The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-06-08
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
THE ISSUES BETWEEN EVANGELICAL AN
LIBERAL CHRISTIANS.

THE ISSUES BETWEEN EVANGELICAL AND
LIBERAL CHRISTIANS.
Rev. DIR. Blanchard preached yesterday
morning on "The Issues Between EVangell-
cal and Liberal Christians" The text was
taken from Amos, III3: "Can two walk
together except they be agreed?" Begin
ing with reference to the Evangelical Min
isters' meeting at the Y. NJ. @. A. rooms and
saying that there was sufficient reason for
the exclusion Of Liberal Christians. the
speaker said that the subject was a fitting
one for the Sunday following the de
lightful convention Of last week. The
subject was chosen In the interest of clear
thinking for today and of ultimate union
among all Christians as the result OF this.
The first question which makes issues be-
tween the Evangelical and Liberal Christ
ians concerns the Scriptures. The first call
these The Word Of God" The second say
they are the literature Of the Jewish people
to whom the proVldential mission was given
of teaching the religion which one day Is 10
be the universal religion. DIR. Blanchard
here called attention to the characteristics Of
the two bodies. The Evangicals say they
are Orthodox that is that they
have the right opinions. They declare that
they know; the Liberal Christians say that
they believe. The dogmatism Of the former
is a natural result of their view Of the Bible.
They declare that God has revealed In this
the truth about man in this world and In the
next.
The Liberal Christians says no man can
know the future. That the Jews had the
pr0videntlal mission spoken Of can be proved
by history. DR.. Briggs was quoted as TO the
books of the Bible. and his d0gmatism, here
tic as he Is called, concerning the future fats
of men was shown.
The second question In debate concerns
Jesus: The one party say he Is God; the
other that He Is man. That Ho Is believed
to be essentially God Is shown by prayer to
Him. The Liberal Christian will not pray
to a man. There may be apostrophe to Jes-
US. but not prayer. He taught men to say
"Our Father who art In Heaven" He asked
man to pray In His name or spirit; but new
er to himself. Between the two issues there
Is an irrepressible conflict.
The third question In debate concerns Des-
tiny. The one party says many will be pun
ished forever. The other party believes that
all will finally be saved. Because man did
not choose to be, nor his time Of coming. nor
his environments, nor his heredity, he can
never sin so awfully as TO deserve endless
punishment. Between these issues there Is
an irrepressible conflict.
The fourth question In debate relates to
inspiration. The Evangelical says authori-
.ative inspiration Is confined TO the Bible.
The Liberal Christian says God Inspires man
today. A quotation was here made from
Rev. DIR. G. b. Crook, who, writing concern
ing Dr. Briggs, said in Harper's Weekly:
This statement seemed to many to show
that DR.. Briggs believed the true knowledge
of God to be attainable independently OF the
Bible or the church Orthodox Christians
hold precisely the contrary. They affirm
that God revealed Himself In His word. for
the reason that without such revelation men
fail to know Him."
Liberal Christians believe that men find
God In reason-that In reason God inspires
them. They rejoice In DIR. Briggs's word that
DIR. James Martineau found God enthroned
In his own soul; What did men do before
there was Bible? Did not God Inspire
Abraham, Isaiah. Paul, John. before the
scriptures were written?
The speaker dwelt upon this point with
great earnestness. He quoted Pauls words.
" rhe spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirits" He said since God Is alive and our
Father today, He inspires His children now
in reason and In conscience.
Between these issues, also, there Is an ire
pressible conflict.
the Liberal Christian ldenominations-the
Unitarian and the Universalist. Would that
the tw0could be onel A quotation was here
made from Pres. Eliet's speech at the uni
,, tartan banquet We try to follow % reyeT,
the founder Of Christianity cast upon the
DreeZes Of Judia; we try to make Just appli-
cations OF His thought under the new condi-
tl0ns OF our time. But we care nothing for
the DEGREES Of those semi-barbarous conven-
tions which centuries ago mysti6ed and per-
yerted His thought
The convention Of the past week ought to
make Universalists see the greatness of their
opportunity and the glory Of their faith.
their guide. They do not ask to walk with
those with whom they cannot agree. DR..
Capen. president Of Tufts college, recently
pleaded for closer fellowship as he spoke to
Congregationalists In Pilgrims hall. DR..
Merriman favored 1t. An Orthodox, In the
Christian Leader, says 1t Is coming-declares
"Once admit that Christ died for all and
Wills the salvation OF all, and the infer
eLce is inevitable-that all will be saved"
But such union.can only come by abandon,,
Ing old Issues. Two can walk together IL
they do not ask too much for common accep-
tance. There can be one LOrd-one IalthE
one baptism-one God and Father VINO Is
above all, and through all, and IN az, Wheh sh
love Is made the test OF ns dlscIPIesnP ,pPomsht wh
will bring the union one day. lne Two
who now walk apart shall walk t0gether De-
cause they are agreed as to God ana Christ.
THE HOTEL KEEPERS AND PROHIBITION.
A large and very interested congregation
assembled at the Congress strest NJ. 4.
church yesterday to listen to the very able
sermon of the pastor, Rev. j. NJ. Frost. The
subject Of the sermon was the action at the
meeting Of the hotel keepers at Waterville
on the 4sh inst The preacher took up the
various subjects contained in the preamble
and resolution adopted at that meeting.
1. The assertion that the prohlbltory law Of
the state has proved detrimental 20 the busi-
ness interest Of the state in general. The
preacher showed by facts selected from
the statement Of eminent men In Kansas,
Iowa, Rhode Island and Georgia as wen as
preamble above alluded 10 was not true, but
on the contrary that business In every de-
partment was greatly more prosperous unqer
the prohibitory law than unueE Incense. !te ho
also presented statistics eonhrmat0ry OF tne
declaration Of the gentlemen above alluded
to. -, = A.. ..u..A,.
The second declaration o. tne preamble,
the ,ssN,ts claimed was claimed 10 be utterly