The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-25
HEBgR NRwroNs VIEWS.
He Makes a 5uccicnt Statement to
His Congregation.

NEW YoRK, May 24.-Rev. Heber Newton
of All Souls church preached a sermon this
morning which is calculated to evoke much
discussion in religious circles. He made
succicnt statement of his much mooted
views. His text was: Hold fast
to the forms OF sacred words"
The reverend gentleman said in
substance: at had been said of the Nicene
creed that it was fit only 70 be sung. On
the other hand, it would be hard to set the
Westminster faith TO music. The Nicene
Creed is an amplifcation of the Apostles
Greed. Scarcely a doctrine which Is
in dispute in the churches round
about us can furnish proper ground
for dispute in our roouly church. The
only affirmation in the Nicere Creed is the
large, elastic declaration, i believe in one
Catholic and Apostolic church We can
thus Judge OF Catholic SIN which would rule
out the foremost man In the church for a
bishopric because of his opinion CONCERNING
the episcopate.
CONCERNING THE BIBLE.
What must we believe concerning
the Biblel Nothing beyond the
the simple declaration OF Ahe Nicene Creed,
who spoke by the prophets- You may hold
to plenary inspiration of the Scriptures and
believe every word dictated by the AL
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 concerning the
story of the creationl You are equally
free to read the story in Genesis asa history
or a parable. What does the church oom-
mand us to believe concerning the origin of
evil the fall OF manf Nothing whatever.
Concerning the atonementl Nothing except
the language of the creed, swho for us men
and for our salvation came down from
heaven
FUTURE PUNISHMENT.
Concerning future punishment Moth
ing not contained in the language of the
creed. He shall come again with glory to
Judge both the quick and the dead All
the theories OF the character and duration
OF punishment are extra-credal. The
first form Of the articles contained
an article on future punishment,
withdrawn What of the resurrectionl
That the dead are to rise into life immortal,
clothed in bodily form. / understand that
to be the teaching of our great creeds. The
nature of the resurrectee 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.
THE SACRAMENT AND SUPPER.
Concerning the sacrament and the Lords
supper we are free to believe almost any
thing that commends itself to Christian
consciousness On all thee themes on
lfnatural that men should think Opin-
| ions must be formed and held, and
/ the Christian, be he layman or
clergyman, is left free TO form his own
opinion. The Nicene Creed Is the charter of
| liberty. 1t frees US from nineteenth of the
burning questions with which professionalism
| is on fire today Here the speaker re-
| hearsed the affirmations Of the NIcene Greed,
among them chiefly God and Immortality,
| the fundamental truths Of religion In all
lands and in all ages. To interpret accur-
ately the doctrine of the Trinity is wholly
beyond the power of any man. Incarna-
tion is spiritual truth, phIlosopbically
/ stated.
A RECONCILIATION OF CHRISTIANITY.
| sour great creed" concluded the speaker,
sis reconciliation of Christianity with
| ITSELF Chrisuendom is torn and dismembered
before our eyes, Ii Ia paraiyzed with doubt.
| The strife of creeds is seen on every side. Man
cannot find 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 over
board cresds or to simplify them. To-day
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. Bridgemsn 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 reconciliation of the Christian
faith and modern thought OF theology and
| science