BAPTIST CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 9

BAPTIST CONGRESS.

INTELLECTUAL ASSENT-'TO THE,' EVANGELICAL FAITH. .. ■•:'■■, : At the Baptist Consress held in London oaily in October the Rev. Newton H< Marshall (London) gavo an address on " Intellectual Assent b the Evangelical Faith." He said the history of civilisation hardly snpplicd a parallel to the immense influx of new ideas and the expnlskmof old ones in the present era. The Reformation formed the classic instance, ofi revolution in thought and belief, but it seemed that that revolution was hardly as complete as that now proceeding. There had been a complete revolution in the conception of nature. Natural science had taken its plnco definitely in, the world of thought.; One outcomb of this had been the popularisation of the doctrine of evolution, a doctrine which had in a subtle way paralysed many notions .which Christian theology had been in tlio habit of using. Another outcome had been the establishment as a method of thought of what was called the scientific method. Alonssidfl ; of these,', and largely influenced by'! them, Biblical criticism had i. taken its place. There had.also been,an extraordinary change in our way of treating other religions, and we could no longer pet rid of them by- simply labelling them as false. We had to recogniso some l elements of truth in them and to inquire how those elements arose,-and also to see that some of them had contributed to. Christian the-', ology,\ itself. Further, there had,:been an emorgence of a new set of philosophers, and if evangelical faith was to win the assent'of the intellect to-day she must show that sho could live on some sort of terras with these new factors, as with, the Logos idea, Roman Law, and the Renaissance.

New Ministerial Scheme. : ". The Rev. W.; G, Greenhongh, of Dunton Bassett, made, a - statement with' regard to ' the scheme of .ministerial settlement, sustentation, and: collegiate training. The scheme provides an adequate minimum stipend-for. each minister, .viz., for an unmarried man XIOO-.-to .£l2O per , annum, and for a married man <£120 to i£lso per annum. They had every reason to, be gratified for. tho response given^to, the ■ scheme by'associations, the majority'of .which, including some of the most-important,, had accepted its general principles. Others, had given most sympathetic and., favourable. consideration ,to it. ...Many of the , most .prominent; laymen had pronounced.,very strongly in favour-' of the scheme. ; . , ■ '.: .'. '-. • .. - -"... > ;.; : Dα , ..- Glover, of Bristol, said -he objected ,to any scheme which would split the Baptist '"Union, into two parts.. This scheme,' he was afraid, would have this.unfortunate result. It would mean ■ weakening of democratic. theory; The machinery, he submitted, was cumbrous and impracticable, and would be unworkable. . The Rev. J.: Logan, of AccringtoUj expressed' the belief that, the scheme would cause a split in the'union. ' . . " .■ ' v. ■ ■■.;.■■; ■-. Sir George.' iWhite, .of" Norwich,! thoughtthe..eohenie .was not properly, /understood ■;by sohie.; •' ."-.." i . .. x ' ,;' ."I , ; , ;,:;;,. ■:*■ ;. No'resolution; was proposed.. '.....,; * --: