The Portland daily press., 1886-10-08
A Member Declares the Board Not a
Theological Court" but
Corporation"

lOTWdTu 70 EXpIdIH nIIISEII. dEIt5IITB
in general with the committee in approving
the spirit and principle with which DR.. Al
den had acted he would dissent II the reS0-
luton of endorsement was intended TO give
the idea that the prudential committee or the
Board was theological court, OF had any
authority to pass upon minor matters of doc
trine. He saw no reason why now, contrary
to the accepted and traditional policy of the
Board, an attempt should be made to give
the authority over the theological question to
fitness of candidates for mission work he
wanted to say that only the properly consti-
tuted counsel can pass upon theological
questions. Nong continued applause.(
DR.. Hopkins asked if any others wished to
speak on the resolutions, and Prof. Egbert
G. Smyth of Andover came forward, his ap-
pearance being Iloudly applauded. He said
he approved the effort of the committee to
frame report in which all could unite. He
hoped to see a spirit of harmony, peace and
Christian love. The true position to take IS IS
that taken by the business committee In
1871, namely, that neither the board nor pru-
Dental committee is a theological court
manual of the church in prescribing ques-
tions for candidates to preach to answer,
and does not impose tests upon mere dogmas
or secondary matters. 1t does not require
candidates to pry around among mere mat
ters of speculation concerning the future
life, which at best are only matters OF
prophecy. The manual guards very care
fully against compelling missionaries to sub,
scribe to anything but the generally accepted
truths of Christianity. Several persons to
my knowledge would have applied to be sent
out as missionaries had it not been that they
were required to subscribe to outside mat
ters of secondary Importance, introduced for
the committee The case of a talented
young Christian lady can be cited. She was
needed as missionary to Japan, and want
ed to go, but expressed doubts as to whether
there was not chance of probation for the
heather after death, mere matter
to teach in Japan but held individually but
she was rejected. Other similar cases can
be cited, the speaker said, Il say in all kind
ness that is putting into the gospel of Jesus
Christ. what Christ has not put there, and
what the creeds of Christendom do not put
there, your own council in formulating the
creed Of doctrine has not put these specula-
tions in. 1t is said we must settle this ques-
tion at the west for the east is honeycombed
with nfdelity deny it; The C churches tbe ee;tb Of
of Jesus Christ Not one of these persons
who have been rejected as missionaries but
are in full fellowship with the church. Some
fear if the board should allow these men to
hold their minor dogmaS the result would be
a falling off in the receipts of money matters.
No matter. In the words OF one OF the larg-
estcontributors, 'the American board is not
for sale. We need men in our missions !;
why will you reject them when they believe
in Christ and want to preach Hin?'
Dr. Bartlett then asked that DR.. Alden
should be requested to explain his position.
DR.. Alden accordingly took the floor and
was greeted with loud cheers from the con,
servative element in the audience. He read
statement giving his position and the
reasons for it. He held that enquiry as
to the doctrinal views of the candidates was
one of the duties imposed upon the home
secretary. He held as his own views that
the only time of probation was during lie
He claimed that until recently all of the
officers of the board of instructors in the
theological schools would have held it as a
proper Interpretation of the Scriptures. 1t
was the doctrine of. Andoyer from 1908 to
1881, at the retirement OF President Parks.
No one years ago would have thought of ap-
plying for appointment to mission work
who did not entertain this doctrine. The
new position has arisen within four years
and had unsettled many mems, minds. But
it is a new and different idea that all OF the
millions of heathens who have not heard oil
Christ can he saved by the atonement OF
Christ 1t has been beautifully presented
by Prof. Smyth, but the speaker did not be-
lieve that sit would be very convenient
theory to entertain and might relieve the
work of the Board very much, but It IS new
and / dol't think we can afford to follow II
to its nclusi0nS."
a number of letters had been re-
ceived from prominent men in the church
protesting against admitting the doctrine o.
probation after death. One from Dr. X. S
Storrs was read, in which he hoped no ac-
tion would be taken sustaining the recent
speculation about future probation which ne
thought would greatly diminish the spirit OF
rs years ago.
in view of the conflict of opinion that q
council of nine be appointed by the board
(the latter acting with them) and take under
advisement the whole case and report at the
next annual meeting or at called meeting
sooner if desired
Several points of order were raised and
Hazards resolution of reference was voted
down. The question was then put on DIR.
Bartlett's resolution. First. the resolution
of general nature on which there was nc
| controversy was adopted unanimously. The
second resolution approving the action OF
DR.. Alden and the prudential committee was
| then called up.
DR.. Noble of Chicago, introduced an
| amendment to the effect that this board was
| squarely opposed to what is known as the
| doctrine of probation
| DR.. Vose raised the point of order that the
amendment was substitute for the resolu'
| tion and should go back to the original COM
mittee or the business committee.
DR.. Withrow of Boston wanted to add to
| the amendment a strict direction to the pru.
| Dental committee to accept no candidates
| for missionaries who had the doctrine Of
future probation. (Cries of mo! NOR and
| "Yes!''
Dr.. Todd of New Haven said, "We are moi
| entitled to put such restrictions upon mel
we employ just the same as a bank or any
| other corporation. The public has no bust
ness with what we do in this matter"
Ex-President Chaplin of Beloit College
thought that the board should not take g
| position eI cGthedrG on question outside
its province. He offered an amendment tt
| the amendment offered by DR.. Noble
| to the effect that the Board looked with ap
| prehension upon the tendency of the age tc
| decisive and perversiye growth upor
| churches at home and abroad of the doc
| trine of probation, and approving the actor
| of the home committee in carefully guarding
| the Board from any committal to thai
tendency in the future.
DR.. Noble said he would accept DR.
| Chapin's substitute, for he thought it mean
| substantially the same as his own, and hi
| wanted the world to understand once for all
| Just where the American Board stood, 81
that neither editors, professors, nor preach
ars would misrepresent and misquote it.
Dr. w. H. Ward, editor Of the New Yorl
independently thought both of these resolu
| tions were Numerically opposed to the res
olution adopted by the Board at Salem il
1871.
the idea that this doctrine was a mere specu
lation to be played with as toy for amuse
| ment
The discussion was continued at grea
length. Among those participating in addi
ton to others already mentioned, were Pres
Ident Andrews Of MAJ Marietta aaao College Rey
win of Chicago; DR.. Clark Senior Foreign
Secretary; President Hopkins and Rev. DR.
Fisher Of Brunswick, Maine. The last nam
ed divine claimed it was not the province o
this board to turn aside from its work of mis-
sions to discuss theological questions
A viva voce vote was then taken on th
original resolution as amended by DIR
Chaplin, which briefly stated endorses actiol
prudential committee in endorsing the hom
committee for rejecting the candidates 70
the mission work who believe in probation
against the old doctrine that the only tim
for probation is during life, or who are il
doubt as to the future state, and declarin
the board looked with apprehension upo
the tendency Of the age to decisiv
home and abroad of the doctrine of proba
tion, and approving the action Of the Hous
from any committee to that tendency, an,
recommending that some caution be exercis