Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-27
BAPTIST MINISTER
,s,.ngS IRON Els DENOMINATION AND JOINS
lEg EPISCOPAL GEURCa.
49,. Potter Confirms Him-Hs IS Proposed fer
1..-.h Membership by a Brother Of Bishop
grooks-He DsnOancss the
Baptist Press.


nh. Rev. DR.. Charles De w. Bridg-
Who resigned from the passionate
nan .r', Madison Avenue Baptist Church,
o. .' so I'm account of liberal theOlOgic
Az. vbicb he held, not consistent
.t., 8octrinal tenetS of that denOm-
was confirmed by Bishop Henry
49, Yesterday afternoon in this
., e,mmuuicaLt of the Protest
,,,.ts.oosl Church. Also his wife,
a- f.rrhter, together with his
,-.,~5 and old pariShloner, Or. Alfred
LOOMS, the noted PHYSICIAN were
co.u..... over ON the east side, off the
Az ple street, is mOOred modest
200. cbapel-the Seaman'S EpiS-
"-- t.-.,r 10 was here that yeSter-
cote' -fs.n confirmation was held,
aai ,-'t-,~,n and his family making
i'I' l' ........ ~, God and the Church as
~.~hars of molIy crown oI cahu'-
-b'1,ka and white.
r..soD Potter had offered Doctor
o..i..,.5r u.s. mark of special conSid-
'. ,r.,ate confirmation, but the
49, ,ri-h Characteristic manlineSS,
.t.i -o pledge allegiance 10 his new
church as others no.
A., Yesterdays service twenty-eight
-..-,-s were confirmed, including
stt.sof the chapel, st. BarnabaS Mis-
-he Church of the Incarnation,
.,rli.9rtS from which DR.. Bridgman,
s,..nr and friends were announced by
.r.-ar-.r Dr.. Arthur Brooks, brother
~ 0-. PhWp Brooks, Bishop elect of
Is.sgrbgsetts. The officiating clergy
nan were The Right Rev. Henry c. Pot
.s- Rcv. Dr. Brooks, Rev. Mr.. Zill-
r,rr and Rev. Arthur II. PrOffitt
p,r11 Potter in his remarks made no
-.f-srce 90 the distinguished cOmmu-
,s,, upon whose bowed head his hand
b.i e,red in confirmation.
sooN To BE ORDAINED.
n- Rridgman enters the Episcopal to
bs1ne enc of its ministers. The law Of
.e Church is that the applicant for
b1'v orders must serve two prObatiOna-
-7 .ermS-One year as lay reader and
on wear As deacOn-but both terms
s-s subject tOdiScretionarY modification
5v the Bishop, and in DR.. Bridgman'S
case the rights of ordination will proba-
biz not be deferred longer than six
months.
Vow that DR.. Bridgman is out of the
BAPTIST fold and well into the EpiScO-
alan inclOSure, be tells the why where
fore Of his retirment from his old pas
,orate. 1t was known that his famous
sermon in population of the doctrine OF
s,ernal punishment had offended a very
isw Of the extremely orthodox in his
congregation. That he had resigned on
tba,accouut, and persisted in his reSig-
nation for that cause alone when the
united Board of Trustees pleaded with
him 90 stay, was hard 10 believe. In
fact DO one did believe 1t.
DR. Bridgman cordially welcomed me
Yesterday 20 an interview. He told me
that the Madison Avenue Church is in
ie5,ed largely 10 the "denOminatiOnal
papers" for the loss of his services.
-Wny." said the Doctor; there is far
move euc.ous kindlineSS and fairness In
Che secular press than among these re-
lgogs w-esies. The editorial rooms OF
most Of them are virtual slaughter
houses knew full we'll that these IN
qr,.,0ra. organs once having started
che hue and cry against me would keep
itlp and make my people more than
myself bear the burden of their unjust
assaults.
1T was not the minority opposition In
ny Immediate church that led me to re-
sign, but 90 a very material extent it
was the certain knowledge Of the per-
secution 20 be expected for my people
from this religious press, these Self-ap
pointed cenSors of the Church who in
siSt upon pulpit utterances in accord
with their own standards.
"But how about the Baptist Church
itself, DOc,Or?' / asked.
with that denomination. replied
ne earnestly, ARE connected the most
sacred experiences of my life, and my
withdrawal from il does not imply that
lam out OF spiritual sympathy with my
brethren, but from a purpose to put
myself among those with whose order
and methods / AN more in accord. Ma
,lre men are not fond of excursions; it
only with a wrench and a pang that
.lal o-Sake familiar surroundings, and
.ae Step have taken to-day was done
soFy aud from conviction that l
YOU'D be free to do my work at less cost
p .aa Episcopal Church.
PEOPLE WHO WANT HIS VIEWS.
This letter." said he, selecting one
rom pile of correspondence before
l.m' "oesS me to speak out and tell
why l leave the Baptist Church. Its
writer, who, by the way, is probably the
most distinguished Baptist minister in
,l.S country, tells me substantially that
a' does not know how soon he will have
90 follow my example and withdraw
rom q denomination which presents
I.'rIuaI n3rrOwneSS and is an outrage
-a'l historic and inceptional liberty. "
is this decision 10 join the Episcopal
church sudden One?' | asked.
hes, replied be, lin one sense; no,
another. A bud may break into
'.'9m 10 am hour, but it has been ma
,arins Tor weeks So with my decision.
AAe roots of 10 reach very far back. For
.ttr' have been somewhat out of &C
.''l with the strict views which prevail
" .ae Baptist denomination as TO COM
N4uion ana baptism, but | held them in
''Nefye, and made no utterInce that
"'l'd signify any dissent from the ac-
.epted beliefs.
was content to remain as l was,
gwen under the restraint that was neceS-
s1'y knowing that my ministry was ap-
y'o''d OF by my people, and that they
were satisfied with its purity. Still,
soy mat If the occasion for il should
-.le could enter some other Church