Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-28
Missionary Views
On Religious Dispute
Of Church Groups

Newport News, Feb. 2i-IaklhS
notice of the religious controversy
between fundamentalists and mod
ernists, the report of the committee
on foreign missions of the Presby-
terrain World Alliance, presented to
the alliance today, examines the
problem from the missionary stand
point to determine how far Co
operative movements among inter-
UNCONVENTIONAL missions "can be sal
vaged from the wreck"
The report, submitted by the Rev.
DIR. L. J.. Mckay of Toronto. secre-
tary of the Board of foreign missions
of the Presbyterian church in Can
ada, referred to the war of the
churches that was being staged in
the press these days" declaring that
the atmosphere is charged with re-
ligious controversy" 1t continued:
"Fundamentalists and mordernists
at home and abroad have drawn
swords, and it is a war to the death.
No compromise is the battle cry,
and it is heard in practically every
land where Christianity is taught
and Christian, work being done. In
China, Bible Union has been Or
ganized in defense of the faith and
has in three years grown from 400
to 1900 in numbers. Its doctrinal
basis embraces all the doctrines in
Guided in the Apostles creed and
more. and many are prepared to
sacrifice cooperation and fellowship
with any and all who cannot sub
scribe to their doctrinal statements.
Others, however, repudiate the
thought of separation, claiming it
to be the mission to purge the church
from within and not to abandon her
to the uncircumcised and unclean.
"NoderniStS. on the other hand,
are ,1ually pronounced. and perhaps
it may be said equally intolerant.
They stand for liberty of thought
without regard to ecclesiastical obli-
cations. Their frequent claims to
superior intelligence cannot always
be charged with too great modesty.
1T is not the intention here to at
tempt adjucation or reconciliation.
From the missionary standpoint our
problem is to ascertain whether
cleavage is necessary or avoidable,
and to determine how far, in either
case, cooperative movements, de-
veloped so largely in recent years
and to so great advantages, can be
salvaeed from the wreck
The report then referred to two
papers read on this subject at the
Oxford meeting of the international
eAlHance last summer, one by Dr.
Robert +. Spenr of the PRESBYTERIAN
church in the United States and the
other by DR.. T.. j. Palmer, Bishop of
Bombay. Summarizing these papers,
the report quotes passages from the
New Testament to show that that
If II.
spirit of tolerance and brotherly
love-" and adds. still referring TO the
addresses of DR.. Speer and Bishop
Palmer; These and similar scrip
lures are not adduced to prove that
men should not contend for what
they believe to he the essential truth.
but rather that the cultivation of
this spirit would remove asperities
and make it possible to appreciate
/ each others view point. and help in
finding the truth which lies some
where between the extremes"
Despite doctrinal differences mis-
sionary cooperation among the de-
nominations can accomplish, in the
opinion of the ecclesiastiss quoted.
much in such matters as cduca ton
ana the stamping out of the dope
menace"
"On the other hand" continued the
report, 1T is easy to give instances in
which doctrinal differences make CO.
operation impossible. such. for exam
pie. as theological education in the
larger and truer sense. There Is a
vast era of academic teaching in the
theological field. such as the history
OF doctrine. forms of worship. church
history and organization, that are a
common possession and upon which
the ministry should be informed and
might we'll be taught comparatively.
Yet in differences so great. eg., as to
the value of the sacraments-that
might We'll make cooperation impos-
sihle 80
Finally. as TO the further question
whether there Is any doctrine so CEN
trail as to preclude the possibility, of
cooperation, the answer is that all
Christian missionary effort is an at
tempt to present Christ as the final
revelation of God. To cooper-
ate with any who definitely deny that
Jesus is God is to abandon the CEN