New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-05
BISHOP SEYMOURS VIEWS.
HIS FIGHT WITH THE LIVING, NOT WITH
TIE DEAD.

TIE DEAD.
| DEFENDING HIS ATTITUDE IN THE CONTRo-
yEEsY AROUSED By TIE ELECTION
OF BISHOP BROOKS.
To The Editor of The Tribune.
Sir may fairly claim, In view Of your editorial
of October IL. the right to make few comments In
reply in order TO correct at least one serious mis-
| apprehension under which the writer. who Is evil
IDENTIFY stranger to the constitution and position
| Of our Church, unwttingy labors and which does
| me cruel injustice.
The misrepresentation Of the editorial is expressed
| In these words: when the Episcopal Church for
mally decided by its official action that DIR. Brookss
broad views not such denial Of the teach
ings of the Church to bar him from the Episco-
pate 1t was the duty of loyal Churchman ike
| Bishop Seymour to bow to that decision. So far
the points at issue were concerned that was the
teaching of the Church, unless. indeed, the Church
has given to the Bishop of Springfield the authority
to reverse II, which We have not yet heard tnat II
has done" On this misapprehension Is based the
charge that am digging open grave to get am
munition for theological squabble over words
| The Misrepresentation is natural and one which
expected would be produced upon the popular nina
| by the action of my brethren of the Episcopate
| two years ago. But it a Misrepresentation never
theless, and in consequence the alleged conclusion
drawn from Ii, that am assaiing the DEAD IS ap-
soutely without the slightest foundation IN iact.
sachusets was not a contention about words and
| names" it was about the very heart ana soul Oh
person per- the natural depravity Of man poty Of
the Church, the value Of the sacramens ana the Az
Of holy orders The Church in her Prayer Book"
explicitly teaches that baptism is necessary IN order
| to qualify for confirmation, much more Tor or
dination that Jesus Christ in His person Is eternal
made snat member Of Christ BY holy baptism that the
| sacraments are means OF grace ana not r mers
empty signs that episcopacy and the three orders
| of he sacre
the sacred Scriptures and the continuous WITNESS
teaching is embodied in the creeds, offices. cate
chism ordinal and articles OF me Church and Is
| The admission of man the Episcopate. by the
consent Of majority Of our Bishops whose eap pap
whose position to our Lords essential divinity
Op points saed above nat denial the a
mission of such 70 the Episcopate does not re-
grave doubts in the popular mind in regard to the
door for the entrance Of others in the future equally
unsound in the faith Had the action Of my brother
posed the teaching Of my brother of Massachusetts
as of authority upon the Church and henceforth al,
to be silent and sought safety in some other way
than by making vain AND and Gees an peaech
and ordinal and articles of our Prayer Book" are
The issues have passed to the present hour and
living questions confronting us to-day and we must
There stand the creed. the offices, the catechism.
the ordinal and the articles untouched and here
sions their SHARP practice and their threatened
LEGISLATION nenace to Gradually bsr aad Es
rnatey destroy them. and with them the insttu-
Of they ape dVs
energy their destructive work, and are Boosting
Ultimate and complete triumph in the near future
Hence l say the issues raised two years ago are
Dd Snng '"a Of he hour this
and l am constrained by sense Of duty. at the
90 kAan DING fhn otorp
of the sacrifice which knew / should be Obliged
charge that l was attacking the dead. This is
in Upon NO Ss ns hetf the bishops said
..pacet," and especially upon those who were
H psns the our
a baptized man was extremely doubtful at the
foundation truths of the Gospel, as taught by our
Prayer Book" and treated others with indiffer-
the victim of permission by living bishops to ap-
proach the altar of his God and take the search
Of dinal the Offices the catechis. and the articles
upon his soul as accepted truth In duti1ul o5edi
any any them M m % their
loved him for his many excellencies and win:
ming characteristics and warned him of his peril
to be zee Color blind " from taking charge Of an
engine which drew train laden with treasures
chiefly and most Of all for his sake. whom God has
man to assa the dead or rife graves . My
courage is not of that quality ] offer myself
1t Is easy and it is safe and perhaps it is natural
the day because they are identical with those
hsh the Se % of R1 P 3;
settled questions and am attacking him. and so
discussion of the real points. at stake, is calcu.
lated to raise strong prejudice against me and
it is made doubtless in good faith. is absolutely
without foundation in fact. Just the reverse is
involved 1t is not that attacking the dead.
but those who are opposed to me are seeking
Brooks.
As regards the untruthfuness of the age. your
makes very serious charge against me- The
ssence Of untruthfuness consists in being untrue.
tempts to deceive, violation Of pledges, promises
of this age is emnently untruthfu, and your own
columns in revealing man to us to some extent
as he is today In the , varied relations OF life
editorial CHARGES that have said that Is my duty
S SDhd is rs ras or THIS S the
l never said ANYTHING OF the kind. What said
did not assume that the teaching OF the Church
WAS correct and ABSOLUTELY true In the abstract.
those within the Church. and. of course. by my
self
There two Revelation and science. The former
Is Gods gift to us. the latter is acquisition:
out God?' And the answer IL. no; God reveals
himself to us, and what He deems necessary truth
for to know. when and He wills. This body
OF truth. | believe. the Church possesses and is
commissioned teach The Church, regards
the subject matter OF revelation. is not searcher
after truth She already holds the truth as Gods
gift to her, and it is her highest duty TO guard
1t, and hand i on. as st. Paul says las she
received it," The Church. Gods accredited
teacher In the sphere of faith and morals would
contradict her own claim as speaking with author
ity If she were to allow for one moment that she
Is seeking after truth.
L TO
OF revelation. the sphere Of Gods gift to u.s. I
am not seeker after truth. II is mine ITO hold
fast am 80 extreme a conservative that. be-
leving that have received and possess the truth,
! am unwilling to tamper with II or surrender II
in whole in part at the bidding OF progressive
Episcopalians." or any other progressive people.
Let such liberal souls. who are disposed to be
generous with what does not belong to them, and
wish to make free with Gods sacred gift to man.
let such find home with those who In agree
ment with them Let them be honest Unitarians.
or t'niversalists. or Quakers or Deists. and not
dishonest Churchmen. The world IL wide enough
and there are religious bodies enough one would
suppose, TO satisfy every variety OF opinion and
vagary OF belief. or II there be not then let the