The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-25
The NICEEE CREED.
A Rock Upon Which the Churches Are
Splitting.

New YORK, May 24.--Rev. Dr. Heber
Newton of All Souls Church, preached
sermon this morning which is calculated to
evoke much discussion in religious circles
He made suecinct statement of his much
mooted views. His text was Hold Fast to
the Form of Sacred Words" The reverend
gentleman said in substance: lit has been
said Of the Nicepe creed that 1t was fit only
10 be sung. On the other hand it would be
hard 10 set the Westminster faith TO music.
The Ncene creed is the amplifcaton of the
Apostles creed. Scarcely doctrine which
is in dispute in the churches around about
us is furnishing proper ground for dis
pute in our roomy church. The only aftir-
nation in the Ncene creed is the large,
elastic declaration, believe in one Catho-
lie and apostolic church, We can thus
judge of the catholicism which would rule
the foremost man ia the church for the
bishOpric because of his opinion concerning
the epiScopate.
What must we believe concerning the
Bible Y'-NOthing beyond the simple de-
claratiOn 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 AL
mighty, 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 concerning the
story of the creation ?'-You are equally
free to read the story in Genesis as history
or parable. What does the church COM
mand us 10 believe concerning the origin OF
evil, the fall of man Y'-NothlDg whatever
Concerning the atonemeutP'-Nothing eX-
cept the language Of the creed, Nv no Tor
us men and for eur salvation came down
from heaven? ?" Concerning future punish
ment? ?"-Nothing not contained in the IAN
guage of the creed: "He shall come again
with glory 20 Judge both the qaick and the
dead" Al THEORIES Of the character aud
duration of the punishment are extra
creedals.
The first form Of the articles contained an
article on future punishment, and that arti-
Gle was aflegwaTd Withdrawn.
What Of the resurrection, and that the
dead are to rise into life immortal, clothed
in bodily form 2"
Il understand this to be the teaching Of
our great creeds. The nature of the reSur-
rected body is not affirmed. You are free
to believe this in tie literal sense OF the
body laid in the grave or in The larger sense
in which TOst men read 1t. Concerning the
Sacrament of the Lords. Supper, We are
free TO believe almost anything that com
mends itself to Christian Consciousness. 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 is a charter of liberty. 1t
frees us from nine-,entbs of the burning
questions with which Professionalism is on
fire to-day.
"Our great creed" concluded the speaker,
sis the reconciliation Of Christianity with
itself. ChTiStend0m is torn and dsmem-
bertd before our eyes. IL Is paraly Zed 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 overbOrd the creeds or TO simplify
them. To-day could our Protestant churches
be content to part with their reformation
confessions of faith and adopt the great
Catholic creed, which has come down
through the centuries. there would be an
end to strife and.contentiOn DR.. Bridgeman
won Id not have to leave his church for his
vie ws 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
c hlistian faith and modern th0ug ght of the
ology aud the sciences"