New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-02
THE CASE or HEBER NEWTON.
TALK OF APPLYING FOR A MANDAMUs.
TIE REV. DR.. RYIANcE DEFENDS THE RIGHT TO

TALK OF APPLYING FOR MANDAMUS.
TIE REV. DR.. RYIANCE DEFENDS THE RIGHT TO
INVESTIGATE TIE BIBLE.
"The statement that there Is n new pre-
sentiment against tie Rev r. Heber Newton TO be made
to the Assistant Bishop" said Nicholas Quackenbo tho
ecclesiastical lawyer who represented the original pre-
senters in the case sis utterly without foundation.
know this for should have been consulted before this
had any'such movement been making. No clergyman in
this diocese would presume take the matter out OF
the hands Of the Rev Mesrs. Buell. DE Costa and McKim
There need for prcsentment for charges can
only be based on the statements In Mr. Ncw
TOMS published book, and that ground 10
thoroughly gone over In the old one MY advice a. the
presenter is II the Assistant Bishop refuses to act on the
presentment already in, to pubsh It in the daily papers
and let people what serious charges the Bishop re-
fuses to consider have investigated this Newton case
thoroughly, and have not the least doubt that upon
fair and impartial trial he will be convicted nave no
doubt that mandanus Will lie In this We purpose
to have Mr. Newton tried, and We must we snau apply
TO the cy1l courts compel the Bishop to take action
a. how iar the discretion # the Bishop extends"
The following letter gives Dr. Ryance's views this
matter:
10 the EdttOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: The secular press OF orr city has of late very gem
erously surrendered good deal OF SPACE to the discus
sion OF questions generally left TO re o new gaperso OF
said that sermons have lost all interest for this age that
men and women Of intelligence no longer reeI
TX
quent fragmentary pulpit talks, has =, created
inunifv within few months. II the preacher,
in the shaping aud execution o his plans was mainly
tanT GsT cceeeS the NeWioh case" being the
headings" which most surely arrests the eye AS We
hastily glance down the columns OF Tue morning or eve
nTR Sinnitors and irrepressble interviewer" has
collected vast variety Of views and opinions touching
,ad case the enlightenment and edIhcaon oil me
public yet has regret have felt myself been shared by
%
Ia that these have been so largely occupied WIN ar Ae-
rather than WIN the essential meHt OF e-
merit OF his teachings Half the time and trouble be-
slowed upon showing that Mr. Newton is vain ignorant,
insane, Or-w0rst OF Observation-Disclosures W0ud nave 'iiceu
for any Of adequately equipped clelky To nave
exposed the untenabe positions assumed IN the offensive
sermons. aud the utter failure Oh tne preacher :" eate
sh his conclusions But instead OF that we are treated
almost wholly to Pe'soa@ anlmad ,etsi9hS but IS 70
these J. for one do not care . great aea sin 'iuo
prepared to leiieye that Mr. NewtOn-a young aluenti
inpetuOus prcacher-has said and pnDshed many mus
erect and some exravagnt things, and 80 far SYM
pahize with the wounded sensipiucs Oh the olthOdgh
Ncwr0ns chief positions But do from the positions
of in the r. T. Church who are publicly and xigt
de@citS Yet these teachings are tolerated by tina
rulers Is It, them great thing to ask that some for
bearance be shO toward men holding opinions OF an
opposite, but not more dangerous, tendency !
