The New York herald., 1876-11-16
THE CHURCH CONGRESS.
Proceedings at Yesterdays Session Of
the Conference.
FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS THOUGHT.
Addresses and Essays by Prominent Clergy.
men and Laymen.
Bosrox. Nov IL 1874

BosroS, Nov. Is 1870
Tho principal topic for discussion in The Episcopal
Church Congress to-day has been The Relation OF the
Protestant Episcopal Church to Freedom OF Religious
Thought" paper prepared and read by Rev.
Dr. james DcKoven, Warden OF the Racine twia) Col
cge. In his essay the Warden claimed tina, freedom
OF thought has It's limits within tho right
use OF and tho serious listening 10
tho voce OF God. We DO urn in belief OF
eternal vcr,ties while invite every kind OF manly
research We must DO tolerant and not check tho In
vcstgation by narrowncss whilc tho four
voices cannot contradict ono another Tho
Bible and the Church proclaim authoritativcy
what the constitution or nature and the
nature OF man cannot proclaim. How far can tho
Protestant Episcopal Church limit freedom Of thought
and pronounce authoritatively in the realm Of tho
supernatural? Only as she speaks the mind OF tho
Holy Catholic Church, OF which she is men,
ber. The creeds and the general councils are
tho expressions OF the whole Church, and
hence must DO the voice OF truth; while this
is admitted, tho difficulty comes when attempt to
settle the position OF later uteranccs determine
their force. These uttcrances must bo hcr testimony
to what she believes; the undivided Church would
have said testimony to probability bat not Of such
authority MS TO make their acceptance term Of CON-
mynon or necessary to salvation.
THE AUTHORITY rmR CHURCH.
Rev f. A. .wsshburnc d. H.. OF New York, followed Or
10 Koven in q protracted address Tho Church OF
England he said, retained as its rulo OF faith tho
oldest OF crccds II added TO this its articles which
defined It's position As reformed body; both must
be studied together. Tho Church OF England was
na,ionsl body, and when nang on tho usurpaion OF
Rome it KEEP. the common truths which bound /, with
NIL Chr,sondom. In retaining certain features il was
oless prof in its nf thc
authority Tho ground on which the English
Reformation planted itself was precisely tho
same as that OF Luther, Calvin and zwingll.
II maintained that tho Holy Scriptures contained all
that necessary to salvation. II declared its own
authority TO be IN the nature OF all human Judgment
not divine supreme, but falblo In contradistinc-
tion TO the Roman fasehood, the character Of which
Inter the speaker showed nt some length. The arti-
es ss Of Of ssSsaa
mind. Hc did not ciic them as perfect system or
theology. It's an abuse OF terms. No thcologian
should suffer when they arc called Caivinistic Tho
sion, but by godiy practical : Ensiishmen, who
,8eh Gus sanno 10 sso%n upon ono Sn1's s"s
II be gained only by tho study OF tho history Of
doctrnai INA theology our times aro to learn, a' last
IL is matter OF rejoicing that the walls broken
between High aud Low and Broad Church tina. hardly
any man knows whero he stands
FREEDOM RELIGIOUS THOUGHT.
The Rcv. William Ruddcr, ID. D., Of Philadelphia,
anayz,ng the meaning and scope Of the proposition bo
tho Congress What is true he sad or Profess
tant Episcopal Church IN this mattor is equally true OF
all other churches. He, therefore, would change
tho proposition to- "what IS tho relation OF tho
Church OF Christ to freedom OF religious thought?"
The freedom Of religious thought must the gen.
cral tree action Of tho human mind upon tho subjects
OF revelation tho tact OF tho revelation under somo
theory OF Inspiration bong admitted. There is no
ponent Of freedom. Tho Episcopal Church is tho
irees Church In all the land because acceptance Of tho
1sav rha raa bor raafto IN
theorize just much he pioases All the acts
verge at last and bring US TO tho loot Of the Cross
A LAyMAN's VIEW.
Mr. J. G. Ropes, OF Boston, was tho next speaker,
and he said that no would consider the subject u
means adopted by. tho Roman CaIhonc and The Epis-
copal churchs to secure uniformity OF opinion among
members Tho Catholic Church undertakes TO
ION BY spiritual penalties in these days,
though IN former times tho penalties we're temporal
people enter their folds without concurrence In thor
doctrines and not to allow them 10 remain after they
have dissen.ed from these doctrines Tho Episcopal
Church diners from other Protestant churches In that
It's doors arc oEen to all, and differs
tho Roman Catholic Church, because !. does not
Germany the movement intellectual rather than
national but IN England was NATIONAL and therefore
any not tolerated. Al this epoch OF tho
Reformation It was believed that uniformity OF faith
could be secured oven tho Roman Church induigngIn
me Osc and TO further ds the o"a h ,ms
tho Episcopal Church siands to-day as tho only Church
which did not make the mistake, 800 years ago. OF at
tempting to formulate all tho docrincs wo
open tho doors all who believe IN
Christ and His coming redemption, and in tho
divine origin Of the Church, aud the action Of those
churches which have barred up their part Of the king
don Of heaven with ihcsc rules made moro than 800
years ago by men with whom they have not intellect
nal sympathy, has done much TO injurc tho cause OF
Christ
MORE DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM.
In the further dscuss.on OF tho essay tho freedom
oi the Episcopal Church was maintained aud de-
icnocd at length By Rev conrtenay, Of ST. iauls
church. New York; Rev. j. II. Ward, OF Marblchcad
Rev. Mr. Altman, o New brunswick; Rev. Thomas
Gaaudct, OF tho Deaf Mutcs' church, New York. Rev.
Edwin Harwood, ot New Haven. and others
Mr Ward, IN his remarks claimed that tho Epi.co.
pal Church was situated that could stand by the
old truths without Ignoring new thought In other
churches there is not ihis freedom. The Unitarian
claims TO be the irecst OF all, but he Is
ing that he Is catholic on the water question.
Is catholic on nothing else. Tho Congrsgationalisf,
having received his dogmas from hts ancestors hears
IN Music Hall every Sunday morning what his religion
o the future Is 10 be. Tho EpscUpal Church has ls
mission, The handing down Of ruth and mnistcring
to diseased minds aud the American people. II they
TO be won TO religion nre to be won TO that re-
lgion which gives the widest freedom.
THE EVENING SESSION
Tho topic oi the evening session was the relation OF
secular and religious education Essays upon the sub.
jcct read by Samuel Elliott, IL. D. Boston. and
REV. Dr. II. A. Colt, 81. PauI's Acaucmy, Concord, "
H., followed with remarks by Henry :. Aivord,
Boston; Rev John w. Kramer. New York; Rev.
H. Courtcnay and Rev. A. $. worael, Central diocese
OF Pennsylvania; Rev DIR. Boggs New Jersey; Rev.
Dr. Hale. Chancellor OF the University OF Nova SCOTIA
and Goyornor Rice. oi Massachusetts The general
tenor OF the rcnprks was in favor o keeping the two
together and that divorccmcnt 0 ono from tho other
must result fatally 10 DO h. With one exception the
speakers invorcd the retention OF the Bible IN public
schools. The attendance upon the sessions OF tho
Con gress thus fnr have been unprcccdcntcdy largo
aud tho congregation Of representative mcr OF the
Church unusually full