The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-02-19


that the belief OF Professor Mitchell VIII
have little effect upon Methodist doctrines
and upon the church. Rev Mr.. Dawes
disagrees entirely with the views OF Pro-
Fessor Mitchell and states his belief IN
unmistakable terms.
Ills communication follows:
The telegram containing statement
or the Views OF Professor r. " AIircba1
upon certain theological and Biblical ques-
llOns raises issues that cannot begin TO
pe discussed IN the space given me. At
the same time the statement itself is too
Drler to give fair ground for comment.
Frequently a fun and clear explanation
or ones meaning upon controverted points
would save endless discussion. So Tar az
1 can Judge. the professors views are
not new. buzz are the outcome Of certain
tendencies TO be seen in all evangelical
churches. This faction Of the Christian
church IS sometimes inclined TO mink
That il can 'reVOlutiOnize' the teachings
Of the various denominations. but il al
most invariably sights the profound
depths of feeling and thought upon which
they are founded.
Professor Mitchell IS accused OF teach
ing that belief in the deity of Christ
IS not necessary to salvation, and claims
that In this position ne has the support
Of John Wesley. Methodists do believe.
IN common with ali orthodox churches.
that Sc IS possible for 'Gentiles not hay
Ing law to be law unto themselves
that many OF those pure and noble spirits
which one has apply termed seekers after
God have been saved. Thus Wesley
expresses his belief that Marcus AureliuS.
the great Roman emperor and stoic phi
losopher. was among the number of the
redeemed. Every man who IS true 20 the
light lie has received IN life VIII not be
harshly adjudged and set aside 10y the
just judges OF All the earth. ami SO
MethOdists believe that many in Christian
lands who have not had real opportunity
to accept or reject Christ win be saved
by the power that dwellcth ia them. But
this is quite different from the broad
statement quoted above, Tor which no
one IL seems could have the tcmcTltv TO
quote john Wesley as authority His
followers insist that the power Of Christ
for salvation lies IN the fact OF His divine
nature and that one who hears OF Christ
cannot properly receive Him as Savior
who does not at the same time receive
Fi1 as the one in whom dwelleth all
the fUlness Of the godhead bodily that
he cannot be Savior unless lie be Cod
As practical proof of the necessity for
this position they point to those sects
which reject the divinity of Christ, which
almost invariably mimify the doctrine Of
sin and seek salvation apart from the
atonng efficacy Of Ills great sacrifice.
AGAIN. IL Is said that Professor Mitchell
belittles the significance Of the death Of
Christ, and he declares that he prefers
to speak OF salvation through Christ r1th-
er than to lay the whole stress on Ills
death, claiming that In this also he fol-
regard highly the value Of the active
ministry of Jesus. but as constituting His
fitness as q sacrifice for sin lie was Obe-
dent unto death. even tho death of the
cross Hence Methodism with every
great Christian body follows the apos-
tollc company IN stressng the death Of
Christ as the efficient means OF a wocld's
salvation. II breaches Christ and Him
crucifed With Paul ii believes that we
have redemption through His Blood and
with Peter that we are not redeemed
with corruptible things as Of silver and
gold from our vain conversation which We
had from our fathers. but by the precious
blood Of Christ
I'm lack of fuller information, Professor
AIitchell's references to the earlier chap
ters Of Genesis cannot be at all COM
mented on. The statement of his views
are I'm themselves vague and carry us
into a wide field Of discussion. ut
surely no one doubts that Methodism al
most as a unit stands by the Bible as the
revealed word of God. To the eve of
faith all parts of 1t are luminous with
divine meaning.
THE discussion and feeling thus arOus-
cd i'm the school of theology of Boston
university will not at all affect the Meth
odist church in the south with which Il
has no connection. nor will II permanently
affect the great church of which it IS
part. Methodism is evangelical TO the core
and cannot easily forget its sacred Eerit-
age Of $50 years -