Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-03
OVERWHELMING.
The DOgmatics After Newton's Scalp.
Near York Times

The DOgmatics After Newton's Scalp.
Nea0 York Times.
There is no doubt that the pressure
brought to bear upon the Assistant Bishop
TO induce him to order the Rev. r.. Heller
Newton to be tried for heresy is very
strong. Bishop Potter is evidently of the
opinion that such trial would be iniudi-
cious; but it remains to be seen whether
he can Withstand the demands of Mr.
NewtOn's prosecutors.
1t is taken for granted by those who
want to bring the Rev. Mr.. Newton to
trial that he can easily be convicted of
hereSy and driven out of the EpiscO
Church. 1t does not seem to have occur
red to them that Mr.. Newton might be &C.
quilted, in which case it would be iudici-
ally decided that his views are not hereti-
cal. IL those who are so eager to get rid
of Mr.. Newton really believe that the
church is scandalized by his presence at
the alter, what will be their state of mind
if, by his acquittal, the church should de-
clare that any clergyman may lawfully
hold Mr.. NeWton's views?
The position taken by Mr.. Newton is
that the Scriptures contain the word of
God, but are not the word of God in the
sense that every sentence from Genesis to
the Apocalypse is dictated by the HOLY
Spirit, and is hence infallible. No doubt
this view is not that of a majority of the
members OF the Episcopal Church. Many
of them believe, with certain Protestant
sects, that the Bible is ''the thought of
God in the language of God" To such
Mr.. NeWtOn'S view is shocking. and they
have no doubt that it is heretical. To be
found guilty ofheresy, however, Mr.. New
ton must be proved to have taught doc
trines which the church has declared to
be heretical. He cannot be found guilty
! 4 &c CHI hok -
contrary to those of the church, however
shocking they may be to individual men,
bers of the church.
1t is certainly very doubtful if Mr.. New
toms views of the Bible are contrary TO
the teachings of the church. 1t is CON
ceded that they do not conflict with the
Thirty-nine Articles, and his prosecutors
are compelled to fall back upon the ordi-
nation service in which Mr., Newton de-
clared his belief in the Holy Scriptures.
No definition of the meaning of this de-
claratlOn has been made by the church.
If 1t means that every clergyman must
believe in the infallibiIty of every line Of
Scripture, then no clergyman ordained
prior to the late revision of the New Tes-
lament can accept any of the changes
made by the reYisers, for he has sOlemnlv
engaged to believe in the infallibility of
the King James version. No one would
dream Of charging clergyman with her
esy for having doubts as to the divine
authorship OF the ''Song of Solomon or
of the literal truthfulness of the Story of
Job. To insist that the declaration in the
ordination service binds clergymen to up
hold the infallibility Of the entire Bible is
to render hundreds Of even "evangelicaP
clergyman liable to be prosecuted for her
esy, and to commit the church to the
absurdity Of decreeing the infallibility of
I the translatOrs and printers of the King
James version.
If, however, Mr.. Newton connot be found
guilty Of heresy on the ground that his
views are in conflict with a certain pass
age in the ordination service he must be
acquitted. The church has said that the
Scriptures contain all necessary to saliva
ton and that no council can decree any
dogma that cannot be clearly proved by
Scripture, but it has never SAID to what
extent or in what way the Bible is inspir-
ed. The doctrine OF the infaIlibility of
/ every line Of Scripture is not a doctrine of
the church, and though every clergyman
/ except Mr.. Newton should hold this doc
! trine, Mr.. Newton could still dissent from
1 it without mourning the guilt of heresy.
/ If his prosecutors should remember that
a doctrine which they disbelieve does not
! become ipSO tdctO heretcal, they might
/ possibly doubt the expediency of continu-
/ ing their prosecution.