The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-20

BERLIN. Dec. ~ The Inst few wcrks have
been marked hy the established Protestant
,hnrrh OF th" kinsdom assuming polit. 'ul
lmi.uiu p" unknNwn for Sauy "a year. Two
events have combined 10 produce this extra
ordinary result
Herr " Nsslnrh. for many years incumbent %
-. 'ldrA ?. Berlin. Was. after the demise If the
aSri inYmhen' Of -. James,, also IN tins
'HlniAl. elected successor II the deceased hy Tie
congregations. In nominating him tp tn post.
IN" ma"riv ol the congregation were artuatrd
hy the wish a. have a EditndiuRrinn pastor In.
stead ui the late orthodox incumbent who had
boon long Objectionable To- his flock.
:, Herr h'ssna'h j. avowedly averse from thr
The probationary sermon he had to deliver after
his election. he frankly declared in favor nf a
u" sgsi about mira les and divine interposi-
ton had the effect ~ driving tho orthodox
minority out OF the church while the sermon
was still going ON. Tow weeks after this incl
dent. VII 'h Oreatnd uu little STR. ylu members
Of inr r.nsr cation led 10y, v"ar appointed
iN the late orthodox incumbent. pntitiunrd the
Braudrnhnrg Prov in 'ial Consistory 10 r., fuse 10
confirm mo now nominee. Nine hundred is no
great unher in parish including 3o0oosouls
yet the petition wgs listened 10 aud the cunhr-
nation refused. | pom TINS, tho majority Of the
congregation. a. r'prrsentel 10y the vesiry
meeting referred the cas- To the d"cis on OF tue
rests.
Tine supreme Consistory mr. placed in a pain
iul posltlnn hv this unipward AFFAIR. II H. only
four years since mat another Berlin clergyman.
r. Rev pr. Svd9w. was arr9isped before tho
l"n'ling. On having sentence passed against
him. and being deprived Of his living tue ar-
cu~rd appealed 10 the supreme Cons story who
acquitted him on the ground that the hnrcsy
had been propounded, not in the pulpit hut in
the lecturers chair. Judges committing them
selves 10 sucl sentence will. in any future lu-
drlHl proceedings. lind II dim 'ut 10 ignore the
precedent: the more 50 since they were eN-
pressi} appointed Ia introduce a philosophical
element into IA" administration OF the Church.
DR. Hermann. TIA" President Of the supreme
spnsisior> MAS promoted Ia hIs present post
ton 10 govern the Church in accOrlanct with
what were then regarded hS the nccrsSitlps Of
modern times. II WAS after the close of the
French campaign. when the Ultramont,llr war
nrst assumed disIuicing PROPORTIONS. that
GuVornm"nt deemed II eNpodiDni Ia remodel
u" Protestant establishment, aud make il a
sttnch ally III the struggle that WAS coming ON.
obviously, the assistance of orthodox Protest
ants WAS not ip be- had in the work Of making
haiti~m. confirmation. and marriage in u
church OPTIONAL.
II tho-r inuuNatous wore thought indispens-
ahl" 70 break III" strength of the Catholic PRIEST
hood. the only way TO mako the Prot estAnt
clergy a'Quicsro in change. which would nave
L. extend ip thrm likewise. was To pa,rs tom
p"rat' and trarHhle men ~ the head of tine in-
stitutun. So In. Mathis. Il strict dogmntist
WAS replaced 10y ia, Hermann. doctor II
divinity aud law. but Il lawyer rather than a
divine. 50 pr. Hermann WAS allowed g. MI
vacancies in the Provincial and supreme Adj
mini tratiN" Boards with men OF his way of
lhlhkiug ani 50 Dr. Sydnw though condemned
hy IN" Imnd'uhurg Consistory. WAS eventually
acquitted by the Oherk irchenraih.