The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-10
CONFERENCE
ON GOSPEL
OF JOHN.

The nth conference on the Gospel OF
John vas held today. at the Central Bap
tlst church weybosset street and there
was an encouragingly large and deeply
Interested congregation present when the
morning session commenced at 10 O'CLOCK.
Represert clergymen and learned
theological professors OF city and state
and throughout New England lent their
presence. ss well as pulpit eloquence and
the proceedings opened with congrega-
tional singing Of Nearer My God TO
Thee" followed by prayers by Rev. Frank
Rector. pastor OF the First Baptist church,
Pawtucket
Rev. John A. Brown. pastor Of the
church. then s0~and. as presiding OF
hcer, introduced the first speaker. Rev
Irof. Alfred Williams Anthony, ID. D., OF
Cobb Divinity school. Of Lewiston. Me.
He Is native OF Providence and an
alumnus OF Brown of the class OF looS.
His subject was Mysticism In the Four
teenih, Fifteenth and sixteenth Chap
ters OF the Fourth Gospel" and synop-
sis OF his clear cut. convincing address
lasting fully an hour. followsi
Mysticism has included In the past many
strange vagar1es OF religious thought and
| feeling IL may be defined as the direct
| cognftion OF spiritual verities without the
Intervention OF the senses on the one
| hand, or of logical processes OF reason
| ing on the other. These chapters gave a
| mystic message to the apostles who en-
tertained a sensuous idea OF the Messiah
and his work. They expected the mes
sianic kingdom 10 be a temporal political
| kingdom: and when he foretold tne De-
| travail. Peters denial and his departure,
the disciples were discouraged.
Jesus assures them that they may be-
lieve In him as much as I'm God, While
ha goes I'm the flesh, yet he stays IN the
| spirit: he and the Father are one By
his departure in the flesh he prepares
for them the abiding place In mystic union
with God Love is the projection or sen
toward another being; obedience Is the
surrender OF self 10 another being; and.
through the outgoing 10, and the incoming
OF. another being a mystic union results
The Holy Spirit seems TO be the name or
God in this mystic relation with tue dis-
ciples.
This appears TO be the teaching of Jesus
and not OF John, because the description
here given or Thomas and Philip are like
those given in other places and probably
the main feature would be as true as the
minor details the synoptic gospels have
also mystical elements, blessed are the
pure In heart, for they shall see GOD.
'.Inasmuch az ye have done II unto one Oh
the least OF these. my brethren, ye have
]
the days, even unto the end or the
world" throughout all the gospels the
special message of Jesus is the hmme-
date presence OF God
Such mysticism is needed by our day
because OF prevalent commercialism; We
need to see the invisible and appreciate
real, though unseen. values; transitions
in church and theology are approaching
the mysticism OF these chapters. the rec
ognition OF an imminent God with rev
: elation I'm man and In nature. God who
is not far from every one OF US, "in whom
we live and move and have our being"
The second speaker was Rev. Charles
, M Melden, Phi. D., ID. d, pastor or the
Mathewson street Methodist Episcopa'
church and his theme was The Works
of jesus III. Judgment, John .. lie
dwelt forcibly on the doctrine of genera
judgment which is In harmony with th'
entire teaching of the New Testament
Men who hear the voice OF Jesus and re
spond shall live, those who refuse to hea
shall abide in death.
The last speaker OF the morning SOS
sion was Rev. John Balcom Shaw. ID. ID.
pastor of the West End Presbyterian
church. New York city. and his them
was THE Secret of Jesus Life" Johl
n $50. He presented his subject mos
effectively and declared that man find
. his paradise when his will oenters In tn
e Divine Will and by ever keeping In viey
Q submission. obedience and alteration he !
sure TO be calm. brave and happy.
: At O'Clock recess was taken unit
a ONO o'clock, and at the afternoon sessio
!. the speakers were Rev. DIR. Scott of Wor
= cester and Rev Avery A. Shaw Of Brook
% line. Mass.
will be Prof. Anderson Of Newton. Mass
d Theological institution, and Rev; ID
a shaw, pastor OF fremont street Methods
n Episcopal church. Boston.