New-York tribune., 1900-04-30
CUTTING THE NERVE OF MISSIONS
THE REV. DIR. JOSEPH COOK ON PROFESSOR
PARKS PREDICTION-THE BELIEF IN
PROBATION AFTER DEATH
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The American Board keeps step with its
sister missionary organizations throughout the
world II is fnjUriously inaccurate 10 state, as
two or three New-York journals have done. that
believers and disbelievers in the doctrine OF
hypothesis OF probation after death are equally
acceptable TO the American Board as candidates
for the positions Of missionaries. It was Profess
sor Park who predicted in a speech az the Port
land meeting OF the Board that a shiIly-shally
eschatology, 1T once unscientifc and unscriptural
Of unsound teaching as 70 Judgment 70 come
would cut the nerve Of missions The American
Board has never committed itself to such teach
ing. nor has any other evangelical missionary
organization done After discussions renewed
at several of it's annual meetings-and some Of
them. like what was called The Great Debate"
at Des Moines. Iowa, attracting National atten-
tion-the American Board by great and decisive-
majorities repeatedly instructed its Prudential
Committee avoid in the appointment OF mis-
siOnares "an comr1ittal of the Board 70 the doc
trine or hypothesis OF probation after death" Re
newing with signal care these instructions % It's
committee TO appointments OF missionaries,
the American Board in its meeting at Worcester.
Mass. in 1898. and in spite OF many protests.
permitted a single candidate. who held with
some ambiguity the disCredited and misleading
views to enter its service as an experiment
viously been supported Independently by single
church its individual missionary. The
experiment proved most unsuccessful, as had
been anticipated by the sober sentiment or
evangelical churches Of all denominations After
a short trial the missionary of the new views
voluntarily aba andoned his uniting appointment
He returned to America. not for any reasons OF
health or business. but, according 70 his own
statement solely because his views in theology
had become such as to unfit him for work
missionary Of the American Board. The pTact'-
cal unity of the Board within itself and its spir-
itual harmony with the whole evangelical world
are now more carefully guarded because or this
one i'll Omened collapse.
As TO the views held by Professor Park and
evangelical teachers general the truths
ly and important, not TO say strategic in view
OF the newspaper discussions now current. 70 call
attention to Professor Parks Declaration OF
Faith drawn up in 1884. and now published
his in the valuable and attractive pamphlet en-
titled Professor Park and His Pupils, issued
in -3oston in 1899 One hundred and more ae-
COrdant signatures of men Of UnqussliOned
weight and influential position in the Con
greSat1onal and Presbyterian churches have
been added to this now historic document The
passages in it on inspiration. the Deity OF our
Lord, the AtOnement. the Holy Spirit, the Sec
uIar duties OF Christians. etc. are all of great
interest, when il is remembered what and how
many representative men support them but the
following article OF faith Judgment 70 come
should be quoted in full a sign of the times
in responsible circles Of theological and religious
teachers:
We believe that. in His adorable wisdom
moral Ruler has attached an inestiTna bic impOr-
tarce TO our life on earth; that all men who
in this life repent OF sin viii. at their DEATH
enter course Of perfect and unending hOli-
ness; that all who throughout the present life
remain impenitent sinners viii remain for
ever: that both the just and the unjust VIII be
raised from death at the last day, viii stand
before the judgment seat OF Christ. and viii
ceive from Him their awards according TO the
deeds done in the body that the wicked viii
go away into endless punishment, but the right
eOus into endless life
Among the signatures appended TO this state
ment of faith those of DR. R :. StOrrS. for
uler president of the American Board; DR.. Jud-
Smith. o. it's chief present secretaries.
Dr.. Theodore L CUyIer, Dr. T De Witt Talmage,
Professor HerriCk Johnson. Dr. T. z. Clark
Professors G.. y. Boardnan CT. Frederick Wright.
@. X. Mclean. F. W Fisk. Drs. Behrends, Pente-
cost, Gregg. Webb Stinson WithrOw. Goodwin.
Mears. Plumb, Cyrus Hamlin, Ives. J. E Rankin
and scores of others. JOSEPH COOK
Boston, April -. 1900.