New-York tribune., 1884-01-12
r. HEBER NEWTON ASSAILED.
DEMANDING THAT HE LEAVE THE CHURCH.

VIEWS OF pRs. HoUGHToN, COOKE, MORGAN DIX,
AND MEssRs. WATKINS AND sATTERLEE.
In an interview published on Wednesday the
Rev. DR.. George ii. Houghton, rector of the Church
of the TRANSPORTATION, was quoted as denouncing
in exceedingly strong Language the course Oh s ane
Rev X. Heber Newton IN delivering his recent
lectures on the Old Testament. DIR. Houghton was
reported to have used these expressions among
others:
mouth again IL church Rup II be was Is honest SIs ne
would not aa mis acton % us, Is pow that IL is II the
Assistant bishop had fr powers DO not suppose he
IMPERFECT ECCLESIASTICAL LAWS.
reporter of The TRIBUNE yesterday visited
several clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal
Newtons lectures and of Dr. Houghton's strong con-
demnation of them. The first called upon was the
R M o his St opinion & of Mr.
ton and his recent utterances, Or: Cooke SAID;
"The Church owes it to itself TO get rid Of Gf
that man, for it is held responsible for all
worse r. Heber Newton simply as the Rev. MT,
Newton amounts to nothing; but the church Is sup
posed TO imdorse what he says as Clergyman
and his sayings become important. only
because he. is IN the ministry y,S;t,. OF tne NE
Church. His teachings are subversiVe OF
all that the Episcopal Church teaches; IL what he
saws is true the Church is teaching what Is laise,
As an honest man Mr. Newton cannot remain ,n '4o M
Episcopal Church. He has no manner OF rIgnG 70
cantinue IN the ministry. and if he regarded the
welfare of the Church as OF any importance %na. t
ever he would quit exercising prlestly iuhouons
at once and save the Churcha shameful scandal;
Our ecclesiastical laws are very imperfect IN reeaIH
70 the bringing of an offending clergyman TO trial;
TbeIe is ONLY one way in which it can be done, and
that 10 a very roundabout one The discretion al
lowed the Bishop of the Diocese IN cases OF pre-.
sentments against priest is one OF the greatest
fanits in the canon. There ought TO be power
enough in the Church to depOse this man from the
ministry and rid the T6a O on6e& h the o law
and is entitled 10 an impartial trial. The newspa-
pers are attaching too much Importance TO thls
q do not know Mr.. Newton personally, but !
have thought for several yearslong before he came
ont with his infdel talks-that something was
wrong with his brain. lie always wild about
anv snbiect he wrote on or spoke about Ills lee
lures on some scientific subjects II remember cor,
rcctlv called my attention to him. His ideas are
not well connected and sometimes lind II dlincuIt
10 understand him. The ill-health OF Bishop
Potter has not only kept MN ItUm act Of
charges against Mr.. Newton but from all maIIers n
appertaining to the government OF TINS diocese: &
fore this / doubt not had the Bishop been younger
and more vigorous. have no idea what the AS AS
tsant Bishop Henry G PGttGF dU % he dS IN power Ees
less 10 take these or any other matters INTO, ms
hands without authority from the Senior bishop,
Inv the Senior Bishop. l have felt dthdent about
expressing my views, for as clergyman IN 1 mlgnt it
be called upon to sit in JUDGMENT IN TINS case pC re
must say that fully indorSe all that was salu re-
lating to this matter by Dr. Houghton."
DIR. MORGAN's POSITION.
The Rev. DR.. William +. Morgan, of st. Thomass
Church, was next seen. After readlhg 'he S'a'c-
nent Of Dr. HOughton he said:
II fully coincide with the views there expressed
esnecialy where il says that Mr.. Newton ought not
10 be allowed to open his mouth again In church
nvinit and that if he were honest he would not.
