The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-25
HEBER HEWTON'S VIEWS.
A Sermon Which is Likely to
Evoke Discussion in Relig-
Gus Circles.
Laymon and Clergymen Left
Free to Their Own
Opinions
A Discourse on What the Church Teaches
Its People I" Believe on Great Ec-
clesiastical Questions.

New YORK. May 24.--Rev. DR.. Hebe
Newton, of All Souls church, preached u
sermon this morning which iy calculated to
evoke much discussion in religious circles.
He made succicnt statement of his much
mooted views His text was "Hold fast to
the form of sacred words" The reverend
gentleman said in substance: 'It has
been said of the Nicene creed that it was fit
only to be sung. On the other hand 1T
would be hard to set the Westminster faith
to music. The Nicene creed is the applica-
tson of the apostles creed. Scarcely doc
trine which is in dispute in the churches
around about US furnish proper ground
for dispute in our roomy church. The only
affirmation in the Nicene creed is the large,
elastic declarations: i believe in one Catho-
lie and apostolic church. We can thus
Judge of the catholicism which would rule
out the foremost man in the church from the
bishoprc because of his opinion concerning
the Episcopate.
"What must we believe concerning the
Bible. Nothing beyond the simple declara-
tion of the Nicene creed who spoke by the
prophetl.' You may hold to the planAry in
spiration of the scriptures and believe
every word dictnted by the Almighty, or
you may hold that large and reasonable
view which is spreading through our church
SO rapidly with equal loyalty to our only
authority, the creed. What does the church
bid us believe concerning the story of the
creation? You are equally free to read the
story in Genesis as history or parable.
What does the chupch command US to be-
lieve concerning the origin Of evil the fall
of man? Nothing whatever. Concerning
the atonement? Nothing. except the
language of the creed. who for us men and
for our salvation came down from heaven.'
| Concerning future punishment, nothing be-
yond what is contained in the language OF
| the creed, He shall come again with glory
to Judge both the quick and the dead All
theories of the character and duration of
the punishment are extra creedals. The
| first form of the articles contained an artl-
Gle on future punishment. and that article
was afterwards withdrawn. What OF the
resurrection. that the dead are to rise into
life immortal, clothed in bodily form? l
understand it to be the teaching of our
greatest creeds that the nature of the resnr-
rection OF the BODY is not affirmed. You
are free to believe this in the literal sense
of the body laid IN the grave or in the larger
sense in which most men read it. Concern
ing the sacrament and the Lords supper
we are free to believe almost anything that
commends itself to Christian consciousness.
"On all these themes on which the creeds
are silent it is natural that men should
think. Opinions must be formed and held,
and the Christian be he layman or clergy
man. is left free to form his own opinion
The Nicene creed is n charter of liberty. 1t
frees Us from nine-tenths of the burning
questions with which professionalism is on
fire to-day. Our great creed is the recon
ciiaton of Christianity with itself. Chris
tendon is torn and dismembered before
our eyes. It is paralyzed with doubt. The
strife of creeds is seen on every side. Mar
cannot tind shelter under tho reformation
confessions of faith with their long drawn
metaphysics. He who reads the signs
of the times sees the alternative to throw
overheard the creeds or to simplify them
To-day could our Protestant churches be
content to part with their reformation con
fessions of faith and adopt that great
Catholic creed which has come dowr
through the centuries there would be al
end of strife and contention, DR.. Bridge
man would not have to leave MS church fol
his views on the question of future punish
ment, and DR.. Briggs could excite no CON
tention in his church on the question of in
spiration. Our great creed lis tho reconcil-
iation of tho question pf faith and ths
thought of theology and science