::R2895 : page 330::

“SPEAKING PERVERSE THINGS”

TO WHAT ABSURDITY, yea blasphemy, men will sometimes go in their endeavor to say something “new” that will bring them into prominence before the public. The following utterance of a Brooklyn preacher deserves first place in this unsavory list. The pity is that his congregation and the public press put themselves on his low plane as respects spiritual things. What could be thought of Dr. Hillis’ claim to believe in the vicarious atonement of Christ for the sins of the world, after we know his general view of the subject of atonement and entering the holy of holies as expressed in the following clipping. The gentleman’s erudition is so highly esteemed among men that he is decreed a “Doctor of Divinity;” but it has utterly unfitted him to be a minister of the gospel of Christ—a declarer of the only name given under heaven and among men whereby we must be saved, and of the only vicarious sin offering, of the only and great High Priest, who has entered the holy of holies by virtue of his own sacrifice finished at Calvary and which alone has merit before God for the forgiveness of sins.

SLAIN FOR THE NATION’S SINS

New York, Sept. 19.—The Rev. Newell Dwight Hillis spoke this morning at the memorial services in Plymouth church, Brooklyn. He said in part:

“Among the heroes and martyrs who have died vicariously let us make a large place for our slain leader. In the highest sense, the president has now entered into the holy of holies, bearing the sins of his people with him. Reverently we confess that he was wounded for our transgressions and he was bruised for our iniquities.

“With sorrow and shame, we hear and now confess that for our transgressions he was stricken. But we remember that the angel of martyrdom and the angel of immortality are twin brothers. Perhaps the death of our president has shocked the people into the consciousness of their sins. Perhaps his blood will cleanse away the people’s transgressions. If today, assembled in church and hall, the people register a vow that they will strengthen the home, the school, the press and the church, through wise legislation and noble precept, expel anarchy, lawlessness, injustice, class hatred from the land, our martyred president will not have died in vain. Then, verily, he will have slain more in his death than in his life.”

====================

— October 15, 1901 —