The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-10-21

service of God.
Rev. DR.. Lambeth. of the Japan mission.
said there were within US supernatural
resource OF which we were not fully aware.
constituting powerful resources IN the ex-
tension of Christianity.
Bishop Keene. OF the vi. L. Church, South.
had, he said, been much disturbed at the .
spirit of higher criticism shown. and
The Bishop adjured the brethren TO
take the problem of evolution home
with them; get down and look at
1t. There was nothing in the Darwinlan
theory II you took the time out OF 1t. The
greatest thing about Mr.. Wesley was that
he knew what to get rid of. Applause.
He admired greatly his English friends
now in the conference. but he had word
of advice for them: .Go home; get rid OF
this doctrine of evolution that puts bomb
ut the bottom of the Pentateuch and Moses
and that will blow you up if you don't get
rid of it. If you can't get rid
of the doctrine, get rid of the men and the
institutions that teach il. no matter how
dear they are to you. They will blow you
mp If you do not. / must confess this Is the
first great fissure in the Methodist faltn.
There have been schisms but this Is the
first .fissure. This is not speculation;
there is nothing left of it,"
WARNED AGAINST CATHOLIC AGGRESSION.
Bishop John +. Hurst. of Washington.
called the council to order this afternoon.
for the last of the twenty-seven sessions
it has held during the past two weeks
Through Secretary King the business CON-
mittee presented the following resolution.
which was adopted:
That this conference views with deep concern
the subtle and persistent efforts of the Roman
hierarchy to make its power felt outside its own
proper sphere in many lands, to the detriment
and danger OF the civil and religious liberties OF
the people. This conference recognizes with sat
<1.a%& flDltn lnff
have, In notable instances, had the courage and
the wisdom to withstand the unwarrantable pre-
tensions OF their ecclesiastical superiors, and
10 seek for itself, or the churches It
represents, a single privilege which it would not
readily cOncede 10 all others; but 1t feels bound
to remind the members of these churches OF the
sacred rights and privileges they ENJOY, won for
them by the sacrifice aud fidelity OF their fore
members OF other Protestant churches in main
tanning their great inheritance of freeeom and
handing down the same intact to the succeeding
generations.
The topic of the day. "The Outlook"
was then again taken MP. The last essay
of the conference was read by Rev. ID. j.
NJ. Buckley, editor of New York Christian
Advocate.
HIS special subject was "Tne Church of
the Future" He said in part: "The
future OF the church must be elucIdated by
an analysis of what 1t is, with proper
allowance for what may be called the
CdtdCiJ VI plUNl-
dence. This requires us to estimate the
direction and force of the causes now at
work. OF evil pOrtents are noticed the
fact that business honesty is not main
tanned as it should be among Christians;
seH-denlal receives comparatively little at
tention; extravaganza is noticeable In most
Christian denominations in modes OF living
and entertainments; the church. with here
and there an exception, has relinquished
the Sabbath in large part to the world;
have been
almost abdicated; less Importance seems to
te attached to secret prayer and family
worship. and the relation of children to the
church has undergone great change. The
with the minds of the people
SO centered in numerous little wheels
to Which oTge to sses sss whes ssE sns
this is only one side of a shield, and there
are numerous tendencies of hopeful char
acter. Concerning the immediate future.
it would seem that the church had entered
companied ny the overthrow of false re-
lgi0ns. The rise OF new denomi-
nations seeking after spiritual piety may
be expected. No union of Professionalism
and Romanism is possible.
THE ULTIMATE CHURCH.
Turning from the immediate to the
ultimate future of the church. we may at
once dismiss all fear. The ultimate church
will enforce no theory of inspiration; the
church Will then have a simple yet COM
prehensiye creed. revealing the essentials
of salvation. The rnles of the ultimate
church will be few. The mania for making
new laws for Gods people upon points upon
which inspiration has not spoken Will
give place to the Christian liberty exhibited
by st. James. and Endorsed and illustrated
by St. Paul, Can't VIII disappear. Christian
Ill \ taA~
and luxury. Stratagemsanda appeals to car
nal motives to raise money will no longer be
needed. knowledge will not be found
without zeal. or zeal without knowledge;
discipline Will be helpful to the penitent,
but not tolerant to the incOrrigble; science
and religion will walk hand in hand.
though till the last there may be irrelIgIous
scientists and some Christians SO ignorant
or timid as TO fear that the increase of
knowledge in the sphere of nature neces-
sarily implies the destruction of faith in
the realm of knowledge"
The Rev. w. j. Dawson, of the Wesleyan
NJ. l.. Church, England. followed. He said
that the church of the future must es-
sentially be the church OF the past. The
fundamentals could not be altered. The
first note of the church of the future would
he simplifica ton. Too long the church had
been keeping its eye on heaven and failing
10 see the injustice of earth. Cries of
"Ob, no."] Depend upon it. If the people
within the walls did not believe that a
vast multitude outside did SO. Democracy
in the state. meant democracy in the
church. and the most democratic
church would win. Autooracy In
the church was doomed. No
church mInistering to the intellectual
arIstocracy would be the church Of the
twentieth century. The trend of politics
was toward social reconstruction. The
toilers were justly discontented. Christians
were followers of divine socialist If
men could not get the socialism of Jesus
they would get the socialism of the devil.
The socialism of Jesus did not make us all
equal; it made US all brothers. The church
should not ignore evolution. Any church
willfullyblind could not be the church
Of the future. How little was the
degree of separation between the Meth
odists. and Bsptists, and Presby terians or
the other Protestant churches, and how
much better would it be were they all in
one fold. lApplause. And with DR.. Buck
ley he differed on one point How much
was there in common between the Protest
ant and the Catholic church, The Roman
Catholic was nearer to the Methodist than
was the Unitarian. Was 1t too wild
dream that the Church of Rome might yet
be purified from corruption?
w. +. Bourne, of the Bible Christian
Church. London, said the present trend
of thought in the direction of
church whose main features would be
fearless life of truth, nobler catholioity
of spirit; a wider and more practical SYM
pathy and bolder and more aggressive
evangelism. Creeds had been unduly de-
cried. Persons who loudly asserted
that Love is the fulfilling OF
the law" and that every one that