The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-31
The New Bible-The New Christianity,

The chief importance OF the extraordinary
sermon which We print In to-day's Sun lies
In the fact that II was preached in IN ortho-
dox Protestant church Of this city by a reg
ularly ordained and Installed clergyman C!
Al. .l.e Protestant Episcopal denomination. 1t
was delivered last Sunday by the Rev. DIR.
r. HEBER NEWTON, rector Of the Anthem
Memorial Church, a gentleman who has at
tanned great prominence in the powerful re-
lgious body to which he belongs. We pub
lish ii as sign OF the times, worthy to be
scanned by all those who are concerned in
upholding the theological dogmas Of modern
orthodoxy.
The Rev. DR.. II. HEBER NEWTON grapples
ut once with the principles that have long
been believed to constitute the foundation OF
Christianity. The Bible itself undergoes q
transformation in his hands. "The old view
OF the Bible" he exclaims in his opening
sentence, Z" is fading upon the vision Of our
age" and to these words he adds passage
at once suggestive and ominous: II have
uttered the conviction which many Of you
hare held in secret, with misgvings and self
reproaches, and have shown you many rea-
eOns why the old view could no longer be
held by mon Of open minds" How much OF
the Bible is kept when the Rev. DR.. NEWTON
has got through with 1t, may be left to the
Judgment of those who follow the argu-
ments of his sermon. He would boldly
expurgate the Bible as though it were
not "book let down from the
skies, of which COP can be called the author"
He does away with the imprecatory Psalms.
He reduces the prophets and their prophecies
o., MIA hot 1vbi oh,
they have held in the orthodox view. He
subjects the historical portions to criticism
under which the accepted Interpretation dis
appears. In short, he deals with the Biblical
authors. throughout, those OF the New Testa-
ment as well as the Old, in way that must
have left the people Of his church in utter
doubt respecting every part Of the creed laid
down in the Protestant Episcopal standards
Even the imprecatien at the end OF the Apoc-
alypse against the man who shall take
away from the words Of the book" is spoken
OF by the Rev DR.. NEWTON Us an "impotent
threat" and he cries out, Heed it not!'
1t is surprising that such q sermon as this
OF the Rev. DR.. NEWTON could be preached
from the pulpit in which he stood Had it
been delivered by any OF the loose pupiteers
OF the day like BEEcHER it would not have
deserved a moments .iutice. But the Rev.
DR.. NEWTON is one Of the lights Of great
orthodox denomination which has fixed
standards of faith; he is subject to the au-
thorties of his Church; he is under the juris-
diction OF an episcopate which is responsible
for the orthodoxy of its rectors; and he holds
his place upon conditions which give the
highest weight to his words. In the SEN
tence already quoted he tells his people that
many OF them "hold in secret" the opinions
he proclaims; and II this be so, what is the
creed by which he and they are governed I?
Since this discourse and these opinions have
not been condemned by his Bishop, we must
believe that they arc not antagonistic to the
groundwork and faith of the Episcopal
Church.
1t is new Bible, not the old Bible, and q
new Christianity, not the established Chris
tianity, that are offered by the Rev. DR..
NEWTON. He yet believes, however, in CHRIST
and His words, and the new Christianity will
be OF supreme and indeed, Of wonderfully
maSnified interest in this city IT, with the
new year, the Rev. DR.. NEWTON shall enforce
upon his wealthy congregation that great
and memorable injunction to the rich man
"Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto
the poor"