The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-23
The Congrerationalists and Probation.

afternoon was q conference of ministers.
The Congregationalists and Probation.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
An editorial which appeared in the Jour-
nal of Monday, Oct. 81, under the head. "a
Notable Change" will produce, / fear, q
false impression in tho minds of many
readers. Believing you would be unwill-
ing to do any injustice to the denomination
to which the article referred, / ask permits
sion to correct some erroneous statements.
You say the liberal and conservative
wings of tho Congregational Church were
involved In a bitter contest at the late
meeting of the American Board of For
eign Missions in New York over the
question of probation after death. Neither
party, l am sure, would be willing TO accept
that account of their differences. The
fact is the speculation of future probation
is evidently losing ground. 1t was not
the subiect-matter of discussion at the late
meeting of the Board of Missions. The
liberals, through Professor Fisher, of New
Haven, protested that their objections to
the management OF the board were not theo-
logical, but they were personal. Some of
the strongest Calvinlsts in the denomina-
tons are insisting most vehemently on a
change in the personnel of the officers of the
board; one secret0ry is especially offensive,
the objection to him being that he is too
autocratic: Every one of these complain
article that they were drifting towards
Universalism. Your statement that the
contributions to missions "a v been de-
clining and the opposition of the churches
has been increasing Is an error. The treas
urer of the board, on the contrary, reported
that the receipts. both from donations and
legacies, were larger last year than in any
previous year. You are also in grave
error In the statement that the
board. under the lead of DR..
demands of the liberals for such a makeup
of the controlling committee as will here
after prevent the exclusion from work in
the missionary field of those who have
doubts upon the question of eternal punish
ment." Those who know the men can
imagine how DR.. Storrs, Prof. Fisher and
DR.. Walker, and others would resent such
an interpretation of their action. The
question OF eternal punishment had moth
ing to do with that action. DIR. Mckenzie.
-ity, said: w all love the board;
we have one principle, we have
one Gospel. There is no question
Of doctrine which divides US in our work,
so far as | know He thought a committee
OF practical. wise men could devise a way
for restoring harmony. The thing that
was done that had any look toward O
change was the appointment of a commit
tee, or providing for one, that should in
quire into the methods of administration
pursued at the missiOnary-rooms in Boston,
and recommend any change that shall ap-
pear to them needful or important.
and report to a subsequent meet
ing. That is all that was done,
and it scarcely implies q notable change in
the position of the denomination. especially
In view of the fact that all the old secre-
taries and members of the prudential
committee were reelected. Certainly the
proceedings of the late missionary meeting
in New York afford no ground for the opin-
ion intimated in your article that the
church planted by the Pilgrim fathers is on
the broad road to heresy.
The spirit of independent inquiry and
free discussion is abroad in the Protestant
world. We hear it's voice in all the evan
gelical denominations. The 'liberaln is
making his way in all of them; he doubt
less has his mission; in the end good will
come out of the stir he is making. Congre-
~gatiOnalists may be expected to take their
full share in the conflicts before the church.
but we believe they will not be behind
others in their efforts to spread the gospel
throughout the world, and in loyalty to
the fundamental truths of our holy re-
ligion. n. A. H..
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. %.