New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-15
MR.. MACQUEARY's DEFENCE.
HE SPEAKS BEFORE THE NINETEENTH
CENTURY CLUB.
EXPLAINING WHY HIS CHURCH FORCED HIN


EXPLAINING WHY HIS CHURCH FORCED HIN
TO hcrIoN-DR. GoTTHEIL OPPOSES HIM.
The Arvan and the semitic together last even
ing NJ the Nineteenth Century Club 10 discuss "Ihe
pnI,g,one Problem The representative Aryan was
Aha Pew. Howard MacQueary, and the representative
semitic xas Rabbi Gottheil The subject was INTRO
ducsd nv Mr. MacQueary in long and elaborate ad-
arass The audience that heard the debate cr?woea
the assembly room Of the Metropolitan opera houSe'
Rrander Matthew'S president OF the Nineteenth century
c,ub presIded Mr.. Macoueary Is tall, tnin youus
man with black hair, little black musache rather
awkward manner on the platform and decideoiy
awkward delivery 1t was difficult for those WHO sa'
even within a few feet OF him to catch what he sao,
his enuncation was so indstinct The keenest anu
most attentive listeners moreover, were hkep 10 oe
bewIdered by the dsuslve and dscursve style OF te
speaker who travelled through the theories VI e"i
ism and amosticsm mere preliminary W INC u'
folding of his Christian dealism, ana Delof0 nc "'
reached a statement Of his own case WIFI tno ~
haA dre,t ON the phases of the idea OF Goa ana inc
existence and persistence of the soni' anu in auo
an argument against the iniaiiDhiy Vi .'e ~,
vursed i'm language strongly reminiseent Oh Ooionei
Robert G.. Ingersoll's . . ...... l.,
,,r,~ ha essai,ed the Roman Catholic idea Of the
snnremacy of the Church. and the Protestant loea Oh
The Bib,e as the supreme rule Of faith The BLDG III
the Popes CHAIR is the way ne pu. a.
Then he said: al have Deen reques'oN ="
+ate my case 10 this audience. do so with reluc-
lance / was taught TO reverence the SCRIPTURES as
the Word Of God, but when found they were inc
words Of fallibe men, naturally declined TO accept
the Bibles mere pse dixit any subject ana espcc-
tally on the subject Of miracles Miracles are eA-
traordnary events and must be proved by eA'raor-
binary evidence This is not the case with the MI
racuIous birth of Christ and his bodily resurrection.
vbv did remain in the Church! That Church reects
infa N
renuired 10 subscribe to the Thirty-nine Arucles'
Here they are not We take only certain vows upon us
AZ ordination, and these do not bind US 10 inc ho0
letter of the creeds These vows distinctly pIaee
the Scriptures above the creeds, and give US inc s
20 interpret the creeds by the Scriptures, ana
the Scriptures by facts and reason. 80 what Hghe
ba one Christian to excommuncate another because ol
q difference of dogmas? Who made those dogmaS!
rou,ble men, Who are 10 suggests alterations In
dormasq individuals. How can individuals erect
those alterations If the moment they propose them tey
are accommodated from the Church' Loud ap-
plause) ..,. =. A.,
aCongressmen constantly propose alterations in the
INTERPRETATION of the Constitution Of the country Tho
FpiscoDal cergymen who are loudest In the claim oil
morality and comprehensveness for the Episcopal
Church have been the very ones TO compare inc
church TO Protestant club There Is no parallel be
tween a Protestant club and the Church.
Tho club stands for one idea, and the
* self.excluded from the club. But the
Church expressly stands for truth and righteousness
and expressly provides for the reconstruction OF
formulas So, instead Of conformity of opinion, II
should encourage the greatest variety OF opinion ana
the freest speech. AS Protestant, l claimed had
as much right In the Protestant Episcopal Church as
any one else That claim has not been refuted
Said that / would stay there until was sho"h tno
door, and did.
Mr. MacQueary's conclusion on the religious prop
lem was that after ALL nature, history, conscience ana
reason are the only guide in religious matters
al wish,s he added, "that we had better guide
wish there was some person. organization OF oooh
to answer these questions for us Alas there Is no..
The light of reason may be Pickering and uncertain
hut It is all we have, and If we honestly use TINS 1o0
given power feel that the giver of 1t VIII not osai
harshly with us if we so astray"
Rabbi Gottheil said he had the privilege OF having
10 fear nobody" no Presbytery, no SYNOD ohy uou'
and He is wonderfully lenent Bishop
startling tlae statement. that the speaker mao
made the old mistake of identifying the question OF
the existence OF God with the authority OF the
of the Christian Church, the Rabbi naturally iouio
himself at variance with almost oVefS "'i"e '"''
Here said DR.. Gotthe "you have the A dCTht
and Investigation, the man Of minute research the
man Of the microscope. The Semitic mind is alr ma,
this universe is the ncaTnatioI9, Of Cod :,,.v. hear
curious he ADDED nrc ts. When wS SSs member
h "ss driven ont When he is inside everything
IS peace viii earfidy and GPeHly b tSa taken
nv nT COVE / might have left her, but my lips
be sealed against @sS c SAYING mo one o MC
az ord onplause mingled with some cries OF ~
ee that 1t may be the Jew in me t revereRTs
here give expression TO my feeling. think those who
do not see it in the light do great injury to re-
lgion and do not help us TO solve the problem OF re-
plicated and difficult TO solve" applause.
Raymond S. Perrin who does not believe In any re-
lgi0n at all, also spoke.