The Portland daily press., 1892-10-08
PEACE DID NOT DESCEND.
The American Board Heard Some
Hard Words Yesterday.
FUTURE PROBATION AGAIN THE
CAUSE OF TROUBLE.

DIR. Storrs Would Not Accept the Presi-
Then Professor Smythe and Others
Said the Rules Had Been Illiberally
Construed - The Conservatives Made
vigorous Reply-At Last DR.. Storrs
Accepted and Everybody Felt Relieved
CHICAGO, October Peace. did not
hastily descend upon the American Board
of Missions today. The tellers reported
the election of the entire ticket voted
upon last night and partisan discussion
followed which caused such dissension
in the board that it made it doubtful
whether DR.. Storrs would accept the
presidency. When the result was an
nounced he said in part: II have the
kindest feeling for the board. My desire
is to help it in every way in my power.
We have held it not advisable to send a
man into foreign field who believes in
probation after death. My definite, alb
solute, final position is that young men
not certain whether there is to be a FIJI
ture probation, who neither affirm or
deny it, but who are willing to leave it to
God, and who have all the other qualiti-
cations for missionaries, should be con-
sidered suitable for foreign missions. /
wish to know distinctly right now whe-
tber the board re-atfirms the rules of the
policy set down in New York and Min
neapolis, or whether the board wishes to
modify or change that policy. AS for
church representation in the board, my
position is that the church is the unit of
Congregationalism, and | am not afraid
of churches. But before I accept the
election to the presidency, / want to know
positively and definitely whether rsnthis
board wishes to depart from its position
on
The Subject of Future Probation,
or whether it wishes to reafirm that po-
sition.''
The following resolution was then in
troduced:
Resolved, That the board reaffirms the rules
of administration laid down by 1t at It's annual
meetings in New York and Minneapolis and ex-
poets them to be applied in spirit OF lDeraHty,
as of faithfulness, as expressed by the presi-
dent in his annual letter of acceptance to candl-
dates for missionary appointment
Professor Smythe of Andover, leader
of the Congregational liberal movement
declared that the rules had not been in
terpreted literally and it was impossible
for a liberal to exert bit of influence in
the prudential committee. 1.-THE thing
for which we stand" said he, lis that
these liberal men, fitted to be pastors OF
churches, shall not be excluded from
missionary service. But you shut them
out. The rules of the board are not lib
orally interpreted. You are shutting out
consecrated men by your Interpretation
of the rules. You may raise money but
what good is it if you cannot get them to
90 abroad. You have been steadily low
ering the standard of service in this
board for years.
Joseph Cook followed
Virtually Accusing Prof. Smythe
and the liberals of teaching that men
who die in their sins might be saved.
This was resented by DR.. Quint who
used exceedingly strong language to the
Boston divine.
DR.. Webb, memb er of the prudential
committee, denied that the committee
was unduly governed by doctrinal con-
siderations, and declared that in future
| he would freely tell the grounds upon
| WHICH CduulQdteS were IoJCCtCu.
DR.. Washington GLADDEN. made vigor-
Gus liberal speech, and DR.. Storrs fol-
lowed, after which the resolution was
unanimously adopted and, to the intense
relief of everybody, the president said:
''Then gentlemen l accept
| Arthur Little refused to accept an
election to the prudential committee and
DR.. F. E. Clark was elected to fill the
| vancV
Dr.. Storrs, E. W. Blatchford, H. w.
Hyde. J. NJ w. Hall and DR.. Simson
were appointed committee to consider
the possibility of arranging for separate
annual meetings, one. for devotional
services and one for business. After a
| little lroutine business and the farewell
address by Rev. E. P. Goodwin, the
board sang hymn and the S3rd annual
meeting Of the American Board was
| over.