SCOTTISH CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1289, 18 November 1911, Page 9

SCOTTISH CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

A THEOLOGICr, SURVEY, , Tho Kcnllisli Congregational Union held ils Autumnal Conference at Perth at tlio beginning of October. The reeepliou was followed by Divino scrvico in the cliiircli. 'I'he Itev. V. A. -Husscll, of Soulhporr, who came lo the. Scottish Couferenco as Hio special visitor from flic south, prenrhod, Iho sermon, which w<l s an unusually interesting ami mpgestive utteraneo on "Things Unseen and Ktcniii.l," based on Paul's words in II Corinthians iv IS. Mr. Russell spoke for thrcc-qiiartei's of an hour, and mndo no reference whatever to paper or noto of any kind, notwithstanding (hat phrases of line cut adorned the address in rich, almost reckless, profusion. It is long since such a distinctive sermon has been preached from tho platform of the Scottish Congregational Union. The .Sooftisii Coiiprregaiioiinl Ministers' Theological Symposium celebrated • its eomi-juWlcc simultaneously with tho e/Jiiferouco gatherings. Mr. Russell pivo an address appropriate to 'the occasion under (he fitie, "Tho Changes in tho Theological Outlook of tho Last Twontyh'vo Years." Mr. lfnse-t'll at the outset expressed his. obligation to the Symposium chiefly because its studies in Horner's "System of Christian Doctrine" heljiod to implant in the minds of ministers Oiu scientific end fruitful idea that the real mastery of a dogma lay in the critical and sympathetic study of the history of its evolution, and because* such shidj- opened up a largo stago of action in which (lie "Nays" counted for us much as the "Yeas," whether operating inside or outside tho Church. It lead to a Christian view of the European history. Such a view made ministers catholics and humanists. lie regarded the movement of the Old Testament criticism nnd reconstruction, as promoted by Professor A. B. Davidson, and completed by Professor Robertson Smith, Principal G. A. Smith, Professors Chcyno and Driver, and Professor Duff, ot (111' -Now College, Bradford, as tho createst contribution to theology during the la?t 25 years. It had recaptured for them the Old Testament, and had also taught thinkers to regard tho Incarnation as the result of a spiritual nnd evolutional process,' and not as a mechanical and arbifrary act. That was a gain to theology which was only beginning to be recognised. The living questions ot theology to-day centred' round the Person of Christ. That was due to tho splendid yeast of Ronan, Strauss, and others. How was Christ born? How did Hβ rise? Such questions would only be wisely handled bv a wise treatment' of the poetry of the New Testament. Host were convinced that Christ was born and did. rise, aud that the Holy Catholic Church was His greater Incarnation. Questions of criticism wero also They had to bo mastered. But it did not aifect the Church greatly. There, was a Church before there wero epistles or gospels; before there was a classic Christian literature, and the Church guaranteed the literature, not tho literature the Church. Of course, this was High Churchnianship. But High Churchmanship was in the. ascendancy among all true thinkers. Obscurantism nnd rationalism were discarded. It was the Church of clergy, sacraments, and the supernatural triumph of conversion that prevailed.