New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-16
EPfSCOPiL BEO.ID CHTRCHNEN.

During the last few weeks an acrimonious con
troycrsy has been going on I'm THE Church
man" over Il charge recently made by m EpiSco-
pal clergyman that the Philadelphia Episcopal
Divinity School is unSound In It's teachings
/ about the Bible II appears that some of the
/ professors If the institution have discussed in
/ their classes the authorship Of certain books Of
the Bible. which tradition considered settled,
! and have generally shown more or less sympa-
thy with the conservative conclusions ~ mod
crn Biblical critics. In the universities Of OK
ford Cambridge and Edinburgh such Il crcum-
stance, II true. would excite no comment what
ever Professors Driver and Sunday. for in
stance are not I'm the slightest danger Of &C.
clcsiasical or academic discipline, though some
Of their conclusions concerning the Bible are
radically opposed 10 the traditional views held
generally by Protcstants. Even the Rev. Mr..
Core Of oxford, thoroughgong High Church
man though he Is. has ayOwed his sympathy
with some aspects of modern Biblical criticism.
But II is vcry different in this country. where
the so-callcd higher criticism Of the Bible has
made much less progress than ii has in Eng
land In the Episcopal Church especially. the
newer methods Of studying the Bible introduced
by modern critics have found little recognition.
And until this controversy over the Philadelphia
Divinity School was started. it was not known
that any conclusions Of the higher criticism were
taught in It's institutions of learning.
II is not likely however. that the accused
professors will be put on trial for their alleged
false teaching; for ttc charges made against
them are exceedingly vague. The incident how
ever, is worthy of note, because it appears to
have grown out of the issue raised by Bishop
O. in hon
he accused certain men in the Episcopal Church
Of trickcry, evasion and deceit in remaining in
the Church while denying its doctrines. Bishop
Seymour has come To be the acknowledged lead
err Of the extreme High Churchmcn, and his
arraignmcnt which was directed against the
Broad Church party. has been constantly re-.
itcratcd by those who sympathizc with his
views. This last week. for instance. Il core
spondcnt of The Living Church" has declared
that many Of the prominent clergy Of the Epis-
cOpal Church are accused of "cvasiOn. trickcry.
deliberate dishonesty aud betrayal of trusts;
and he calls upon them To answer the acclsa-
ton In last weeks "Churchman," also. Bishop
George ID. Gillespie. of Michigan, spoke Of a |
party in the Church meaning. Of course the
Broad Church party-tmt "unblIShngly holds |
'and openly teaches what only dishonesty or
'of these ministers OF this Church. adds the |
Bishop. are in high places, and to-day the |
schools of the Prophets are arraGncd. with ,
no small show Of evidence for their false !
"tcaching." Having thus drawn mp his individ- !
ual Indictment against those Of his ministerial |
brethren whom he regards as dishonest and |
untruthfnl. he proceeds to call upon the House
Of Bishops. which is 10 hold meeting in this |
city tomorrow, Ia speak ont boldly. and /
SAY what is the attitude of the Church toward /
"thcse men, II they fail to make IL declaration
on the subject. ii is the opinion Of the Bishop
that they will lose their prestige and cease 10
be true leaders of the Church.
TO these serious charges made by responsible
men In the Church the Broad Churchmcn have
thus far made no answer In fact. their studied
silence has now been made one Of the counts
in the indictments against them. SO strongly
do some Of the High Churchmen feel on the sub
ject that 1t would not be surprising II they