The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-31
VIEWS TOO BROAD.
An Effort to Discipline Two Episco-
pal Ministers in New York
City.
OBJECTIONS to the Course Of Rev.
Drs. Rainsford and Heber
Newton.
rh.v Must Conform to the Canons of the
Church or Withdraw from Its
Communion.

Nrw YORK. March 3O.-Some clergyman OF
.his town propose to do a foolish thing
Thew propose to discipline two OF the best
known and most popular pastors OF New
York-the Rev. DR.. w. s. Rainsford. rector
of 81. GEORGES parish, and the Rev. DIR. X.
Heber Newton of All Souls church. IT
cheese disciplinarians contrive to curb the
Independence of these two preachers they
will, 90 to speak, twig several clergymen Q.
lesser note and ability, who also are looaseo
In the diocese Of New York, OF which the
Rev. DR.. Henry G. Potter is bishop. Their
offense seems to be too great 'liberallty
Of views. The ''liberality" of the Rev. DR..
Rainsford in inviting ministers of denoml-
nations other than the Episcopal to occupy
his pulpit a year ago drew out q prosest
from his brother clergy, which DR.. Rams
ford, however, saw fit to ignore.
In arranging the series OF Lenten ser
vices at st. Georges for the current sea-
son, Dr.. Rainsford went so far as to invite
not only non piscopalian or Dissenting"
olergymon to participate therein, bat it is
alleged that he let down the bars of coolest
.stiosl federation to such an extent as to
odnit a t.heretlc' to the sanctuary and
nrivileces of the church.. Furthermore, Dr.
Rainsford took part, in his clerical capac-
ity. in a service at Plymouth church, Brook
lyn, and for these and kindred oHenses
against the canons OF the onurcn u Is
Georce's should be ~admonished, II not ais
The utterances OF the Rev. DIR. r. Heber
Nevto from time to time on topics OF
more or less public and religious interest
have been the occasion OF apprenenslon
49, --s-OI~arcsN IN NaYG21n 0uHI-
ters. The reserved right of DR..
Newton to deliver himself of any. opinion;
however ultra or advanced, as an individual
ia not denied, but it is held by the project
ora Of the present movement that as long
as he continues a clergyman IN full sna
church his u%tterances should correspond
to the accepted teachings OF hat COM
The influence of the example of Drs. New
ton and Rainsford is held to be pern1clous,
it is said, particularly In view OF the state
70 occupy the pulpit Of st. Georges and
preach to the people of that parish on Gooo
Friday. To meet this emergency, to coun-
teract the effect of the doings of the offend
ing clerRymen, and to set the seal of dis,
approval and condemnation on the alleged
u~ncanonical and uncler'cal Practlces com,
planned of, a protest has been prepared
which is now being signed by the clergy OF
the diocese of New York. ,.
When the document shall have been fully
signed it is proposed to give it extensive
publicity, with a view not only to making
known the position of the church and OF
the remainder of the clergy in relation to
the course pursued by DR.. Newton, Or.
Rainsford, and their sympathizers and I'M
itators, but to securing their repression.
The movement has thus far been con-
Quoted very quietly, the knowledge that 1t
was in progress having been confined to the
clergy Of the diocese, whose signatures to II
had been requested OF were desired. 1t IL
deemed not altogether unlikely. however
that the consensus of opinion in opposition
to the practices indicated may result in &C
ton being taken looking to the disciplinlnl
Of the offending clergymen. In any event
it ia calculated that the action of the clergy
of the diocese in formally putting thei1
views on record in this connection will re.
suit in a deliverance on the part of the gen
eral convention to be held in Baltimore II
October, 1882, which will compel clergyman
either to conform their preaching and per:
sonal conduct to the c%anonlcal law anc
prescribed rubrlcs of the Episcopal church
or withdraw themselves from it's commu
MON.