The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-14

The Congregational Board Of Missions
has voted by a large majority In favor o.
Offering to the Rev. Mr.. MOVES an appoint
ment as missionary to Japan. but at the
same time 1t has taken the precaution oil
avoiding any responsibility for the doc.
| trine OF future probation. which has been
| the sole cause OF the discussion concerning
his fitness to teach religion and theology
to the Japanese.
Mr. MOVES thinks that the doctrine Of the
damnation OF the heather because they do
not believe in CHRIST. Is grossly inconsist-
ent with Divine justice. He resents such
treatment OF them as unfair. asking how
can they be culpable for not believing the
Gospel when they are ignorant OF it2 The
thought that the vast majority OF mankind
now and in all times past were doomed to
everlasting torment by the Divine master.
before all time, Is revolving to him. Heis not
made of the stuff which enabled JONATHAN
EDWARDS to rejoice In the conviction that
thus the Justice Of the Supreme Ruler
would be satisfied and indicated. The
more general the torture. the more the alb
solute power OF Cop Is displayed, he argued.
and hence the more terrible the wholesome
fear OF the wrath to come. II hell were not
so horrible the disobedience to the will of
GOD would be greater. he thought. People
In his congregations tainted when he pic
tured the horrors of the lake Of fire.
and solemnly declared the probability that
some OF them would be undergoing its tor
lures before another day. Whether o mil
lion or o million million people went to hell
seemed to him Of insignificance as COM
pared with the necessity Of the logical ex-
ecution OF the Divine will.
Mr.. MOVES cannot stomach that doctrine.
though it Is q legitimate conclusion Of Cal
vinism. At any rate. he thinks the heather
should be excluded from its operation.
Hence his tenderness has suggested that
because they do not know Of CHRIST here
they will have the chance to learn Of Him
hereafter through heavenly instruction.
II this theory be sound. Of course the mo-
tive for efforts to convert the heather to
CHRIST on earth is destroyed. The propa-
cation Of the Christian faith among them
by human missionaries is not necessary to
their salvation. If in future probation they
will learn heavenly doctrine from angelic
teachers; and hence there Is no long
er any imperative need OF mis-
sionary society. 1t may servo the ends
of temporal philanthropy and infuse
a better spirit into heather civiliza-
ton. but 1t is not essential to save the
heather from everlasting damnation: and
only belief in that necessity has induced the
self-sacrlace which has expressed itself In
the construction and organization OF vast
missionary machinery. and the enormous
contributions OF money and religious zeal
for its maintenance.
If. then. tho view OF Mr.. MOVES becomes
generally accepted. the time will have
come when the Congregational Mission
Board may as we'll begin to wind up its
affairs. Undoubtedly 1t can last for consid-
erablo time yet. going ahead with the mo-
mentum it already has. but when the congre-
cations are finally imbued with the convic-
ton that the heather will not be in any dan
ger Of going to hell. even II unconverted to
Christianity In this life. the sources Of the
supply Of money and zeal for missionary
will dry up. Accordingly. this
Board accepts Mr.. MOVES. but lodges re-
sponsibility for his doctrine. He Is to be
allowed to teach the heather that they will |
have future probation. but the organiza-
ton which sends him to Japan will not take |
the risk Of teaching that doctrine to Chris |