New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-11
NOTES FROM LONDON.
AIR SpURGEON MR. LABOUCHEkh- 81 w.
JI,IrNE n C-MRS BERNARD BEEi.E.

I,D\ y,
NV r - oro, waves hot and ever hotter.
o. ,Sd.o To- tho Council of the Baptist Union
80 oroo, Rri,oin and Ireland held meeting 10
consider the rebellion of their moso ols'isu
minister American Baptists, Sec nave Ini''" "
question as to the distinction between 'nc h'P''''
Union and the Baptist Communion. MT 'puio'
they insist has gone out from the one ou' io"'""'
. ,oembcr of the other. There Is olstihc'ioi'
a., ,ho,lcr IL amounts to much for the purposes
of this dispute may be doubted. ANY one WIZ
ro,ds q report OF this weeks proceedings OF the
Union will see that the Union undertakes TO speak
In tho name OF the Baptist Church. The Council
consists of a hundred members, of whom sixty
.icb, wore present DR.. Culross presided.
comn,aint was made by DR.. Angus that. though
the Union was evangelical, its points oil doctrine
were confined to congregationalism ana baptism
But by thirty-fve votes to five the Couhcn re-
solved:
"Tbot the doctrinal beliefs Of the Union arr,
and must be- determined by the dOctrlna ncii,Is
of the churches and ASSOCIATIONS u "hAoH 'No
Union is composed
Clearly that is an attempt on the part oi ,lc
Council Of the Union to identity tho Union win
the Baptist Church in matters OF doctrine MI
Spurgeon goes out OF the Union because he Is hoV
in harmony with it in matters OF doctrine huU
if the Union is in harmony with the Ohurcn' an"
Mr. Spurgeon Is not in harmony with the Ihl"h
with the Church either. Aud whether you call
il Church or Communion does not much signify.
The real fact take to be this Mr. Spurscon
nuts his own construction the doctrines which
arc. in his Judgment vital to the BAPTIST Com
munion The Baptist Union, a representative bodN
of the churches and associations, puts different
construction ON them The Union and MI
Sturgeon could not agree and have parted com
pany. Mr.. Spurgeon no doubt believes himself
the true depository Of Baptist dogma ana us
cipline. lie cannot get the Baptist Chnrch 10
agree with him, and. because he cannot, he shakes
of the dust Of his feet against the Union b"piS'
churches.
The Council. he it noted, while disclaming any
authority to formulate new standard oil h-Hci'
d,es expressly, in view Of the uneasmesN pro-
duced in the churches by recent discussions re-
state and rcassert the old standard. In other
words they Law down a creed as the creed OF the
Baptist Church 1t seems to me- have no WISH
myself to dOgmatiZe on such a matter-that ul'fc
are now two Baptist crceds and two DIVISIONS Oh
the Baptist Church One creed to Which MI
Sturgeon gives ,his assent: one division oil the
Church to which he belongs Another Greco 10
which the great majority perhaps al pu' Nir'
Spurgeon) give their assent, ana aho'her uNISioH
of the Church to which all the Bapiist cohefe-
cations belong, Mr.. Spurgcon's excepted. II this
it be said that Mr. Sturgeon has left the BAPTIST
Union or the Baptist Communion
Feeling on the whole question raised by Nf
Surgeons secession is clearly running high
member of the Union, according TO his brother
referring to the doctrines of grace preached ~
Mr. Spurgcon said lie could not credit any devil
with believing thcml Then a certain MI Lock
hart. Of Liverpool, moved that the Council should
decline TO consider any message from MI Si'rscou
until he had publicly withdrawn statements IN
uniting to his brethren insincerity and un'rath-
fulncss These statements, if we may believe Mr
Locl,lart appear in the February number Of the
Sword and Trowel," periodical of which am
sorry to say know nothing In his opinion the
great preacher Of the Tabernacle had treated the
onion cruelty"
One more point. and one only. The now creed
reckons among the facts and doctrines commonly
b.,icvcd by the churches of the Union, the eterna!
punishment of the wicked. Then follows th'
curious rider that as historical fact tins STATE
uent has generally been accepted by tie great
majority of the Union in the usual sense WHAT
SOFT Of notions of historical fact and OF evidence
must possess the minds Of men, who at tAis cay
commit themselves to such declaration a. that
But from the first" they proceed, some while
revercntly accepting all Divine teaching, have ac-
cepted other interpretations which seem to them
in working with them" There is suppose, the
crux. That is the rock on which Mr. Sturgeon
md his Baptist friends have split lie does be
ljeve in the eternal punishment of the wicked, IN
everlasting hell fire believes 1t with that ierVeh'y
of faith which seems to be reserved for hehefs
resting on no evidence external 10 the conscious
ness of the believer. lie not only believes 1t, but
insists that others shall believe ii; if they believe
St not, they are damned or, to say the least are
on that down grade which can have, l suppose,
but terminus
Mr. Labouchere is n man who has played many
PARTS in his time, most of them, perhaps. with
an equal degree Of sincerity. His very latest
appeara on the boards is in religious charac-
ter The NOncOnfomst ministers OF Northampton
have sent him copy Of thsir protest against co
rrcicn Northampton is the constituency which
confidcs its political interests 10 tho joint custody
OF Mr. Labcuchere and Nh. Dradaugh. Whether
the Nonconformst ministers sent copy of their
protest to Mr. Bradlaugh, the atheist | do not
know. Mr.. Labouchere puts on black coat,
and pulls long face, and answers in tone which
am sure he would be delighted TO hear described
rs an excellent imitation OF the sanctimonious
tone. The matter is one' says he, which
essentially concerns ministers of religion. II is
not alone regarded by Liberals q question Of
politics. but II has laid hold Of their consccnces."
Yes and on none more than on Mr.. Labouchere's.
] seem to see him wrestling with the common
enemy in midnight prayer. and Offering up sup
plicatOns for the soul Of Mr.. BalfOur There
is a law" continues this righteous man, above
all human laws written by God in the hearts OF
men. BY that law, eternal and Interchangeable,
men are forbidden to trample upon tie rights OF
their fellow subjects and to render it Impossible
for them to live by the cultivation Of the soil
that Providence has given to them" Has Mr.
Iabouchere seen the deed of conveyance 70 which
be refersp Would he take a similar title and pay
his money for itp What he really means, how
ever, is obvious enough. "The law written by
God in the hearts Of men" is TO superscdc laws