New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-28
DIR. NEWTON AND DOGMA.
AN OBSTACLE TO MANY GOOD MEMS FAITH.
DEpLoRrNG THE D1scoURAGEMEvr WHICH THE

DEPLORING THE DISCOU RAGEMENT WdICt IhI-
CHURCH PRESENTS TO TRUTH-sEEKERS.
All Souls Church was filed from OF end to the
other yesterday morning. The seats were occupied by
members Of tho church and admirers OF the rector the
Rev. Dr. R. Heber Newton, who hoped to hear reply
to the attacks which have been made recently upon
him. In this they were not wholly disappointed, al
though the preacher mentioned name in the course
of his sermon. The Doctor took his text from the
Gospel Of Luke: Il have prayed that thy faith may
not fail thee
Faith he sald was all summed up in the one great
elastic simple word, God. The preacher who did not
seek to help his hearers to a living faith was an
lmpertinence in the pulpit That the one supreme
function of the pulpit. To gain faith, TO hold faith,
to live and 10 walk by faith, should be the supreme
aspiration Of every earnest, thoughtful man. TO 90
so was needful. II the only way out OF tradi-
tlonal faith to n living faith
The foes to faith were twofold. The first hn'lance
to faith arose from life Itself There could not be
clear, unclouded intellect with muddy life That
foe to faith was the low level along which most men
walked There was, secondly, intellectual foe 10
faith There never had been found the possibility Of
statement that would cover tho problem Of the uni
verse. There never had been found formula that
would exhaust the universe Of mystery. There never
had been found form OF faith that was large enough
round enough full enough for faith. In every creed
there were many perpexitieS. The most serious foe
10 faith to-day wns in the Church Itself
ais it," ne asked, any wonder that myriads OF
men and women about u.s. looking at our churches,
say, 1T is all a sham; IL is all hypocrsyl' The
details of the Creeds he added, were responsible Tor
the unbeief of to-day. There was superstition OF
tho Sabbat-to be distinguished from the true rever
ence for the sabbath-which exalted It into an idol
Herr we are today he cOntinu'd trying to per
suade certain good men who the trustees Of the
Metropolitan Museum OF Art that it is not desecT-
ton OF the Lords Day TO open the doors Of the
Museum 10 the hosts Of fellow-beings who are
unable to visit It on the other six days Of the week
They are good men and true who are thus barring
the doors Of the Muse,Fh. They seeking to pro-
mote the cause Of religion, but I'm the name Of religion
they are driving men away from religion Itself
They are making religion seem a can't sham,
fraud They are making religion seem not the friend
Of man. hut the foe Of man not the benefactor, but
an oppressor tyrant. When the average workman
comes up to q museum sunday morning and finds
that the Church has closed the doors upon him, Is
he not very apt 10 sneer and away and conclude
that the whole thing Is a gigantic fraud2'
Tho Church, added the Doctor, was not content with
offering men the Bible II tucked to 1t theory OF the
Bible "As with our own resurrection he continued
so with the resurrection OF the Lord Jesus Christ
Men are driven to doubt It by the claims insisted on
as vital to the belief which are entirely unimportant
and to most unpreludiced minds simply incredible
Illustrations Of this grave error of the Church have
come 70 my notice during the last week =, ,o.Ao.
y letter rom an mtellGcnt lh9 man ~
diocese, whose anxious desire TO be guided INTO
reasonable and reverant faith well know, tells me
that his Bishop writes him that he Is horribly
bias ph.mous and absolutely arrogant and sqmptuoHs
for holding certain critical views Of the bible. 10
these he had been led by wide reading. 1hey had
been prayerfully considered. But the l.saop asked
him If ne believed that the Bible was Coz word. II
Gods word according 10 the Bishop, he had no
business study It critically, but shonld take II lust
as he found IT, An honest man, the blsnop also sad
could not remain in this Church with such Views
This good layman has left the Church.
The Church will only help men once moro 10
living faith she ceases 10 lmpAe on men a YOKE
which they cannot fear, and ceases TO thrust upon
them the supcr5tit1Ons which the eXaggerauon OF
reasonable faith. Let her return 10 the slmpncues
Of faith Let her accept the Hight that comes in our
generation read her old forms OF faith by the new
knowledge Let her be honest Intellectually, and then
once moro she can guide the world into the falth by
which is to walk; the faith she holds but hides.
"The mind OF man." added the Doctor, In concu-
sion, will always believe, left FREQ to act upon the
problems OF life, upon the mystery OF the universe.
His intellectual necessities will Con5train him TO be
eve. lie cannot consider il an open question whether
1t be intelligent and Ineligible. He knows that no
cannot permanently be put 20 confusion, be con
founded The heart OF nl8n longs 10 believe. IL is
as hungry for a genuine fifth today as ever in tho
past. II only instead Of this hard dry stone o.
dogma and ecolesiasclsm OF superstition IN us myriad
forms, there was offered Unto him the living bread,
how eagerly would he take ii.