Morning journal and courier., 1890-11-12
THE NINTH ANNUAL nEErrNe

~ - sssss y
THE NINTH ANNUAL MEETING
or the Baptist Congress Opens at
Calvary Church-Interesting Discus
sions Mt Yesterdayss Sessions-NIany
Prominent Clergymen Present
Program for To-Day.
The opening session of the ninth annual
meeting of the Baptist congress for the
discussion Of current questions at Calvary
church yesterday afternoon was but slimly
attended, scarcely 100 persons, most of
these delegates, being present. This was
due, probably, to the inclemency Of the
weather as well as to the fact that several
Of the members of the congress were de-
laysd, all Of whom will be here before the
sessions close. The gathering was called
to order by Professor Francis Wayland,
the president of the New Haven meeting,
after which was sung DR.. Leonard Bacon's
famous hymn
Our exiled fathers crossed the sea- se-
The scripture was then read by Rev.
John 81. Mason Of the First Baptist church,
this city, afterEwhich prayer was offered
by Rev. DR.. s. Dryden Phelps of this city.
Professor Wayland than gave short
address of welcome, and was followed by
Rev. E. NJ. Poteat, who welcomed the
members Of the congress to the church.
The address of Welcome was responded to
in behalf of the congress by Professor
johnson of Crozier theological seminary.
The report of Professor Harper, chairman
of the committee on arrangements, was
next in the order of events. The topic
for the afternoon discussion was "The
Proposed Basis of Christian Union" The
writer's were: Rev. T. T. Eaton, d. D.,
editor Western Recorder, Louisville, Ky;
Rev. Charles Dewitt Bridgman, D. D. pas
tor Madison avenue Baptist church, New
York; Rev. E. T. Tomlinson, Elizabeth,
New Jersey.
Owing to the unavoidable absence of
Rev. DR.. T. T. Eaton, his paper was read
by the secretary, Rev. Leighton Williams,
pastor Of Amity Baptist church, New York
city. DR.. Eaton's paper in brief was as
follows:
That it is desirable and important for
Christians to see eye to eye and to speak
the same thing is generally conceded.
People differ about religious truth because
and only because some believe what is not
true. sThe faith once delivered to the
saints" was one definite system of doctrine.
If all Christians believed that faith there
them. To say that it is just as we'll for
people to differ on important religious
truth is the same as saying it is well for
people to believe what is false on impor-
tant matters. Christians believing the
same things would remove all friction and
strife between opposing faiths and would
avoid a great waste of strength and
of material. Three propositions have
been made looking toward union. First,
it is proposed by our Episcopalian breth-
rem that we all unite under the historic
Episcopate." Differences of belief are to
be freely tolerated and made no bar to
fellowship, SO only we all submit our
selves to Episcopal authority and jurisdic-
ton. On this proposition I venture to
say two things. First, it is contrary to
the teachings of the Bible, which all
Christians recognize as the standard of
faith and order. Leading scholars of all
denominations declare that diocesan epis-
copaoy is nowhere taught in scripture. To
accept the historic Episcopate has been
tried abundantly and found wanting.
That was exactly the sort Of Christian
union which existed during the dark ages,
and the overthrow of which was one of
the chief objects of the Reformation.
IL IcbuIA w bndo IIplbCOphto 1OW WOulu Uo
| to turn the world back for half dozen
centuries. Our Presbyterian brethren
propose confederation of churches. Each
church is to recognize the validity of the
| ordinances and ordinations of the rest, and
| to make no issue over matters of doctrine
or polity. In reply to this it may be said
that nothing should be recognized as true
| which is not true, If, for example, infant
sprinkling is not taught in the Bible as
valid baptism, it must of necessity be
wrong to regard it as valid baptism, il
the Bible be the standard. Then to agree
to make no issue in matters of doctrine OF
peculiar to each denomination die out
If any of these peculiar views are
taught in scripture they ought not
to be allowed to die out. Even very
small minority holding to importan
truths as against the vast majority OIL
Christendom should not lessen their hold
upon that truth nor fail to duly empha-
size it, because the odds are great,
against them. It is all the more needfu
for them to stand firm lest the truth they
hold should perish from the earth. 1t is
certainly much better that some should be
right than that all should be wrong
Then, too, the differences between de
nominations are SO serious that any at
tempt at confederation with those differ
ences existing would necessarily result il
friction and finally in an explosion
Chow can two walk together except they
be agreed.' The third basis proposed il
the simple plain teaching of the Bibl,
which all Christians declared be the stan
dard of doctrine and polity. But .
difficulty arises just here. The various
bodies Of Christians claim that the Bibl.
justifes their peculiar views. and each in
Id kI~c%s krAn L. H. Id
form from which the rest have wandered
Every study of the history of doctrine ant
polity knows that the differences of belle
between denomination have not arisen
from differences of interpretation of script
ure, but rather the reverse. The differ
ences of Interpretation have arisen from
the differences of belief which had othe
sources. Assuming that the denomina
tons are all equally honest and intelli
gent, the only thing to do that have beef
i able to see Is to make an honest and earn
est effort to reach an agreement as to jus
what the Bible does teach in the matter o
difference between the denominations. Fo
one denomination to ask others to &C
cept its interpretations is boil
impudent and foolish. To attempt to com
promise differences on the give and tax
principle is to be disloyal to the Bible
which will not shift in its teachings TIL
only road to the only Christian union
either possible or desirable, is to earnestl,
seek to agree az to what the Bible doe
teach. This, then, is the position for Bap
fists to occupy on the subject of Christian
union. Let us firmly maintain what W
believe to be scripture teaching, recogniz
ing our liability to err and the sincerit,
and intelligence of those who differ from
us. And let us ever be ready in the spiri
of true disciples to receive whatever ligh
our brethren of other faiths may be able +
throw upon the Bible and patiently wal
for tho time when they will be willing t.
unite with us in an honest effort to lear
the mind of the holy spirit as expressed i,
the word of God. That time will surel,
come. And whenever Christians are il
earnest in striving to learn what the Bi
BILE teachers on these matters, they will b.
led into the truth and all believing eth
faith once for all delivered to the saints
there will be no doctrinal differences, an,
the prayer of our Savior will be answer
ed: 'That they may all be one, even a
we are one; in them and thou in me tina
they may be made perfect in one."
Rev. Charles Dewitt Bridgman, d. D.
of the Madison Avenue Baptist church
New York, followed and he in turn wa
succeeded by Rev. E. T. Tomlinson o
Elizabeth, N. j., both of whom read very
interesting and able papers upon the gen
eral topic. An open discussion followed
in which Revs. Mr.. Mckinney of Ansonia
| EIIcf7ay of Wafarh.1rv II NJ CopHarc n