Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-10-16
Working for the Heather.

DEs MONIES, Oct. ga special train OF
sleeping cars, carrying the delegates from
Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and
other eastern states, to the seyenty-seyenth
annual meeting of the American board Of
commissioners for foreign missions 81 the
Congregational church arrived here at noon
to-day. Including the delegates the meeting
has attracted fully one thousand visitors from
all parts Of the United States. This large at,
tendance is due TO the fact that the meeting
will be Of greater Importance and interest
than any of its predecessors since the cstab-
lishment Of the mission board in 1910. In
fact, as one Of the officers expressed II this
morning, the greatest crisis in its history is
about 10 be faced. This crisis is the new de-
parture' or the doctrine Of a probation after
death, which now is getting the denomination
by the ears. Five years ago it had attained
no prominence whatever, aud little was
thought Of it. But within that period the
theory has been adopted by the Andoyer Thco-
logical Seminary, thousands OF the clergy and
laity have csPoused il, aud to meet the in
tense opposition Of the Concrcgationalist
and the Chicago Advance. the Anloyer Re
view has been brought into existence t. assist
the Christian Union in its advocacy Of the
new departure. But the climax came acouple
Of weeks ago when Rev. Robert \. Hume, the
celebrated missionary TO India, who Is now in
this country, came out fat-footcd in support
Of The new theology and declared that the
greatest barrier to the spread of Christian
doctrine urDnpu the hpathpO uua fgupI lea Tho
fact that in accepting such doctrine They we're
forced to believe in the eternal condemnation
Of those OF their relatives who had died I'M
converted before the Introduction Of Chris
tianity. In consequence Of this declaration
the prudential committee Of the board refused
to authorize his return to his field Of labor
and for the same reason also declined TO give
credentials to several students at Andoyer
who were DESTROYS Of going out to the Japan
csc mission. Then the Andover Review, an
ticipating its regular edition by over I've
weeks for the express purpose took up Hume's
case with warmth, and declared that the time
had at last arrived when the new departure
people were compelled to face the issue
before the annual meeting Of the board. TN
ftHtfdbit JOuH u. whittier Also came IOrW III
as the champion and defender Of Missionary
Hume, and in an open letter, prefaced with
the statement that he had read of Hume's
treatment with mingled feelings of sorrow
and anger, she declared that the Issue was
now fairly joined and that the advocates OF
the new departure had the strongest possible
case with which togo before the Christian
public; and that as they had with them not
only Gods word but the prayers and hopes,
open and secret, Of all Christ like souls, they
could not fail" Finally the Review charged
the board with a policy Of suppression, de-
nounced the prudential committee for striking
Town tried and faithful missionaries, and EN-
phatically declared that no further pusillani-
nous appeals would be made to that body,
but that the new departure men, panied, ag-
grieyed and indignant, would no longer sub
NIT In silence.