St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-14
THAT STRICT FAITH.
Rev. w. S. Vail Tells Of the
Advent Of Ortho-
doXy.
The Pulpit Change From the
Sermon That FroZe the
Blood.
An Interesting Sketch Of the
Change That Always
Comes.
Religious Beliefs and the Com
ditions That Will Alter
Them.

mon, he said, that Will exhaust the lead
ing lines Of thought embraced i'll this
text shall be obliged to make the text
more comprehensive than the idea that
suggested the sermon. The text be-
ing larger, therefore, than the topic 1
announced-"r Advance of Ortho-
doxy"-the topic will lie within it as an
island within group; and Just as we
would explore the group. running Gown
the sparkling channels, pauSing in the
silent bays, tramping through groves
and pausing at springs, so will we touch
the borders. and get the outlines of this
topic while we proceed with the more
comprehensive subject unfolded in the
theme.
Let me confess in the beginning, then,
that my first interest in this idea of be-
ing changed, was brought about by
comparison that developed out of cir
cumstanceS that gave it birth. A copy
of paper was placed in my hand, and
| was scanning the pages in an indiffer-
ent sort of way, when this circumstance
was forced upon my attention: A long
record was printed detailing the ordina
ton of five young men to the ministry
of the orthodox church. and with the
account was printed statement of their
doctrinal position. which in turn was
commented upon by DR.. Hyde, presi-
dent of Bowdoin college, and leader
of New England orthodoxy. Of course
the spectacle of these Andover stu
dents brought back the vision of the
long struggle that has covered many
years, and these of us who knew its be-
ginning looked upon this as definite
result. For we recalled the fact that
many years ago, when the divinity
school was at Cambridge,
HHeresy Was Scented
and money raised to change the location
to AndoVer hill. And when the loca-
ton was changed, the next movement
was to form creed, iron bound and
we'll buttreSsed. that should be signed
every three years by all professors, tnat
the hereto might fail to wire his way
into the fabric so we'll built and So
closely guarded. And it was so we'll
built and so closely guarded, that for a.
generation no hereto could get footrI
hold. But after forty years the rigid
men who had been managing the school.
began to fail in physical strength, and
new blood was sought to take thelrl
places. Then, as if by special provi7
dence. a class of men came in who at,
tached TO the creed reservations that
killed the effect Of their Signatures
then began agitation, and it was diScoV-.
cred that hereSy was entrenched behind
walls and, escarpmentS built by New
England orthodoxy, and guarded by
judiciouS care so many years. II
And naturally out of this advance of,
thought asked myself where the lib,
eral church found itself today. and
what it had found in different condi-
tons, and by comparison its position
seemed to me to be made clear. And as
1 have used the word compare | may be
allowed to carry out the idea by pre-
senting the anal0gies that will repre-
sent conditions and changes that are
taking place. The first liberal preach
ing had in it both the fire and the pa
thoS of protest. And we may explain
that protest has the martial ring of
challenge. The stag that sends the long
roar through the forests at night pro.
tests against the ascendency of a rival.
The disinherited knight, entering the
lists, riding down to the front, touching
the shield of the champion until it rang
again, entered a protest against the
champions ascendency. When life was
lived as in the presence of the flames
and
Fumes OF HELL
when no pleasure could be enjoyed
without intermingling this awful re-
minder of danger with it. when Sunday
was made bright and beautiful bv the
Almighty, but changed to day of
menace and mourning, when every
family had some son or daughter lost
according to popular teaching to tor
ments that would never cease. then rose
Father Ballou, and accepting the gauge
of battle thrown down, began protest
that was like the power OF an invading
tidal wave. Now compare those days
with what we were called TO witness
few weeks ago in the very churches
where these ideas were preached, on
the ground where these giants fought.
Five young men stand up for ordination
to the ministry of the congregational
church. They make statement of be-
lief. Of God they say: That while
Nature may reveal His benefi-
cence. and the avalanche may
proclaim His power, still, ''in every
noble human being | see the nobility of
God; the more noble the character the
fuller the revelation of Him." further,
that lit is in this way have come to
believe in the divinoneSS of Christ: not
because af the stories of His birth, or of
His miraculous deeds, or of His aScen-
sion to heaven, but because in His life [
see i'll deeper colors and truer proper
tons the divine humanity l have always
recognized in my fellow man." OF mir
acles this man says: 1.-THE whole nat
ural is just as truly supernatural; the
terms are co-extensive." Of inspiration
he believes THAT Gods revelation to
men is according to the laws of their
minds" and that 1.-THE scientist, the
sage and the poet are as truly inspired
as the prophet and the apostle" OF
salvation he says that salvation is
sonship," and that "sonship is almost,
If not exclusively, a matter of eharac-
ter" and. further. that ITO be a
true man is to be saved man." OF the
question of ,hell and punishment he is
equally explicit. declaring that heaven
and hell are states of character, begin
here and are not essentially changed
enywhere;;" that 'the duration of pun
ishment for the sinnerI do not know"
and, further, 81 am certain only that
punishment will continue as long as sin
dureth forever" On this platform
these men ask and receive ordination;
and if this is orthodoxy, then | am
orthodox. 1t is nothing less than re-
markable thai they won on such plat
form. for they are the first. think, who
have dictated the terms on which they
will work. ''And we shall be changed.o
Compare this doctrine with the .lurid
sermons of Edwards and Emmons-the
sermons that
FrOZe the Blood
of hearers, and were often punctuated
with cries of horror. And still, these
men go into orthodox churches. They
are the first fruits of Andover. They
show possibility of radical ortilo-
doxy. for they are as jealous in prac-
tical work as they are in expression of
opinion. Who can tell. therefore, OF the
results that may possibly come, or ex-
actly where the new orthodoxy may
stop in its intellectual development? 1t
really seems to me that liberalism must
prepare fer a quicker movement ana a
longer stride If it shall keep up .i.h
this march of progress herein plainly
indicated.
And then when we pass from this
world OF ideas and care 10 the worlfiuf
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