The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-03

This smart paragraph is from the Spring
field Republican. a newspaper Of the int.
Eior of Massachusetts,:
"The allwise Nrw YoRx sry has with its usual acu
mon aud ardor struck the core OF Congregation sm
1t describes the Rev. W. II. Morris. the missionary
the Berkeley Church of Boston in Japan, as repu
dated by the Church. Passing the con
hctinE fact that there has been any CongreKa
tionai Church but only Congregational churches pass
ing the other conflicting fact that the Congregational
churches make no sort OF objection to Mr. NorEs !,
remains to DO said that THr Sun 10 substantially cor
rect The American Board of Commissioners for For
eign Missions has repudiated the Rev. Mr. NoIEs and
II is thus established that the American Board 10 the
Congregational Church"
The Sun has given no occasion for such a
display Of Yankee impudence. The para
graph is based on falsehood. The sun has
not described the Rev. Mr.. MOVES as "repu-
dated by the Congregational Church" be-
cause he rejects the doctrine OF wholesale
heather damnation. 1t has merely stated
the fact that the Missionary Board Of the
Congregationalists cannot take him into its
service as a missionary to the Japanese
heather without upsetting the theory on
which it was founded. and on which it has
been supported.
That is all The Sun said. 1t said nothing
about the Congregational Church. but re-
ferred specifically to the voluntary Mission
airy Board. from which Mr.. NoYEs's friends
desire that he shall receive a commission to
preach to the heather SO that they can be
saved by passing through u second and fu-
ture probation.
or course. there Is no such organization
as the Congregational Church. any more
thA,-a TO- ttakT
principle OF Congregationalism. wherever
followed. there can be only collection of
churches. each making its own covenant
OF faith and regulating Its own worship.
The Unitarians and the Universalists are
as much congregationalists as the body OF
believers or doubters which bears the name
distinctively. When CLAIMING led the way
into Unitarianism eighty years ago. Con-
gregationalist churches followed by simply
changing their declaration OF faith. ac-
cording to their right under tho sys-
tenn. Any OF them now Is at liberty
to 20 over to Universalism with Mr.
MOVES. without consulting anything except
its own conscience. 1t Is not subject to any
central authority, but is a church OF itself
and sufficient to itself, and the rest OF the
dstinctively Congregational churches can
do as they please about fellowship with it.
as a general term. does
not describe system Of theology. but a
method Of church order and government:
Some Congregationalists believe in the
Trinity. and others don't. Some believe in
the Divinity of JESUS. and others don't.
Some believe In infant baptism. and others
denounce the practice as u pagan inheri-
holt t.. LoII
reject everlasting torment with loathing
and horror. Congregationalism affords
free field.
Like the Baptists. however. the churches
known more specifically rs Congregational
list arc Calvinistic in doctrine. or. at least,
they were 80 originally and until very
recent period. At present it Is not pos
sible to tell where some OF them stand in re-
atty. though their formal articles OF church
belief are left unchanged. SO far rs they
unite at all for general purposes. their
union, like that OF the Baptists, is volun-
tary and individual association for the
support of missionary and other organiza-
tions for religious propagation: and chief
among their agencies is the American Board
Of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, as
1t Is called. This society was founded, and
1t has been maintained for the conversion OF
the heather to Christianity as the sole
means OF saving them from everlasting tor
ment. according to Calvinistic doctrine Its
existence has furnished practical evidence
OF the strength and sincerity OF that belief
among the Congregationalists.
Hence when proposition was made that
this society should give up that belief and