New-York tribune., 1891-05-17
DIR. NEWTON'S TURN NOW.
CLERGYMEN BRING A CHARGE AGAINST HIM.
THE ATTENTION OF BISHOP POTTER CALLED
TO HIS TEACHINGS.

| THE ATTENTION OF BISHOP POTTER CALLED
TO HIS TEACHINGS.
The following document, which Is said 10 have tho
approval OF some Of the most eminent clergy Of thu
city and TO be signed by such rcctors Drs. Hough.
ton, Warren Gallaudet, De Costa, and Others repre-
sentng various shades of thought IN the Protcstan.
Episcopal Church. placed in the hands of Bishoy
Potter several days ago:
art. Rev. Henry c. Potter d. D., LII. D., D. c. L..
Bishop Of New York.
Whereas Grave and widespread rumors are now
abroad regarding alleged violations Of the Doctrine
and Discipline Of tho Protestant Episcopal Church
upon the part Of the Rev. r. IIeber Newton, D. D..
! rector Of All Souls Parish, Ncw-York City; and
Whereas 1t is declared by Canon Title H. of the
canons for the government Of the Protestant Episco
pal Church in the United States OF America that whe
"A minister Of this Church shall be accused By publ,
rumor of holding and teaching publicly or privately
and advisedly any doctrine contrary to that held by
the Protestant Episcopal Church. II shall be the duty
of the Bishop to that an inquiry be instituted
TO the truth Of such public rumor' and,
"whereas Canon XIX, Section !. OF the Canons of
the Diocese Of New-YorS also provides that when
ever, from public rumor otherwise, the Bishop sha
have reason to believe that any clergyman is under
the imputation Of having been guilty Of any OFFENCE
misconduct for which he is liable 10 be tried. and
that the interest Of the Church requires invest
gation 1t shall be his duty to appoint five persons,
OF whom three at least shall be presbyers to examine
the case majority Of whom may make such examine
ton and II there is In their opinion sufficient ground
for presentment, shall present the Clergyman accord
ingly.'
awe, the undersigned presbyters Of the Diocese of
New-York would respectfully petition that the Inquiry
provided for by the above cited be Instituted
with view TO ascertaning the truth concerning the
public respecting the teaching OF the Kew Dr.
r. Heber Newton"
In regard to the above requstion one OF the rector
who has signed 1t says: "The requiston to Bishop
Potter in regard 70 DR.. Newton is supported by the
clerical members OF the standing committee OF the
diocese the whole theological faculty OF the General
Seminary, as Well by the leading rectors In this
city, among whom the Rev. DR.. George H. Hough-
ton rector OF the Church Of the Transhgurauon the
Rev Dr. Isaac Tuttle rector of st. Luke's; the Rev.
| Dr. E. Walpole Warren rector Of Holy Trinity; the
| Rev. DR.. Backus, rector OF the Church Of the Holy
Apostles the Rev. Dr. Hughes rector OF the Church Oh
the Holy Sepulchre the Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer, chap
lain Of the House of the Holy Comforter; the Rev. Dr.
Gallaudet rector of st. AIMS Church; the Rev. Dr.
| e. F. De Costa, rector Of the Church OF st. John
| the Evangelist and the Rev. DR.. Dix, OF
| Trinity The requiston must Of necessity de-
mand q careful and courteous attention on tho
part Of Bishop Potter Bishop Potter, although
broad and liberal man, 10 known TO be an ORTHODOX
believer In the miraculous element of Christianity, and
his letter on the Macoueary case which appeared in
NOhii'ii"'NN -
! opinion.
According to the canons OF the Diocese OF New
York 1t appears that upon the receipt OF the requis
ton II will be the duty OF the Bishop to nominate
committee Of five TO inquire into the rumors OF Dr.
| Ncwton's unbelef, when DIR. Newton VIII nave
an opportunity Of formally denying the charges.
II he denies the truth of the rumor his
denial will be openly published and his Or
| thodoxy vindicated; but II he acknowledges the
! truth Of the statement, or IS SILENT he VIII
be presented by the bishop for trial Bishop Potter
| can then dismiss the case IL he thinks trial uh-
| necessary or he nominate twelve presDyters OF
the diocese and send their names to DR.. Newton Win
request that he select five of them TO form board
for his trial Should Dr. Newton decline to nominate
his own iudRes the bishop must select the five himself
and these shall proceed 10 try the rector OF All Souls
Church for hery AS most OF the scholarly presbyters
of the diocese have signed the requisiton, they are
by the law Of the diocesan canon debarred from con-
satutng the board OF judges Thus 1t is extremely
probable that Dr. Newton will eventually be tried
by a BODY Of men singularly unified to give an
opinion on any dogma. II WILL however, give him
an opportunity of publicly stating his views.
@The probable result will be that Dr. Newton will
not be deposed. But he may find his position so
Illogical as to suggest his following the advice Of
Rabbi Gotthel to slip out quietly from Church tho
creeds of which he no longer believes"
Since the announcement In yesterdays Tribune OF
an impending inquiry regarding the Rev. Dr. Newton's
orthodoxy there has been general impression that
the protest was made against him account OF the
charges made by Father 1gnatus This is said not TO
be So AS far az Father lgnatus is concerned y ap'
etant Episcopal clergy Of York that ne has done
much to udice tho whole and that In the In
t4rcsts of the Church It would be wiser to defer any
proceedings But action was forced upon the S cerS sS
Comment The Tribune had published letter from
bishop seymour of Springfield and the presiding
Williams Of Connecticut had also publicly referred 70
the matter. In addition TO this, the Rev. Mr. Mac
Queary stated on his recent tra that us Views were
Identical with those Of Dr. Newton.
A Tribune reporter called upon the Rev DR.. DIX
last evening TO learn whether he had signed or ap
proyed OF the protest. lie denied signing IT, and said
he had nothing more to say. The Rev. Dr. r. Heoer
Newton was also seen by Tribune reporter last
night When asked about the presentment his reply
was "I decline TO talk at the present stage Of the
proceedings At Bishop Potters home last night ~
was said that he had been out Of town for several
days, and had not yet returned