The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-14
Religious Liberty-Rev. Mr.. Hepworth and
the Unitarinns.


In the article under ''Religious Liberty" In this
mornings issue of the HERALD assertion Is made
that Rev. Mr.. HepwOrth had concealed his real SEN
timenrs ana only gave utterance to his 30 called
change OF belief upon receiving letter OF inquiry
from the President OF the Board OF Trustees. 1t
also stated that he 'mangned the whole Unitarian
This is misstatement, from o
just and impartial point OF view. One OF the prom
inent and representative members Of the church
remarked, directly after the delivery OF last sun.
days sermon or address, shat no one was sur.
prised" that Everybody had long seen what was
coming" and this same ''member,n with others OF
the family. also 'members," turned their
backs upon the sacramento table spread before
them, and with offended faces, left the church.
Shade OF DIR. Charming Is this Unitarianism, to
treat with disrespect the silent invitation Of the
communion table OF our Lordi For we have never
presumed such to be the table or the invitation OF
private individual. Has the boosted religion OF
toeraton and OF charity become, them so sectarlan
that 1t listens with Impotence to any uterance but
the echo Of Its own private opinion and expresses
personal resentment at the gentle though frm
utterance OF honest conviction "ChrlSt Is the way
that leadeih up to the Father;' II believe Jesus
CHRIST to be the incarnation OF the love OF God"
These were the strongest expressions OF belief or
the so'called change OF faitn uttered by Mr.. Hep
WORTH unless the expression OF belief In the Bible
as the inspired Word OF God, for the instruction Of
anu tuo saiVdtlou VI uon, DC strouy VI HOVei
assertion Tor Christian TO make or to hear In what
ever denomination he may hedge himself about WITH
We never before had IL made PLAIN to uS that q
church Is simply corporation, where for so much
money, man must do so much and SUCH quality
OF work. The pastor Is not one whose iie- work IS
to study aud expound the Holy scriptures and
teach and preach their rules or daily conduct or to
persuade men to adopt these rules for faith and
conduct, but IS simply hired servant, who must
run IN certain grooves parallel with those
who "empOy', him. AS to the 'lnsult," an official
letter. written by advice OF legal counsel, can, in all
a
man Will be paid at satisfactory rate for, as 1t were,
retailing religion or what not, at wholesale rates,
that such monetary consideration would influence
the gospel market; and the further insnuatOn that
business advantage would perhaps be taken I'M
less rendered legally impossible betrayS, at least
honesty OF the higher law ], as one Of the public
should feel insulted at the burden OF the letter in
question, however guarded It's terms OF express
sion might be, and they Were not very
at least q good trustee In financial matters.
AS to the mallgnment OF the Unitarian body,
the only sentence uttered by Mr.. HepwOrth that
could, by the most watchiul listener, be con strued
into an inlmlca rejection, was tnat Untxarans adj
United to their puplts and to their Fellowship men
who would not be accepted by any other BODY Of
Christians III the world. This as fact, and
was uttered In all simplicity Of tone and manner as
such. More gentle handling OF an adverse SUBJECT;
more tender utterance OF regret at the step con-
science compelled him to take more tender tribute
TO the memories OF good men gone, rs well as the
bearing witness to the beauty OF their lives and the
aspiration OF their spirits, however tending toward
materlasm their theology or the want or 1t
erly love, were the characteristics Of sermon or
A PEw-RENTER.
No. WEST TwENTy-FouRrH STREET, Jan. ID, 1872.