Tins question touches the principal point wish 10
mako in this communication. am HlLloSt daiiy en-
counteng evidence OF tie existence of feeling among
Christian people, which has been famed INTO isne 0t
late that al critical investigation into the history and
authority OF Holy Scripture Is 20 De condemned aug
denounced Rndel rstOnalilng that all that We heei
Tor settlement OF belief in the Christian yerities and
education the mind and heart, IS the ulIty 10
qote certain proof from King Jamess version
Of Bibles and that the preacher VINO ventures much
further tan that IS unsettng the iat ana alstutPhs
the peace, The Church. such feeling l. intense just
now among evangelical believers. being fostered by
g1Os newspapers aud by PASTORAL cOunsels; nut llo
dense Ignorance and superstition so betrayed arc uOhS
more believe ALLEVIATE men OF character ana discern
ment from Christianity thah an inc nl1i scleCo "
which have such lively fear The RELIGIOUS leaders
learning that Hi ultimately determine it's issues; nor
they eyade the responsibility they are under 20 make
ia
faith day; among which and OF heaviest eohselienIce
with: Whence and what j. the Bible II the Church says
that her clergy shall ASK or Try 10 answer ulat
question so be II; but In saying that Illuminating and
suying thing she will abdcae her long historic claim
be ecceSa d0cens so losing all ehecNe power over
the thought and conscience OF Inanklnd .,
Not only so; but she will thus DO dlsh0nor 10 the
memories and impeach the splendid fame, OF many OF
her great scholars and Teachers, who We're not aiaa Oh
nestions of crtcsm but followed fearlessy whitherso-
ever truth led; boldly setting aside when occasion DC
manded, conclusions enshrned Ia elrch trentl9hs, aa
cutting the foundation from beneath Catholic dOglha-
Erasmus destroyed the credit Of the most explicit text
proof OF the doctrine OF the iriulyi Dut We ato
rlans still. and honor the scholarly Daehman thOlgh
very troublesome man for his time Protestant Chrlseu
dom Is scarcely cool yet from the lusty g0Eh0ls W
Luther; yet the bold ex-m0nk afIned that IL ud not
matter much whether Moses wrote the Pentateuch OF
not while he cast dscredt upon tnree eDlIo D0oAs VI
the New Testament, denoucng AFTER MS own fule ~
of utteTance the Episte OF ST. James as d't eSae u
StG,o. Yet Luthers credit as Shrlstiah nero ana 't
is good with our evangelical brethren spite OI nv
day do but doubt the proper historical place OF the Book
OF Daniel he be burned in the fires or orthodox
the work he did In defence of Christian TRUTH Yet Ia at
work he applied very daring rationalstc ne anu
so of many others whose arc found on the caeh
dar OF Protestant saints. $3.50 -, . =, OIL, l.,
But the Anglican Church. of which the r. T. ChurchlS
a child suffers no such freedom In the handling OF hoy
SCRIPTURE may be told. Then many OF her great dOc-
tors lie under suspicion of dishonesty. ArchDlshOp
Toton fnemOrable nODen questions the inspiration or
whole hooks of the sacred collection Bishop WDufton
held and taught the OF partial INSPIRATION DsOP
Nrsh seems 10 have held that the thlrd GOSe - ony
human comDOsltiOn. Bishop HOrsey claimed the Ishs
t romtrldct statements in the Bible IN eonlct WIN the
cIear conclusions of science. While even BaAtet he OF
Tbe SAINTS Rest "consdered parts OF the Psalms as
immoral" or later scholars need not speak, since al
Tenforned men these matters know the large ileer-
atty of Archbishop Whately and DE- Arnold ana hr;
Maurice and Mr.. Robertson, aud Charles kingsley ana
Dean stanley with host OF great g0dly men refeseht
Inc the Anglican Church to- dayaIl or US wen know"
say the tree handling of Scripture OF which tnese
men were or are, guilty. While even dear Oh Alln
Ciarke-what will our Methodist brethren saY-nnas III
terpOlaons and mistakes In the scriptures IA.
Tine religious press " will probably charge me Win
citing these authorities for evil purpose VIII s.
verv likely that bent upon underu lining popular
faith in the Divine oracles.' But II the religious press
or any other press say that il is meniacods t9nS'
The Bible is to me the Word OF God and precious.
Neither am defending Mr.. Newton. II his heresy Is
serious let the Church do its duty. What am ehq,.y
anxious about is this: that at time OF passionate -
inent "A merely provincial and very inpefieets et ~
mart of Christs Church shall not hastily Impose -
bondage upon the intellect OF its clergy, reselhohs G
LARGE liberty TO which we counted ourselves neur ~
virtue OF baptism into the Protestant Episcopal
Nesc- York. Feb. /, 1851 D. H. hiiN
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