Morning journal and courier., 1889-05-21
MISSIONS AND THEOLOGY.

A Hold Paper Read by Dr. Munger
 Before the Congregational Olub-1f Is
 Thoroughly Discussed and Argued
 Upon-The Evil of Doctrfnal DfMer-
 ences Among Preachers and misston-
 aries.
 The New Haven Congregational society held meeting in the Howard avenue church last evening and the important topic of dis cussion was a paper read by Rev. Dr. Munger upon "Missions and Theology" It is an ar- ticle which Dr. Munger intends to offer to a leading secular magazine and it deals with the relation of the accepted theology and its many varied conceptions to the work and effectiveness of foreign missions in very bold and searching manner.
 After the divine had finished his paper 8 long pause fell upon the assembly, which was finally broken by Lawyer H. A. Newton He said that he had heard suggestions that the clergy were in transitory state in regard to missions and did not know what to believe. They recognized great difficulty in sending forth missionaries, because they did not know what to teach. No student in the Yale Theological seminary to-day, asserted the barrister, "believes that any fish ever swallowed Jonah." "I wonder if we 
 what and how much to believe of the Chris. tian scripture" he continued. |" wonder If it is an unfair thing to ask just what they do and do not believe. remember at one time it was thought that the essential thing of Christianity was that through knowledge of the sacrifice of Christ, souls could be saved from death; that in no other way could sal vation be worked. I wonder how many be- lieve so nowa believe that religious expe- dients may be worked in countries where there has been no knowledge of Christ. But the thought that runs in my mind is, Is there anything peculiar in religious expert. encei Have we that much that our mission aries can preach to the heathenF"
 Dr. Munger was asked if in his paper he treated Christianity as religion.
 I do not put Christianity in the category o1 religions, he answered. I do not think it is 8 religion in the same sense as Buddhism iE a religion.
 Several were of the opinion that the spirit of Christ was not strictly necessary for the much of the Bible or particular doctrine a missionary taught. He must bear upon the human heart and show them how to live in enlightenment and higher spiritual life of the Christian.
 Rev. Dr. McLane said he did not wish to criticise Dr. Munger's paper but he thought that the belief of the man or church would
 
 would consist of. I do not believe that any man should go to heather country to save men unless he believes there is something that will save, said he. A mans belief to mans need should decide whether he bear service. think little forbearance by the lsity in behalf of the clergy is needed, for the clery is, indeed, in a transitory state In want to gay that what the church needs is positive belief in regard to sin and punishment:-whether we are all to sin and suffer or come out right in the end. Those who attend service, see that the es- sence of preaching is stfll Jesus Christ and the primary relation and fellowship with person. It is having the spirit of per- son.
 A telling argument was that advanced by another gentleman of the society. He thought that men differ among themselves often be- cause they do not understand dootrinal terms.
 Perhaps of six missionaries sent out, said he, all believe different in detail. No won- der the heathen are incredulous as te the faith. look forward to 8 time when the various denominations will be content to send Christianity, pure and simple. What an imposition to give the heathen world 8 Christianity shaped to our society, civil and church governments and mode of baptism. I consider the vital point is to emphasize forms of thought more than those which en-
 
 Christianity which operate on man are love and fear. Some use fear and eternal con- demnation exclusively. But I don't think you find this limitation in the New Testament. When you move a man by love of Christ Jesus you work upon the line of this book. Retribution belongs to man ss preacher and subject of God. The apostles were the noblest men the world has seen. What harvest has equalled theirs' There is charge upon every man to take the gospel and use it for the world. This is @ divine revelation. There are too many missionaries with not enough of the life and spirit of Jesus Christ.
 Several other opinions and discussions were aroused by the paper. The idea that the great motive for spreading the gospel is that man is born to immortality was sharply answered by Dr. Munger, who said that the exalting of a people from their miserable condition was motive enough for strong &C., tion.