New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-27
DIR, NEWTON AND DOGMA.
AN OBSTACLE TO MANY GOOD MEMS FAITH.
DEpLoR1NG THE D1sCoURAGEMENr WHICH THE

DEPLORING THE DIsCOURAGEMENT WHICH THE
CHURCH PRESENTS TO TRUTH-sEEKERs.
All Souls Church was filed from end to the
other yesterday morning The seats were occupied by
members of the church and admirers Of the rector the
Rev Dr. r. Heber Newton, who hoped TO hear a reply
10 the attacks which have been made recently upon
him. In this they not wholly disappointed al
though the preacher mentioned no name In the course
Of his sermon The Doctor took his text from the
Gospel of Luke: al have prayed that thy faith may
not fail thee"
Faith. he said, was all summed up in tho one great
elastic simple word God. The preacher who did not
seek to help his hearers TO a living faith was an
impertinence the pulpit That was the one supreme
function Of the pulpit To gain faith TO hoid 1aith
to live and to walk by faith, should be the supreme
ospiration of every earnest thoughtful man. TO DO
so was needful. 1t was the only way out VI d ua'n
tlonal faith to living faith
The foes TO faith were twOfold The first hindrance
to faith arose from life itself There could not DC
clear uncouded intellect with a muddy nfe That
foe to faith was the low level along which most men
walked There was, secondly, an intellectual zoe 10
faith. There never had been found the possiohty Oh
a statement that would the problem OF the uni
verse; There never had been found formula tlat
woud exhaust the universe Of mystery. There never
had been found form Of faith that was large enough
round enough full enough for faith. In every creed
there we're many perpexlties The most serious zoe
TO faith to-day in the Church Itself
ais it, he asked "any wonder that myriads Oh
men and women about us looking at our churcnes'
saw. 1T is all sham; it IS all hypOcrisy''' Tic
details Of the creeds he added, were respohsolo ioI
the unbelief Of to-day. There was superstition Oh
the Sabbathto DO DISTINGUISHED from the true reVer
ence for the Sabbath-which exalted 1t INTO an rol'
"IIerr we are to-day" he continued Trying 10 per
suade certain good who are the trustees VI tno
Metropolitan Museum Of Art that II is not uescol%
ton of the Lords Day TO open the doors VI INC
Museum to the hosts Of our fellow-beings VINO are
unable TO visit II on the other six days OF the week.
They are good men and true who are thus barring
the doors of the Museum. They arc seeking 10 pro
mote the cause of religion but in the name OF renson
they are driving men away rom IeNsi'N Vs.
They are making religion seem can't d s"ain'
fraud. They are making religion seem not tho Irienu
of man. but the foe Of man; not inc Dencl@oVot' 0'
an oppressor, tyrant When the average WORKMAN
comes up to museum on Sunday morning and hhds
that the Church has closed the doors upon hiHi' Is
he not very apt to sheer and turn away ana cohcuue
that the whole thing is a gigantic Hauu -,
The Church. added the Doctor, was not content with
Offering men the Bible. II tackled to II theOr3 oi ee
Bible "As with our own resurrectlon' he cohunueu'
so with the resurrection OF the Lou jesus Eniisv
Men are driven to doubt 1t by the claims insisted on
as vital TO the belief which entirely unlmpo'taht
and to most unpreludced minds simply incieuoic
Illustrations Of this grave error Of the Chuch nave
come 10 NV notice during the last week J., .,o.
"A letter from an intelligent laymdn ~ a int
diocese whose anxious desire to 6e sulueu ineo q
reasonable and reverent faith wen hnoW, es , tiv
that his bishop writes him tnat ne - nUt ,t
hIasphemous and absolutely arrogant ana
for holding certain critical views OF Ipe r Tp bS
these he had been led by wide readlhS, Ile9 naI
been pTayerfuly considered But me as aSAeu
him If he believed that the Bible was oGs W. %o Sad No
il was Gods word according TO the blsh9p ne Hau 10
business to study IL critically, but shYuI th9 ~ y JS'
as he found it. An honest man, the bishoP tsO saIu
could not remain in this Chufcn WIN SUI" '0"'
This good layman has left the Church. - J.. .
The Church VIII only help men once Ino4e W a
living faith as she ccases TO lmpSe on men yOhe
which they cannot fear, and ceases TO thrust upon
them the SurrsttiOns which are the eAaSgerduon Oh
a reasonable faith Let her return 10 the slmpnclues
of fnith LEI her accept the light that comes III our
generation and road her old forms OF fat by the new
Knowledge LET her be honest Intellectually ana then
once NOR, she can guide the world mo inc iaiIn py
which man is 10 walk: the faith she hOdS put hdes'
aThe mind OF man" added the Doctor, 10 conclu-
sion will always believe Il loft free to act upon the
problems OF NE upon tie MYSTERY OF the universe
Ills Intellectual necessitics viii constrain him to be
lieve lie cannot consider IN open question Whether
1t be intelligent and intellls Dle ne KNOWS tat nc
cannot permanently be put to CONFUSION, De con
founded. The heart OF man longs 10 believe ~ as Is
hungry for a genuine faith today as ever IN, IN inc
past. IL only instead Of this hard, dry stone o.
dogma and eccleSasticsm. OF superstition IN us myriad
FORMS there was offered unto him the living bread,
how eagerly would ne take III!