The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-13

3:I5 O'CLOCK.
THE BAPTISTS.
TOday'S Proceedings in
Their Big Congress.
Types OF Theology was the
Topic This Forenoon.
Rev. B. D. Hahn, P. A. NOrdell, DID,,
and Prof. M. G. Evans, Spoke.

A large audience was present at the
Central Baptist Church last evening TO
hear the second topic OF the Baptist
Congress, that DECENTRALIZATION in Zap
tist Polity' discussed. President An
drews introduced the Rev. j. L. Chris
tisn, ID. d., OF Kentucky, who delivered
an entertaining address in that pleasant
''blue grass" phraseology SO seldom
heard in New England. The gist OF his
remarks were to the effect that the entire
plan OF salvation should be toward the
development of the individual.
Rev. Cephas b. Crane, ID. d., Of Con-
cord, n. H., was the second speaker, and
addressed the meeting in an interesting
talk, putting particular stress upon the
connection OF the individual TO the local
church and the local church TO the sister
hood.
The last speaker, Rev. ID. w. Faunce,
~. d., Of Pawtucket, thought that a
fresh study OF the vital principles that
determine the Baptist polity would enable
one TO bett er discuss ~the.matter of GEN.
tralizstion in the churches. Even II 1t
were right TO surrender that polity, II
might he questioned whether such a sur
render would not be harmful in the end
TO a genuine Christian unit.
At the end OF DIR. Faupce's address free
discussion was called for and the follow
lnk lltIuCbN5O VI a. 1OhkANcN AN'ROhofas
Rev. Waiter RouscheD busch, Rev. Leigh
ton Williams and Rev. DIR. Gessler, all
Of New York.
ToDAY's SESSIONS.
AT the continuation OF the Congress
this forenoon Rev. j. X. Ever of the
Union Church; this city, led the meeting
in PRAYER.
Rev. b. ID. Hahn Of Springfield, Mass,
read a long and interesting article on
C%anonicity, in relation with this morn
ing's topic: "The Books OF the New
Testament in the Light of Modern Re-
search" showing that the historical
criticism of the Now Testament had mar
rowed down till there remains but 80 or
rs years at the conclusion Of the first and
b ginning OF the second centuries which
remain as the era Of profitable inyestiga-
ticn or reasonable dispute.
Special pains were taken TO show that
this portion of the history OF the Biblical
literature during this epoch had e d.
vided- into two periods OF the APP
ostolic Fathers and OF the Apolcg =.
Mr.. Hahn also showed deep iresearcu in
the handling and discussing of the
Fourth Gospel under the head of.''Types
of Theology" DIR. Z. A.. Nordell Of Bos-
ton made a mastery and exceedingly in
teresting article, an outline OF which is
as follows:
Il. Inc ttuCElnR OF our LOTu LTdusCtHuS
in an infinite measure those OF the great
est OF His followers. The latter, how
ever large their natural endowments, and
how ever Illuminated by the Holy Spirit,
betrsy on every hand their human limi-
tations.
2. The teachings OF our Lord constitute
the regulation norm by which the apos-
tolic teachings must be tested and their
value estimated. For, since the latter
contain a variety of ideas, due to the
writer's past training or present environ
mept, they become authoritative only TO
the degree that they truly represent the
mine of the Master.
3. The New Testament writer's erdeav-
ored to communicate faithfully the teach
ings OF Christ. They might report them
only in part, or miss their full signlh-
cance, or in view Of practical needs en-
phasize a particular side that had-to-he
supplemented by other presentations, but
that which they undertook to.report was
not conscientiously or arbitrarily altered.
a. Accordingly, the New Testament
writer's. each and all, may be said TO have
correctly. apprehended the material con-
tents of the Gospel, but in their formal
presentation of it's contents they vary from
simple germinal ideas in tho ore to
highly complex doctrinal Developments
in another. They give us an intirm Cos
pei in a diversity OF types.
b. This diversity OF types is conspicu-
Gus in the effort OF each writer to inter
pref In the lines of Christ that special re-
ligious problem which the eXigencies
OF the church forced upon his spiritual
consciousness. In the primitive apostolical
doctrine we have an effort to understand
Jesus US q Jewish Messiah, the realization
OF natural hopes and ideas; in the Paul
Inc soterialogy universal human sinful
ness finds its meaning IN the New Adam
NuIn did QtU0u tuttA tAa aVs 81 nFdInnnnaQ
that could only multiply transgressions,
and reveal a new righteousness OF God by
faith, available alike for Jew and Gen
tile; in the latter Pauline Chrlstclogy the
universe IL interpreted in the terms OF
the "Firstborn" OF ell creation, the pie
roma OF God, by whom and in whom
and for whom all things; i'm the epistle
10 the Hebrews the sacerdotai system OF
the Old Testament is explained in the
terms OF a High Priest, who Is both the
architype and autitype OF the Levitical
priesthood; the Apocalypse dramatizea
the churches conflicts and victories
which IL contemplates from the point
OF view OF the Living One, who bad the
keys of death and OF Hades; and finally
John would nave as understand the mys-
tical relation OF earthly symbols and
spiritual realities In tho light OF the
Logos who was with God from the first
and was God.
In all the books OF the New Testament
Jesus Christ Is the one central huminary
who shine as through the tinted glasses
-ef az Oriental laHtefH- m++h-aLxarletYn1
lights.
9. This diversity OF types and unity OF
substance was due 20 such differences OF
mental attitude and disposition as not
unfrequently carried their posspssor into
sympathy with opposite lines OF thought,
thereby giving rise TO apparent contra
dictions.
This is seen In the respective teach