He certainly has violated ms ordination vows.
ne onin;ops of Mr. Newton are not important IN
themselves; but they so to us because ne is a
clergyman. In regard TO the charges prGieTLcu
against hlm last spring, believe the senior Bsnop
fI.., tar nf T.
binary ntferances of Mr.. Newton. do not know
that any formal presentnient OF charges was Ieaily
made. Much talking was ndnlged Ill., Pue Prer,t
CLERGYMAN in this diocese will indorSe what i'r.
Houghton has SAID. L have myself talked WIN u d u
large number of them, and have yet TO meet one
who does not condemn Mr.. Newton for the course
he has taken. Some of the evil effects OF the per-
sonal observation. Many young men have been
made TO doubt. and one has discontinued coming 70
the communion, because as he tod me, GonDos au
i do not see how the Assistant Bishop can take
action here but am sure that if he had the power
he would administer his ONCE Wisely anu Ill tnoA-
Oughly catholic spirit"
MR. NEwToN's POSITION UNTENABLE.
The Rev. Wilbur F. Watkins, of the Church Of
the Holy Trinity said: 81 have very strong and
decided opinions in regard t. these matters, Dat,
with all courtesy to THE Tribune must aeIuSe o 10 20
express them for the present. Later may nave
subsequently Mr.. Watkins added :. have no
iTely from the teachings of Mr. Newton, reported
i'm the press Of tins city While have great regard
personally for hm as an amiqblG and eStlma0ie man an
deeply regret the position lie mas ,aheh' anu pe-
lieve il 10 be untenabe and harmful
STRONG LANGUAGE FROM DIR. DIN.
The Rev. DIR. Morgan Dix, of Trinity Church. who
j. member of the standing Solnmltee of tho tIo
Others in regard to the powers OF the Asslstant m
Bishop lie said The statements Oh [ T. GoemrTh lou Io
that tho Assistant Bishop has no power III tlle ma
Ter whatever unless it is delegated to him by the
Bishop and that an assistant was chosen to per
form certain active duties Of the Ohce-tO cOnlfil,
orjain and so on-but aside from these matters,
which the Bishop has granted HIM power to per
form, he has no authority were ere nlaa9 r"sI
fa@ts nuIsi in the case The Bishop of New
York desired to resign at the 90 ,aSi ' tba fn
understanding that he should place III the nands Oh
the Assistant Bishop, when elected, the entire ad-
1ninistTatIon Of the diocese IN every particular lie
has since done So and the Assistant BlshOp-as the
Standing Committee understand ana DeleVe-has
by legal assignment the full powers OF the blshOp
nj the Diocese and therefore has the power 10 con-
slider the presentment of charges against Mr. New
ION do not understand that a new preSentlnent
need be made in such case. / am decidedly op-
rosed TO apy changes being made in the canon law
limiting the discretion of bishops III eases OF pre-
eentments against clergymen. me Bls,hhop ,h snouia
be allowed large discretion and be held RESPONSE
bic for his use of il to the Church ana the puDllc
Tho teachings of the Rev; K. He0er Newton are
entirely inconsistent with the creeds, STANDARDS
and formulas of the Episcopal Church. and he DIS
graces her by the course he Is taking. In my ludg
Ineut Mr.. Newton Is dong more naIln 10 inc uuiSh
Than Colonel Ingersoll ever did or ever could 90;
In illustration of the harm from his teachings VIII
Tarn,, man and promising member of the Church
had abandoned his faith assigning 10 his pastor as
q reason that he had been reading the sermons OF
MIR Newton. | cannot tell how lar sympathy WIN
Wr Nnwton NAV extend, but it seems incredible
that many clergymen agree with him. ! know OF
two or three who may stand with him IN his recent
attitude , /. .,.o.
Yes have heard rumors in regard TO the con-
dit,on of Mr. NewtOns mind. think that the most
charltable thing that he said in tins matter Is
that he is laboTins under strong mental excitement
No weight can be attached 10 Mr.. Newtons teach-