New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-18
THE HISTORIC EPISCOPATE.
BISHOP SEYMOUR'S POSITION.
THE SPIRIT OF UNTRUTHFULNESS IN THE
Observation-Disclosures FOR
THE BISHOPRIC.

Sir: As | have been made the subject Of adverse
criticism in your journal. and letter has been
admitted to your columns asking for more light.
possibly communication from might be well
come both to yourself and your readers In ex-
PLANTATION Of my position far as under the mi-
tations of your space and my time 1 able
make one.
My general position is that one characteristic Of
the spirit OF this age, and in my opinion the pre-
dominating one Is untruthfulness. The disposition
seems to be widely prevalent to play fast and loose
with truth. to explain interpret evade and get rid
of the obligations which bind in their relations
to the Church. the State and each other. The old
time honesty, integrity, straghtforwardness seem
to be obscured by evasion craft. cunning. under the
guise and OF liberality, breadth and generous
concessions. This spirit 1t seems to me, pervades
society," business politics and religion. 1t is a
poison In the moral atmosphere which We breathe
malaria is sometimes in the air. Untruthfulness
does not necessarily imply conscious immortality
highly imaginative. poetic race, for example. is
always untruthfu, hence the ancient Hellenes were
known by their neighbors 1.-The lying Greeks"
The untruthfulness within the sphere Of religion
at the present time seems to be largely generated
by the passionate desire of many for Christian
unity. In the zeal for the attainment Of this end
they seem to be willing to sacrifice everything even
truth itself and concede and give away what Is
not their to compromise or barter.
This reflection brings me to consider this spirit OF
untruthfulness as 1t manifests itself within the lin
its of the communion to which esteem 1t the
greatest privilege and happiness of my life to be-
long AS | am writing for the general reader. let
me interject the remark that in what am about
to set down l am not taking the position that the
teaching OF the Church is correct and absolutely
true in abstract but that 1t is held to be correct
and true by those within the Church, and that 1t
is the sworn duty Of the Episcopal order at least to
guard that treasure Of which they have been put
in charge with their own voluntary consent by
their Lord.
Theology may be, help to the understanding
OF my position, divided into direct, positive theol-
ogy and deductive. inferental theology The Tor
mer covers what may be called when we consider
theology science. the axioms Of religion the foun-
dation principles on which the whole system rests.
lust as in arithmetic and algebra there are AK
IONS, which settled truths. beyond dispute
CLOSED questions" These axioms In the theology
of the historic Church summed up In the creeds
as formulated In those symbols. They are fixed as
to form even that they cannot be revised or re-
cast as to Technology. this deemed desirable
except by a General Council Of the entire Church
throughout the world; and the gathering OF such
an assembly in the present divided condition OF
Christendom seems to be an impossibility. Direct,
positive theology was contemplated by ST. Paul.
when he says TO the Church OF Corinth In an
EpstIe which all allow to be genuine Il Cor XIV,
g. ID: II delivered unto you Iirst VI tia' VIM"
I also received how that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures; and that He was bur-
led and that He again the third day accord
ing to the Scriptures"
Here the Apostle quotes three articles or Ak
IONS OF the creed and the very turn OF expression,
according to the Scriptures" is still preserved
In the Nicene Symbol. 1t must be observed that St
Paul dlscloses the ground on which these truths
rest the revelation of God lie says that he dev-
ha el They
him from above. he did not invent them. or dis
cover them he received them. and through him
they have been handed down to us as a sacred de-
post which we hidden TO hold fast THE
secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but
those things which are revealed belong unto
and to our children forever" Deut. xxx, 2s
Inferential or deductive theology covers field
outside OF the creed. and Is occupied by alleged
truths which are differences from positive or direct
revelation, and vary In character from
those which are OF a value approximating closely
to the axioms OF religion to those which have little
weight either of authority or acceptance.
Within this sphere the conflicts of theologians
in our communion have for the most part hitherto
been waged and men have been divided as TO their
views OF the sacraments and the Interpretation OF
rubrics But within few years a school has arisen
which calls itself or has been with its consent
called broad" which has left the field of indirect
or inferental deductive theology, and advanced
upon the hallowed ground fenced in by the creed,
and called in question the axoms OF revelation
And now the battle must be fought over the doc
rine OF the ever blessed Trinity the incarnation OF
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the
resurrection OF the body. the divine eff
cacy OF sacraments and kindred subjects
The advance from the old debatabe land
that which the entire Church catholic re-
CARDS as sacred and not to be invaded with polem-
les has been gradual and tentative; but with i'm
punity. allowed from motives OF policy or disin-
clinaton to fight. the ntruders have waxed holder
and presumptuous until the most horrible
and distressing heresies have been openly and
boldly avowed and taught.
The course pursued by these men in cautiously
and furtively at first, intrudng upon the forbidden
ground and then when not checked arrested
growing holder and more presumptuous reminds
OF a game which the children play. which the
writer knew as "Dixies Land" A line was drawn
space and a sentinel posted, who was
called Dixie" and whoever intruded beyond that
line exposed himself to the risk OF being caught
and fined by Dixie" IL added Zest to the enjoy
ment OF the youthful intruder to go as far he
dared and cry. II am 'Dixies Land 'Dixie's
not at home" and then escape. as ii were. by the
skin of his teeth to safe quarters.
Precisely thus has 1t seemed to be with these rep
resentatives of the broad school. They have been
pursuing game of gradual advance. going further
and further and crying at times but not always. II
am on 'Dxie's' land. 'DXe's' not at home" and
for the most part Dixie has not been home
and the cuprit has escaped unscathed. Instances
must be present to the minds of Churchmen all
over the country of clergymen who have been
spicuously and wantonly heterodox TO shock
the moral sense of honest. upright men, and Dix
ie' thus far has seemed to be absolutely insen-
slbe to all appeals to him to consciousness
that the most sacred precincts OF holy ground were
being ruthlessly invaded and desecrated.
Two years ago pr,sbyter was presented for
trial on certain specific charges. and among them
was his publicly teaching that our Blessed Lord
was the natural OF 81. Joseph and St. Mary
This assertion involved of course. the denial OF
chrsts eternal personality. but. horrible record
II necessarily degrades the Blessed Virgin and ST.
Joseph to the rank OF unworthy people. and carries
with 1t consequences too frightful to record. and
;et this man was with difficulty convicted In fact.
his heinp found ruiltY at last. IL | have been