before
the American Board and the Cuugrega-
tIonal denomination. The ISSUE is wheth-
er oruo the committee of the Board Is to
be sustained in enforcing for its mission
aries new tests. not enforced 10y the Con
churches in the installation
of ministers or the admission OF members.
ON that issue, "A practical, not a theoo-
gical question, we stand with Mark Hop
L ms and Y & Clark and AlnhpuS n qr1V