The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-18
AN AFTER VACATION THEME.

to the Tribune, of this city, gives the |
latest intelligence in regard to the con-
troversy which is now agitating Con-
circles, and bids fair to lead |
to serious results. 1t reads ''Just as
soon as the summer vacation is over the |
leading clergy of the Congregational
church will confer on the question
whether the unrepentant heather has
spell of possible probation after death.
The difference of opinion in the Amer
lean Board of Foreign Missions has
become heated controversy. The
trouble began when Secretary Alden
refused to appoint as missionaries per-
sons who believed that there was any
salvation for heather who died uncon-
verified. He held that belief in pro-
stationary period beyond the grave was
heterodox, and therefore disqualifying
in candidate for labor in the foreign
missionary field. Some of his fellow
members of the board disagreed with
him on that doctrinal point, and the
issue is now so sharply defined that no
further progress in missionary work
can be made by the Congregationalists
until it is settled. The present idea is
to hold conference of hundred repre-
sentative Congregationalist divines in
New York in October. The question
at issue is considered by many so vital,
and the belief of the church so diver
gent, that division of the missionary
society, if not of the denomination it.
self, is imminent"
We have heretofore outlined this con-
troversy in THE UNIvERsALIsT. It
presents very serious question for the
consideration of those who are in au-
thority over the foreign missionary
work in the orthodox denominations.
The point is whether the American
Board of Foreign Missions, which is
mainly sustained by the Presbyterian
and Congregational churches, shall en-
dorse the Andover theology to the ex-
tent of sending out missionaries who
believe in future probation, or whether,
on the other hand, it will draw the line
at this heresy and insist on employing
in the foreign field only those of sound
orthodoxy. The question will have to
be decided in the not distant future.
If the decision is against the Andover
men, it will have the result to put the
New Departureites" under the ban,
and may lead to unpleasant discrimina-
lions nearer home. If the belief in flu
ture probation is not safe doctrine to
carry to heather lands, it cannot be safe
to preach it at home; while if it is per-
mitted among the heather, it cannot
very well be repressed here. The de-
cisiOn, therefore, of the question, is
sure to open up the whole subject of
future probation, and will, no doubt,
lead to important results.
On the point in controversy, the Chris
tian Union makes the following observa-
tions: ut is not easy to see how one
opinion more than the other cuts the
nerve of missions or deadens or destroys
evangelical piety. At all events, the
exact facts in the case are that few, if
any, intelligent Christian men any
longer believe in the damnation of the
heather without an offer of Saviour
that some hold that the heather may
be saved without knowledge of Christ
and without faith in him; that others
hold that knowledge of Christ and an
opportunity for exercised faith in him
are essential to salvation, and will
therefore be afforded hereafter to those
to whom such knowledge and opportu-
nifty have been denied here; but that
neither of these opinions is the part of
the message which any earnest Chris
tian minister desires to preach either at
home or abroad. Whether the churches
shall freely ordain to missionary service
men who believe that the heather can
be saved without any knowledge of, or
faith in Christ, and refuse ordination to
those who think it not impossible that
such knowledge and an opportunity for
such faith may be afforded hereafter,
because this opinion is not contradicted
by the Bible, is one of the questions
which the American board and its con-
stituents in the churches have to con-
slider and determine"
THE AdUdace of this city, the Con-
organ of the West, il sew
eral recent issues, has editorially, and |
by contributed articles, taken strong |
ground against Andover. 1t charges |
the professors in that institution with
scattering poisoned seed broadcast,
the effect of which is to wreck churches
and character "they have struck at |
the American Board" they look |
lightly at the word of God ;" STEW men |
come from Andover with an anxiety to |
save men, ''they are brimful and
over with speculation !" and
all this to ''the great grief and sorrow"
Of the ministers and laymen in the
Valley"-with much more
70 the same import. 1t is very inter-
ssting controversy which is thus before
.he Congregational public, and the is
sue will be awaited with considerable
anxiety. No doubt, at the meeting of
he American Board. at Des MOines,