Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-25
DIR. NEwToN,s VIEWS.
He Points Out What He Believes Are the
Truths of Religion.

He Points Out What He Believes Are the
Truths Of Religion.
Rev. DR.. Heber Newton, of ALI Souls Protes-
tant Episcopal Church of New York. who has
been cited for trial concerning his views
preached a sermon yesterday morning which is
calculated to evoke much discussion in relig-
ious circles He made succinct statement Of
his much-mooted views. His text was, Hold
fast to the forms Of sacred words" The rever-
end gentleman said in substance:
1T had been said of the Nicene creed that
it was fit only to be sung. On the other hand
1t would be hard to set the Westminster faith
TO music. The Nicene creed is the amplifca-
ton OF the Apostles creed. Scarcely a doc
trine which is in dispute in the churches round
ABOUT us can furnish proper ground for dis
pute in our roomy church. The only affirma-
ton IN the Nicene creed is the large, elastic
apostolic church. We can thus Judge of the
catholicism which would rule out the foremost
man In the church for the bishopric because OF
his opinion concerning the bishOpric
INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES.
''what must we believe concerning the Bible?
Nothing beyond the simple declaration Of the
Nicene creed-who spoke by the prophets. You
may hold to the plenary inspiration Of the
Scriptures and believe every word dictated
by the Almighty, or you may hold that large
and reasonable view, which is spreading
through our church SO rapidly, with equal
loyalty to our only authority, the creed
What does the church bid us believe con-
corning the story of the creation? You are
equally free to read the story in Genesis as his
tory or parable.
What does the church command us to believe
concerning the origin of the evil, the fall of
man? Nothing whatever.
Concerning the atonement? Nothing except
the language of the creed, Who for us men and
for our salvation came down from heaven
Concerning future punishment Nothing
not contained in the language of the creed: HE
shall come again with glory to judge both the
quick and the dead.
''All theories of the character and duration of
the punishment are extra credal. The first form
of the articles contained an article on future
punishment, and that article was afterward
withdrawn.
What OF the resurrection? That the dead
are to rise into life immortal. clothed in bodily
form, l understand to be the teaching of our
great creeds. The nature of the resurrected
body is not affirmed. You are free to believe
this in the literal sense of the body laid in the
grave or In the larger sense in which most men
read it.
Concerning the sacrament and the Lords
supper We are free to believe almost ANYTHING
that commends itself to Christian conscious
ness. On all these themes on which the creeds
are silent it is natural that men should think.
Opinions must be formed and held and the
Christian, be he layman or clergyman, is left
free to form his own opinion.
THE NICENE CREED.
1.-THE Nicene creed is a charter Of liberty
1t frees us from nine-tenths of the burning
questions with which Professionalism is on fire
today"
DR.. Newton rehearsed the affirmations of the
Nicene creed. among them chiefly God and i'm
mortality, the fundamental truths of religion
In all lands and ages. He added TO interpret
accurately the doctrine of the trinity is wholly
beyond the power of any man. The incarna-
ton is a spiritual truth, phiosophically stated
Our great creed" concluded the speaker
lis the reconciliation of Christianity with it.
self. Chrlstendom Is torn and dismembered
before our eyes. 1t is paralyzed with doubt
The strife of creeds is seen ON every side. Man
cannot find a shelter under the reformation
confessions of faith with their long drawn
metaphysics. He who reads the signs of the
times sees the alternative to throw overheard
the cTeeds or to simplify them. Today. could
our Protestant churches be. content to part
with their reformation confessions of faith and
adopt that great catholic creed which has
come down through the centuries there would
be an end OF strife and contention. DIR. Bridg-
man would not have to leave his church for his
views on the question of future punishment
and DR.. Briggs could excite no contention in
his church on the question of inspiration. Our
great creed is the reconciliation of Christian
faith and modern thought, Of theology and
science"