THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
and then went to London to take up literary work. He was known as a free-thinker and styled himself " Christian Deist." He left numerous writings, the principal of which was the theological work, The Moral Philosopher, in a Dialogue between Philalethes, a Christian Deist, and Theophanes, a Christian Jew (London, 1737-40). See Deism, I., § 7.
Bibliography: The literature under Deism, and DNB, xxxix. 35-36.
MORGANATIC MARRIAGE. See Marriage, I., § 10.
MORIAH (" appearance of Jehovah ") : The hill upon which Abraham was to offer Isaac, according to divine direction (Gen. xxii. 2), and on which, later, the temple was built (II Chron. iii. 1). By " the land of Moriah," in the first passage, is meant the " land in which Mount Moriah was " (cf. " the land of Jazer," Num. xxxii. 1). Moriah was probably not the usual designation of the temple hill, because it does not occur in the pre-exilian books. See Temple.
MORIGIA, GIACOMO ANTONIO. See Barnabites.
MORISON, JAMES: Scotch Secession Church, theologian and founder of the Evangelical Union; b. at Bathgate (17 m. w. of Edinburgh) Feb. 14, 1816; d. at Glasgow Nov. 13, 1893. He was the son of Robert M orison, minister of the Secession Church of Bathgate; received his early education at the parish school and the academy of the town; entered the University of Edinburgh in 1830, proving an excellent student and a prizeman in many of his studies; studied theology in the Theological Hall of the United Secession Church, and while there was especially influenced by Prof. John Brown, then occupying the chair of exegetical theology, though his independent and liberal habit of thought brought him into conflict with the teaching of other professors. He was licensed as a probationer May 7, 1839, and his first appointment was to the parish of Cabrach, west of Aberdeen, the congregation of which was composed of agriculturists. To meet their needs he adopted a simple and direct dealing with the hearers of his sermons. In his studies of the Scriptures for practical purposes he discovered that he could preach that Christ died for all men, and that each was authorized to say " Christ loved me and gave himself for me." A wide-spread revival of religion was the result. Morison became an evangelist and his service was sought in many parts of the north of Scotland. To meet the demand made upon him by letters and otherwise for instruction he published a short tract entitled The Question, " What must 1 do to be saved f " Answered (1840), in which he advocated the doctrine of a universal atonement, and this was regarded as a departure from the creed of his Church. On Apr. 14, 1840, he received a call from Clerks Lane Secession Church, Kilmarnock, which he accepted. On Oct. 1, 1840, the presbytery met to ordain him, when he was severely taken to task for the publication referred to. Some of the members refused to go on with the ordination, until he promised to suppress the offending tract. Their scruples were overcome by his promise to withdraw the publica-
tion from sale, and the service was carried through. Under his ministry the church became crowded and the center of a religious movement, the influence of which was felt widely. By his labors with voice and pen the thoughts of thousands were turned to consider specially the doctrines of the third chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith. Some of the older ministers became alarmed and steps were taken to silence the young man who preached that Christ died for all men, and that through faith in him the worst sinner might have eternal life. He was arraigned before the presbytery on Mar. 2, 1841, on two charges: first, for teaching, among other doctrines, a universal atonement; and, second, for not having legally prevented a gentleman in London from publishing his tract. He was admonished and suspended from the exercise of his ministry until he should retract his errors, upon which he protested and appealed to the synod, the highest court of the Secession Church. This enabled him to continue his work, and in this he was supported by his whole congregation. The synod met in Glasgow on June 8, 1841, and the issue was that he was expelled from the United Secession Church. The controversy produced by the trial affected the whole of Scotland, and the conduct of the synod in condemning the doctrine of a universal atonement led many to consider other doctrines of the Westminster Confession as well. Morison continued to minister to his flock with renewed energy and increased success. His own doctrinal views became more liberal. The conclusion he came to shortly afterward was that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, desired and provided the means for the salvation of all men, and if any were not saved it was because they resisted the Holy Spirit and refused to believe the Gospel. In 1843 Morison, with a few other ministers, originated the Evangelical Union (q.v.) for the purpose of combining the churches which had been formed to preach and defend his views of divine truth. A theological hall was instituted for the training of young men for the ministry, of which he was the principal and professor of New-Testament exegesis from 1843 till his death in 1893. He became also the pastor of North Dundas Street Evangelical Union Church, Glasgow, 1851, and retained the pastorate till bis death.
Dr. Morison was an extensive author. His early writings were largely practical and controversial. Besides a number of pamphlets, he published: The Nature of the Atonement (Glasgow, 1841); The Extent of the Atonement (1841); Saving Faith (1842); Lectures on the Ninth Chapter of Romans
(Kilmarnock, 1849); A Critical Exposition of the Third Chapter of Romans (London, 1866);
a commentary on Matthew (1870) and one on Mark (1873) ; St. Paul's Teaching on Sanctification (1886) ; Sheaves of Ministry (1890). The Evangelical Repository; A Quarterly Magazine of Theological Literature was edited and in great part written by Dr. Morison (1854-67). William Adamson.
Bibliography: Biographies have been written by W. Adamson, London, 1898; and O. Smeaton, Edinburgh, 1901. Consult further: F. Ferguson, Hist, of the Evangelical Union, Glasgow, 1876; Memorial Volume of the Ministerial Jubilee of Principal Morison, 1889; DNB, xxxix. 57-58.