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Sorry, I have not recorded this document yet.
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I talk about this a little on Fred's story page. The long typewritten statement may look intimidating, but it is not difficult to read. Give it a shot!
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DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
(a) I believe the Christian life to consist in the realization in one’s personal experience, according to his ability, of the religious experience enjoyed by Jesus Christ and the working out of this experience in a life of service to humanity. The origin of this life is the impregnation of the mind by the Holy Spitit [sic], making him a new creature conscious of a new (mystical) environment from which he begins to draw inspiration and strength. The beginning of this new consciousness is either sudden or more or less gradual. With it is a recognition of the lordship of Jesus.
My aim as a missionary will be to make the Spirit of Christ the dominating influence in the lives of men. I believe this aim to be defeated by a ministry that overemphasizes the material advantages of Christian civilization. Ministering to the physical needs of the sick is not in itself any more missionary work than ministering to the physical wants of the well. I would be unwilling to permit a division of labor whereby I should treat the body while a native evangelist harangued the waiting line of patients. My interest is personal and not merely professional.
(b) I accept in general the confession of faith of the Congregational Church. The appeal of Jesus to the conscience and faith of men is irresistible. He needs introduction and not defense or apology.
I regard the Bible as the literary masterpiece of the most gifted and most spiritual race. The portions that are historical are to be interpreted in the light of history, the scientific observations according to our knowledge science [sic], the doctrinal by its appeal to our reason, the poetical by its esthetical appeal, and the mystical by its appeal to our mysticism, its ethics by its appeal to our conscience. It furnishes us a standard for comparison of our religious experience with those of the prophets and early disciples of Christ.
(c) I hold no views that would prevent cordial cooperation with the missionaries of this Board. I hold my views as personal property satisfying the demands of my own reason and experience and of no value or use to anyone else. No man can formulate a creed that will entirely meet the requirements of another.
(d) I consider the non-Christian religions inadequate or detrimental to the highest development of character.
(e) I believe in the Congregational form of church government.
(f) I desire to serve as a foreign missionary because it offers the best opportunity for the full expression of the Christian faith in one of my particular temperament and talents.
(g) I regard hardship, suffering and peril as necessary to the full development of Christian character. Vicarious suffering is one of the characteristics of the Christian experience. “None of these things move me.”
(h) It is my desire to live and to die in Africa.
(i) I believe that the Golden Rule is applicable to missionaries. I shall give my associates credit for the same conscienciousness [sic] that I hope to receive from them.
(j) I can see no reason why I should not work cheerfully and happily under the American Board.
This was submitted to the A.B.C.F.M. as a candidate for commissioning in 1912. Fred Eicher Stokey
(a) I believe the Christian life to consist in the realization in one’s personal experience, according to his ability, of the religious experience enjoyed by Jesus Christ and the working out of this experience in a life of service to humanity. The origin of this life is the impregnation of the mind by the Holy Spitit [sic], making him a new creature conscious of a new (mystical) environment from which he begins to draw inspiration and strength. The beginning of this new consciousness is either sudden or more or less gradual. With it is a recognition of the lordship of Jesus.
My aim as a missionary will be to make the Spirit of Christ the dominating influence in the lives of men. I believe this aim to be defeated by a ministry that overemphasizes the material advantages of Christian civilization. Ministering to the physical needs of the sick is not in itself any more missionary work than ministering to the physical wants of the well. I would be unwilling to permit a division of labor whereby I should treat the body while a native evangelist harangued the waiting line of patients. My interest is personal and not merely professional.
(b) I accept in general the confession of faith of the Congregational Church. The appeal of Jesus to the conscience and faith of men is irresistible. He needs introduction and not defense or apology.
I regard the Bible as the literary masterpiece of the most gifted and most spiritual race. The portions that are historical are to be interpreted in the light of history, the scientific observations according to our knowledge science [sic], the doctrinal by its appeal to our reason, the poetical by its esthetical appeal, and the mystical by its appeal to our mysticism, its ethics by its appeal to our conscience. It furnishes us a standard for comparison of our religious experience with those of the prophets and early disciples of Christ.
(c) I hold no views that would prevent cordial cooperation with the missionaries of this Board. I hold my views as personal property satisfying the demands of my own reason and experience and of no value or use to anyone else. No man can formulate a creed that will entirely meet the requirements of another.
(d) I consider the non-Christian religions inadequate or detrimental to the highest development of character.
(e) I believe in the Congregational form of church government.
(f) I desire to serve as a foreign missionary because it offers the best opportunity for the full expression of the Christian faith in one of my particular temperament and talents.
(g) I regard hardship, suffering and peril as necessary to the full development of Christian character. Vicarious suffering is one of the characteristics of the Christian experience. “None of these things move me.”
(h) It is my desire to live and to die in Africa.
(i) I believe that the Golden Rule is applicable to missionaries. I shall give my associates credit for the same conscienciousness [sic] that I hope to receive from them.
(j) I can see no reason why I should not work cheerfully and happily under the American Board.
This was submitted to the A.B.C.F.M. as a candidate for commissioning in 1912. Fred Eicher Stokey
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It looks as though Fred was answering a set of questions from the ABCFM, but a quick google did not get me the questions. Maybe something like this, though surely more elegantly phrased:
a-What are your Christian beliefs?
b-What about the Congregational Church? What about the Bible?
c-Do you hold any heretical views?
d-What do you think of non-Christian religions?
e-What do you think is the correct form of church government?
f-Why do you want to become a foreign missionary?
g-Being a missionary isn’t easy. Can you do it?
h-Where do you want to be? What is your aim?
i-Can you work well with others?
j-Can you work under the direction of the ABCFM?
a-What are your Christian beliefs?
b-What about the Congregational Church? What about the Bible?
c-Do you hold any heretical views?
d-What do you think of non-Christian religions?
e-What do you think is the correct form of church government?
f-Why do you want to become a foreign missionary?
g-Being a missionary isn’t easy. Can you do it?
h-Where do you want to be? What is your aim?
i-Can you work well with others?
j-Can you work under the direction of the ABCFM?
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