New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-08
sIMPLIFIED CREEDs WANTED.
THE APPEAL OF CORRESPONDENT FOR A
COMPLETE REsTATEMENT IN
PLAIN LANGUAGE
PLAIN LANbbAOE'
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.

PLAIN LANGUAGE.
TO the EDITOR OF The Tribune.
Sir There is great need to-day OF more fearless
practical speakers for tho cause of religion, such 10
the Rev. Thomas Dixon, who spoke so soundly on
"The Bloodhounds OF Orthodoxy" He properly ar
ragned those harspltters Of the Protestant Churcn
from whom the Church has most to fear. what the
Church must have II It would hold fast It's following
Is men who have the honest courage to defend II
against those who assume say that all who question
their opinion are heretics. This spirit OF bigotry Is
more dangerous 10 the Church than the socalled heresy
Of independent Christian thinkers 1t IS independence
OF thought which the masses want The pulpit holuS
fast 10 old traditions the conservative clergy reiuSe
to make any advances. They seem TO forget that W
best there GRE comparatively few Of any denomination
who have adopted their particular creed as result
of their own Investigation. The masses have espoused
their religious faith they have adopted their poi'o
prncipes-by early education before their minds "ere
sufficiently developed to 1t them to reason or tinA
for themselves. So It Is that there Is 100 much TIA
dtional Christianity which really Is no Christianity a
all except in such cases the individual may DO
able to obey the command Of st. Paul to give reason
for the faith that IS him. and this command, too
REQUIRES that VIC shall exercise In establishing
our belief. We not all constituted That we c@n
live "by faith alone,' and those Of us who choose ID
read and think for ourselves and In this way arrive al
honest conclusions have good right 10 our opinions
as those hoer-than thou lights Of the Church have 10
theirs The world Is not looking for light to those
dvines who are welded TO their dogmas no matter
what evidences Of their blindness may appear. IL Is
these blind leaders who losing their following ana
Il Is tho honest independent thinker WHO VIII iean
those who see that old things are passing away utder
the light CT higher and better methods for learning te
truth What folly blindly to defend all OF the west
minister teachings in these days. II is not probable
that one-haf OF the clergy WHO apparently hold fast
to the rnusty ideas found in the Confession and cate
cbism fuIv believe them It is wholly fair 70 accuse
them Of NOR, fidelity to those principles than absolute
belief in them It is these sticklers for orthodoxy
that are endangerng it rather than those whose IDEAS
differ somewhat from the faith established wheh Tile
world was supposed 10 be fat
The feet is there is much politics In the pulpit
Theology itself IS often turned into politics. In the
great conferences of the various denominations this
feet appears II IS perfectly apparent to the lag
readers OF the reports OF such meetings that many
times desire for victory In contestne some question
T. greater than the desire 10 advance the Kingdom OF
God The leading lights OF every denomination mnst
admit in their hearts that there Is at least something
Of the emptiness Of politics In them 1t S much 10
be feared That some Of the clergy are too closely
Initiating the practices Of political leaders and poll
ticilns. ,.. 4.
and going astrav II this be true, the pulpit IS mainly
responsible for the situation. The people are thinking
They are not governed In their beliefs now WHO'LL ~
either the pulpit the press. They look more 10
honest Independent thinkers TOT idiS, 10 leIl Ol riPo
scholarship and superior opportunities for reachlng
conclusions, men who tell the people the reasons for
their belief and leave the people to Judge for them
selves OF the sourdncss Of their opinions Let rome
sit in Judgment the religious belief OF Others except
they willing that others should sit in judgment
on them. - ,
The demand Of today Is the simplincation OF all
crecds so that the lavman may read and under
stand them. instead Of the maintenance OF creefs
which theOloGians constantly fighting over 10 the
regret q CHRISTIANS ard mankind generally without
r-n9er'ng thnm anv mr. intelidble. When churches
shall be organized broad principles Of religious
faith with irconsequcntia dognas consigned to the
stake there VIII b. no more OF present bickerngs
over questions which tho clergy themselves do not
understand What We all desire is to 90 to Heaven.
and that bv the shortest road. with the fewest jots
in It. But 7 have little hope that the millennium
win come while loading ministers fail b. manifest the
tue spirit Of Christian chary aid paramount desire
for the spreading ~ religion rather than rrec'is
Syracuse, May 10, 1891. ORTHODOX