The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-29

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| The Old Testament is therefore a fitting
substructure for the New wherein such great
| figures as John and Paul appear, carrying for
ward with "A subtle. spiritual insight, specially
| impaired, the record OF Gods revelation In
| His Son. John himself was the author OF the
| book bearing his name. and we have therein
| and Ia the synoptists substantially correct
| account OF our Lords earthly ministry. The
| Gospel narratives were made up early. with
| out large mixture of error or legend. and are
a safe guide for common souls. The same
| high character Is maintained TO the end OF the
| New Testament.
| The Lord Jesus Christ Is revealed as
the Son, supernaturally conceived, of
Mary, and declared TO be the Son OF
God with power. His unity with the
Father is so close that personality is an
inadequate predicate of it, and we have no
satisfactory term by which TO designate IL.
| The unity Is too close TO admit the CONNER
cial theory of the atonement. Yet there Is
vicarious atonement, aud moral influence Is
too feeble a term to include the entire glory
| Of the New Testament theology. The unity
| OF Christ with God is so close that there Is
mystery arising thence in the atonement.
| The spirit of God also bears the attributes
| of personality, and ths term Trinity is legitI-
mate.
God is behind the free will of man in such
manner that we may sometimes be unable TO
say whether we act by suggestion or by origi-
nal voltion. Nevertheless. many real choices
are open to US, and sin is always n choice.
There was originally a righteousness i'm
| planted In man, in which he was capable Of
continuing. BY his own choice he became a
sinner. From this fatal condition God seeks
to rescue men, appealing TO them through
various channels, II, haply, they may repent
and turn to God, who is rich in mercy, and not
willing that any should perish. IL is through
| the divine favor that we are permitted to ex-
| ercise faith. God has made it possible for us
| 10 doubt, that we may have the JOY of reject
| ing doubts. The process of revelation contin-
ues until at last IL will be impossible to doubt.
| The highest expression of redeeming love ap-
| pears in Christ Who is very God of very God.
| He suffered on our behalf. His suffering hav-
| ing power of redemption in proportion TO
| His greatness. BY Him we have redemption
through His blood, that is His life; neither is
there salvation IN any other. The Pauline
conception of the atonement is the same as
that Of John, We accept IT without qualif-
cation.
| BY acceptance OF Christ we enter upon the
| eternal life our sins are forgiven and we be-
gin n spiritual development, the limit Of
| which we do not know-if indeed IL has a
| limit, but we know that God has still better
| things for US, and pass from glory to
| glory. We are baptized outward sym
| Dol of nm inward cleansing, and we partake of
the Lords supper in devout memory Of Him
| whom we expect from Heaven.
| We believe in the final triumph of righteous
ness and in the coming reign of peace and joy
4 In. ha II,I,
means TO that end, for which we ever pray.
we associate ourselves in the church. The
vigorous presentation of Christ as a saviour
from sin. and the active propagation of His
teachings are imperative obligations The in
tensity of those who must early render
an account ought to characterize all
Christians, and greater stress ought to
| be laid on the evangelization of
our brothers. The large success which usually
attends the persistent presentation of the
| Gospel both publicly and privately, induces
the belief that this duty must be more deeply
| felt and more sedulously practced, IL Chris
| tianity is 10 make material advances.
The solemn warning of our Saviour calling
TO immediate repentance; and the silence OF
| the Bible as TO any future opportunity TO re-
| trieve bad present life emphasizes the duty
last mentioned. True, the Lord is rich in mercy
| and the "love of God is broader than the
| measure of mans mind" The preaching and
| tie doctrines of the past may have included
| in unwarranted wholesale condemnation
| those who sit ia darkness and tho shadow Of
| death. Nevertheless, this is the life of test,
! and as we understand the purpose of God, He
will will judge men according to their light
and according to their deeds done In the body.
The Congregational branch of the church
affords convenient organization suited TO
the genius Of Americanism. 1t is elastic yet
firm. We believe IL TO be as devoted as any
to the faith once delivered to the saints. Its
coercive influences are perhaps strong enough
aud il is well fitted TO develop individual
Christians.
am not conscious of holding any strange
or peculiar views at variance with the creed
of this church, or with the creed of 1883. l
make this statement brief and simple because
have nothing new to declare and nothing
extreme to maintain. The nature of my
work has compelled me to be practical In my
theology. and has afforded sadly limited OPP
portunities for discursive reading.
This is simple, frank, eloquent docu-
ment, demonstrating faith in Christian
ity and confidence in the tenets of Con-
gregationalism as a media for the teach
ing of spiritual things and the
leading of men to God. 1t
dscloses minister of broad, yet
conservative spirit, strong in the faith Of
his church, tolerant Of all other beliefs.
1t is interesting as showing Us in exact
terms what Congregationalism means
and stands for In 1s95-we presume it is
the same in general terms as Congrega-
tionalism has always stood for, only
illumined and interpreted by young
minister whose faith is essentially part
of his work and whose work recognizes
divinity in the humblest affairs of men.
We welcome the Rev. WALLACE
NUTTING as one Of our fellow citizens.
We have no call to speak especially for
the fraternity Of high minded, patriotic,