The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-24
NEW THEOLOGY.
DIR. Lyman Abbott says that He Ha
Changed His Views.


Changed His Views
The Rev DR.. Lyman Abbott gave re-
view OF his own personal religious eX-
perience as touching the general changes
In theology during his ten years pas
torate OF Plymouth church, Brooklyn,
just drawn 20 a close, IA his sermon yes
terday morning.
I'VE are all conscious" said DR.. AO-
bolt, that the Church is passing through
a theological change. some OF US are
glad, some sorry; some think The change
is away from the Church, others that
tho change Is toward deeper spirit OF
religion. To me the latter seems tho
truth.
THE radical change which has taken
place I'm my own theological views Is
change common 20 many and ! propose
20 interpret the changes which have
taken place In the last thirty or forty
years by Interpreting the change In my
own thought and feeling.
LAS | look back my conception Of the
oogy was something like this: / thought
there was a good GOD al the centre or
the universe, and that He dwolt on a
great white throne surrounded by His
angels, who were also His messengers;
that from time 20 time lie made worlds.
ana III ono OF NA'rf NliiiNn maui NNlta
world as an engineer makes an engine.
regulating a., 10 setting us forces 20
work and ruling them as lie made this
world. so He made the world of men
and ruled them as a king over men,
establishing law. and penalty as neces.
sty of law.
"As men violated this law he sent III
Son into the world 90 bear the penalty
and SO God became free 20 set aside the
penalty and let men 20 free. something
like this was my thought Of God. as
one who made the world, and interiored
with and regulated 10 as one who could
interfere and regulate
II also believed in special providence
continued Or. Abbott land that FOR one
who lived a righteous life the past was
forgotten and ohliterated. and / hoped
for final delivorance beyond the grave
from penalties justly and deservcdly IN
CURED this side the grave.
"My experience has been the experience
of many, and is still the experience OF
some to-day. 1t is a mistake 20 think
this change is minor or unimpor'ant'
stin greater mistake 10 attack the faith
which we believe we have outgrown.
Il respect it. although Z myself hold DO
no more. / think of God not as one
dwelling apart from nature but in ma
ture its indwelling force. There is only
one law and force-God.
There are no vital energies. no great
first cause. but one great underlying
cause. There is no longer radical dis
tinction between the natural and super
natural: the natural is supernatural, ard
the supernatural is natural. l have come
TO think Of the creation. not as some
thing God did once I'm six years. or in
5000 or 100000 years. but as continuous
process.
Every spring IS a new creation. The
flowers that doomed IN Eden were noe
more created by the fiat OF Jehovah. than
those on this pulpit II your soul leaves
the body. the body crumbles and dies. 30
II God were withdrawn from the uni-
verse Il would become dust
"As I think Of God as universally and
continually creating. so / think of Him
as not ruling over creatures. but in them.
Men say this is Pantheism. but 10 is not.
The difference between saying God is the
all. and that He Is IN ell Is wide enough
for everybody 20 see. So 1 don't believe
I'm special providence. or rather special
providence is a general providence for
special things. All providence IS special.
all providence is general.
Il no longer look back for evidence ot
God in history. / believe lie was in his
tory, but 1 look about 10 see Him in his
tory now He was always I'm history, but
not more truly guiding Moses than that
other great statesman. Gladstone Tho
difference between the Bible and other
histories Is that men could see God then.
Now they seem 90 be blind II those old
records told OF battle between the ships
of Israel and pagan ships when not
ship was sunk nor "a life lost, there would
not be "a skeptic on the face OF the globe
who would not point the finger OF scorn.
To-day everybody believes IL: they are
even beginning to believe II in Spain.
so q miracle IS not a manifestation ot
extraordinary but ordinary power" OBJ
served DR. Abbott Tomorrow you may
hear this called new theology, but 10 i5
as old as ST. Augustine"
Summing up IN conclusion Or. Abbott
said Forgiveness is no mores the Re-
mission OF penalty. but taking away sin.
Christ IS the condition OF salvation. be-
cause Christ is God coming into human
life. Incarnation is no longer an episode
standing by itself. little by iitt'e Cod
made Himself known 20 men until az last
He came into one Incompatible lie.
II no longer look forward % a great day
OF resurrection. We are all In processes
OF resurrection. Death goes from the
cradle TO the grave. and resurrection goes
along with it."-New York Herald.