Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-08-04
a Sign of the Times.

III JUNE ol JllS year 70 toulpduN Oh lnln-
listers of kindred spirit, but representing
different phases of the religious and the
illogical thought of the time, held ''re-
treat at Grinnell, Ia, in one of tile build
ings of Iowa college, the use of which was
rendered by the president of the college
for that purpose. The gathering was not
for the purpose of theological discussion,
but for communion on high themes and t1
cultivate good fellowship, somewhat after
the manner of the retreats of the Ro-
man Catholic and Episcopal clergy. In
the last number of the Chicago Advance
Rev. Joseph Hayes Chandler, son of the
late Rev. Joseph Chandler, formerly of
| West Brattleboro. writes upon the gathering
as "a sign of the times"
at was a small gathering-41S men in all
in a small towr i'm central Iowa but in sever
al particulars it is of unique and exceptional
interest. The retreat idea-outside the
Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches
is something new in this country; but is
worthy of Introduction and reproduction.
The increase in late years of ecclesiastical
machinery in every church, and the multi
pication of public conventions makes
more necessary for the tired and over-driv-
en- pastor an opportunity to 90 apart into
quiet place, and rest, and think, and
pray. DR.. George d. Heron, the newly
elected professor of Applied Christianity
in Iowa college, opened such opportunity
to some % men whom he invited to meet
with him this year at Grinnell. and was
not only host but devotional leader. In
the whole matter he was earnestly support
ed by President Gates.
1T is something significant that num-
Der of busy congregational ministers came
together in retreat: but more significant
that when together they had little or moth
ing to say about theology as the term is
commonly understood. In this time of
heated theological debate these men STAYED
together for nine days without engaging in
a single divsive theological discussion.
The gathering was not one of party, as
lines are commonly drawn. Some would
be ranked as conservatives, some new the
olOgy men; one, Rev. :. NJ. Crothers of
St. Paul, is Unitarian: and there was no
conscious avoidance of any burning ques-
ton, but rather the most perfect freedom
of debate: but there was unbroken unity in
the company because these men. each in
his own way. had reached that conception
of Christian doctrine wherein lies the
peace of the church.
"Mr Theodore F. Seward, founder of
the Brotherhood of Christianity, the lay
member of the circle, stated that he had
long considered that systematic theology
was the cause of division in the churches,
but that in this company OF men he could
not find even the ghosts of the old systems.
1t is true that all alike, conservatives and
progressves, seemed to have forgotten
their systems in trying to apply a few
great common truths to the life of today.
"How TO believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ in a more practical way, how to live
according to the Sermon on the Mount
how TO deny ourselves at the daily round
and common task, how to he our brothers
keeper ia the name of Christ on the lonely
prairie and in the crowded tenement house
these practical problems pressed so urg-
emily for answer that there was no time or
interest for controversial dogmatics. Dr.
Josiah Strong in two papers showed that
the service of God was the service of man,
and pointed the way to a better service
Prof. Graham Taylor of Chicago brought
his experience in the distinct work of
evangelization in the city and his kidding
enthusiasm of devotion; Rev. John p.
Coyle of North Adams spoke of the church
and the social problem; and DR. Heron
spoke several times of the problem of labor
and capital.
"This is simply by way of illustration of
the kind of topics discussed. Is this a
sign that the church is moving out of the
realm of speculative theology into more
ethical, practical and, may add, primitive
form of faith? If so, then we may have
some ground for believing that the peace
of the church is not far off, and for pre-
dieting how it will come about /
have attempted no description of the
meeting, nor made allusiOn to those at
tending, except incidentally. This is not
my purpose. | do not care to raise the
question of great themes or great men,
but simply What does such a gathering
indicate as to the future of the church?
No one who attended the retreat feels that
he has done or is doing anything to work
a change, but, as a Wisconsin pastor, John
Fayille of Appleton, said: The wind has
changed; we have not changed it, but we
see that it is time to trim the sails
"If one should read the nine-days' pro-
gram he might say with some justice,
These men are becoming secularized.'
Such a condition some fear will be the
death of spirituality. | close with one
simple word of testimony: There is some
thing in the pressure of these problems
when men grapple them in a Christian
spirit, and as the ministers of the ever
lasting gospel, which drives them to their
knees and compels them to seek anew
power from on high l have never been
with any company of men under any cir
cumstances of religious work more fervent
or frequent in prayer"
Mr.. Chandler's article gives the meeting
a certain local interest, and it having been
written of in this public way it is not out
of place to add paragraph about it from