The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-02
.quite as much the object Of attention as the
representative of the Bourbons The British
people reveal the situation. No man can tell
who is to win.
A Students Hcresy and Deans somer-
sault Theology.


In all small troubles on RELIGIOUS subjects
there is a constant dislike and dread of publ
cation. AS consequence the petty dOctrinal
and disciplinal squabbles which ravage the
breasts of believers, instead Of being quieted
by the stern hand of public opinion, are
allowed to continue fostering, tearing and
scratching on all sides, until like the Kilkenny
cats, there is nothing left but the tails. Such
theological tea-cup tempest has been
raging in the peaceful bosom of the General
Theological Seminary of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in this city, of which the
Rev. John Murray Forbes is Dean. Now this
gentleman has on his record double divine
somersanlt from Episcopal Professionalism to
Cathoiicity and back again. On the principle
of more JOY being in heaven over one sinner
doing penance than over nincty-nine just ones,
DIR. Forbes has a large majority of admirers in
the trustees, yet like the Roman motto with
regard to the Greeks-timeo Ddma0s ct d0a0
Jerentes-there are certain suspicious spirits
among the elect who have a sneaking sus-
picion of any one coming from Rome although
only naturalized in that faith.
So much promised. Now for the trouble.
A youth in the seminary wrote q sermon in a
high flown, exaggerated style, in which the
Dean believed he smell transubstsntiaton.
The faculty were called together and sat on
the poor boys attempt at Chrysostom elo-
'quence, and, with one exception, voted it fiat
heresy, and sent it to the young mans bishop
for his opinion. The dissentient voice in this
course of action was Rev. George II. Seymour,
d. D., Professor of Ecclesiastical History
He did not defend the opinions in the objur-
gated sermon, but thought (snd it would
seem naturally that SO long as the
writer was learner and no: teacher,
and while forming and maturing his
views and not proclaiming settled and we'll
considered opinions he should be shown his
error through the faculty, and not handed
over to the mercies of his diocesan. The
bishop to whom the sermon was referred
made the very simple discovery that the
youth did not hold those reprehensible views
at all, and there the matter should have
ended. The Dean, however, was anxious to
show everybody that he would have nothing
Lubs Wup HOt AIOIcstout dIOuuu anu
advised the youth, in q strain founded on his
own history, that q crisis was coming, and ii
he wished to join any other creed
he had better do il at once. The
youth did not see the point This curious
advice, when 1t reached the ears of the
Rome-iearers, confirmed their suspicious, and
an octave pamphlet of eighty -four pages from
the pen of Professor Seymour was the result.
This pamphlet was raked up at meeting of
the trustees last week, and Mr.. Forbes grew
excited and resigned. The joy-over- sinner
party would not hear of il, and the two
elements stand pitted against each other in
lamentab,e why. One angry word would be
almost enough to make the ministerial fur
fly. and it seems as if it would require
an avalanche Of soft words to turn
away the polemic wrath already gathered
ON their sanity brows. That it is to the bene-
1T of no creed for matters to remain in this
state is palpable to all. Let the opposing in
terests have their say out like men, before the
world, and end the dispute. As things at pre-
sent stand this overhead of the Protestant
priesthood must send down very modifying
Cow of new parsons so long as deans, trustees
and professors persist in muddying the fount.
Let both sides speak, but not both at once.