St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-22
rHEH4ERT4rr THEOLOGY.

Mr.. NEWTON, the clergyman whose pulpit
utterances have recently attracted so much
attention and comment, disclaims any pur-
pose to assail the properly understood doc
trines of his church. 1t looks as if Mr..
NEWTON could be convicted on a charge Of
inconsistency. His heart may be with his
church, but logically he belongs with the un-
believers. He says in sermon explanatory
OF his ,-sitiOn that he had ''only sought TO
bring out the simple truth OF scripture and
of the church's official teachings from the
outer body of conventional opinion" He SAYS
he is not warning against Christianity, but
Calvinism. Yet Mr. NEWTON ought to know
that predestination, the distinctive doctrine
of Calvinism, is also the doctrine set forth by
his own church us precious truth in its
right use, though dangerous in its abuse.
The thirty nine articles affirm the doctrine
of the Trinity with METAPHYSICAL minuteness,
and set forth the inspiration of the Old
Testament as equal to that of the New flor
both in the GA AMI New Testament ever
lasting life is offered 10 mankind by Christ"
Mr. NEwToN's halfway positions are un
tcnablc. Either GoD has or has not granted
man book of revelation. revelation con-
Germs those facts which mans I'M
aided reason could never discover.
Mans reason is com petent 10 weigh
the external proof of that revelati0u's claims
and his conscience to respond to the internal
truths unfolded. Much of the mystery ex-
planned, or oulY partially explained, by reye
latiOn would confront US all the same if there
had been no revelation. There are those who
affirm that no revelation has been. made,
that we today are as destitute of an anthem
tic message from heaven as were the Romans
uf Old, or as are the CoLgoese canuibals to-
day. Their doubts do not concern us in
connection with this discussion. Their
skepticism is at least well defined and con-
sistent. Dies Mr.. NEWTON stand ready 10
unite with them, or docs he stand with his
church in affirming that ''Holy Scripture
containeth all things necessary to salvationl''
Mr.. INGERsOIL says there is no eternal saliva
ton or eternal punishment, and revelation
is Il myth. the church says just TO the con-
trary. There is no middle ground, and to be
consistent Mr. NEWTON must stand with one
OF the other. To stand with the church it is
ubb utct0>dIN W OtitFe All JudI iitOiO5Iau5
have maintained in the past for their COM
meBts are cOnfpssedly human and upin-
sprtd: nor is it necessary to blind ones
eyes to the new light that exploration and
archaeological research have shed on the
manners and-customs of ancient nations.
These are minor matters, and theologicaly
il is Of little consequence whether the world
was made in six days or six millions Of
in scholarship can change its meaning, that
scripture declares the existence of personal
Con who is Creator and Governor of the uni
verse; that He has made His will known to
men and hog prophets especially through
His Son. That Son and His apostles have
-iven unqualified endorsement of the Old
Testament as well as the New, and Mr.. NEW
TONS church ECHOES their decarItion
Mr.. NEWTON will find it an uphill business
to preserve his consistency in an attempt to
hold fast the essentials of faith and at the
same time to correct the direct testimonies of
JESUS CHRIST as 10 the authorship of the Pent-
ateuch II the Bible be not a revelation it is
only matter Of taste and culture whether
We set it down as mischipvous imposture
or as a wel-meant record Of mans spiritual
fancies. Mr.. NEWTON cannot long remain in
his halfway house 10 atheism. He must
come back into the church and shut the door
behind him OF step out into the outdoor
world Of iniidelity.