The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-02
REV. HEBER NEWTON
The Eminent Olergymen Now Be-
. ing Investigated
BY 4 COMMITTEE OF Ills CHURCH.

DR.. Newton Says His Theological
Views Arc Unchanged, and That
He Is Prepared to Defend His Po-
sition If Called Upon to Do So by
the Church Tribunal.
NEW YORK, July 2.-The case Of r.
Heber Newton, rector Of All Souls
church, charged with heresy, Is in the
hands of committee of five acting as
grand jury, and presentment, possibly
an indictment, may soon be expected.
The charges, based upon rumors, are
denials of the virgin birth Of Christ, Of
the bodily resurrection of the Saviour
and of the verbal inspiration of the
Bible.
These are the main points raised
against the famous rector. Other points
there are of doctrine and of form Of
worship that are of minor interest. DR..
Newton has cleared away the rumors
by announcing in unmistakable words
his denial Of these doctrines, and that
by declaring that his denial is perfectly
justifiable, according to the standards Of
faith Of the Protestant Episcopal church.
Prepared to Defend Himself.
To reporter Dr.. Newton said that he
would not appear before the committee,
because its sessions were secret and their
report to the bishop would be secret.
He did not wish to place himself In q
position where his conduct might be
misunderstood, as for instance, il the
committee should declare the charges
not sustained, it might be supposed that
no had gone before the committee and
retracted, or if trial were ordered, it
would never be proper to report what
he had said or what had been said to
him in secret meeting of q grand jury.
If trial were ordered, he declared that
he would appear in proper manner and
with proper spirit to make his defense.
DIR. Newton them made reference to o
misunderstanding as to his position,
from which he has suffered in former
years, and requested the reporter to
make explanation thereof. This had
reference to statements that have ap-
peared in the newspapers to the effect
that several years ago Bishop Henry
Potter had occasion to advise DIR. New
ton to keep his unorthodox views to
himself, and that thereafter the SER
mons at All Souls church were milder
in form and that DR.. Newton had
stopped an incipient heresy trial at that
time by making a declaration to the
bishop Of his orthodoxy.
Never Changed His Views.
DR.. Newton authorized the reporter
| to make the most absolute contradiction
of this report under whatever form it
should appear He said that he had
never at any time, to any person, taken
back any public utterance, modified any
| public statement of doctrine, or in pri-
! yate, by pen or by tongue, put upon
any such utterance any modifying in
terpretation whatever, thereby to avoid
/ any ecclesiastical entanglement Nor
had he ever promised, nor even given
any assurance, or held out any expect
alton that he would alter or modify for
the future his views or his utterance Of
those views.
Nor MadelAny Pledges.
Continuing, DIR. Newton said that to
! neither bishop nor the standing commit
tee had he at any time given any pledge
for the future, and from neither had he
accepted any direction to make such a
change and by tacit aoquiesence prac-
tically committed himself thereto.
He assured the reporter that there
was no muzzle on his lips; that he could
not remain in the church under such
conditions; what he believed he must
/ teach; what he believed was, he thought,
in accordance with the creed of
the church, was legitimate interpreta-
tioh of this creed. He said he was
in This church, where he proposed to
stay until it should be ruled that he
conld not teach his convictions, then he
wpnld go out of the church.