Connecticut western news., 1895-04-25
ACCUSED OF HERESY.
DR. NEWTON DOES NOT BELIEVE
 CHRIST ROSE FROM THE TOMB.

DR. NEWTON DOES NOT BELIEVE
 CHRIST ROSE FROM THE TOMB. This Is In Direct Opposition to One of ths
 Articles of Faith of the Creed sf Hh
 Churoh-Formal Charges wn Probably
 Be Made Against Him.
 NEW YORK, April ss.-The Rev. Dr. R. Hsber Newton, the rector of All Souls churoh, at the corner of Madison avenue and Sixty sixth street, preached on Sum- day morning on the Resurrection of Christ" with the result that several of his brother olergymen ot the Protestant Episcopal church in this city are seriously considering the advisability of making formal charges of beresy against him. Those priests who were interviewed con- corning the matter said that if Dr. New ton gave utteranoe to the statements that are credited to him he should be depossd from tho ministry of the church.
 One of the moro important assertions made by Dr. Newton is the following:
 "The general belief is that there was . physical resurreotion-a rising from the tomb of the very body of flesh and bones which was laid away there after the oruci- fixion. have held to this belief e long as possible, but no superstruoturs can for get its foundation, and my reasons for rs- ieotinp this relief I propose to tell you.
 we know now from our fuller knowl- edge of the times of Jesus that the pso- pie and the disciples themselves believed not only in immortality but in an actual physical resurrection. l cannot accept the testimony of the disciples, and there is the fact that no one saw him in the act of rising from the tomb and passing forth In the same Identical form of his earthly body. am frank to say that, for one, do not believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ means the rising again from tho tomb of the actual body laid away there The church undoubtedly believes 1t, and its authority is no higher than the au- thority of the disciples"
 What the Church Belisvss.
 One article of the creed which has aI- ways been professed in the Protestant Episcopal church Is, II believe In the res uIrection of the body"
 Rev. Dr. Riohey of the General Thsolog- ical seminary. who is one of the most sm- inent of the ohurch's authorities in dog matio theology. was asked whether or not the statements attributed to Ilr Newton could be reoonoiled with the belief in the resurrection of the body as the church means 1t He replied that the church be- lieves in the resurrection of . body not merely spiritually but definitely hsshy. "Dr. Newton has already denied the facts of the incarnation of Christ a the church teaches them. He now seems to deny the resurrection of Christ as the church teaches 1t. He has, therefore rs- moved out of his faith the great fundA- mentals of ths Christian religion He has expressly denied what he no lsss expressly declares that the disciples believed and the church teaches. By his ordination vows he is bound to teach nothing contrary to the doctrines of the church.
 He is, then, convicted of herosy by his own declarations. and by those same deo- larations proved false to the pledges which were one of the conditions on which he was received into the ministry of the church. It would hardly ssem possible that such open revolt against the church . authority could be allowed to pass with out challenge and condemnation This teaching by Dr. Newton should be inves- tigated at onos by the proper ecclesiastical tribunal and stop put to 1t"
 Will Probably Make ChArssa Dr. Riohey added that the faith which Dr. Newton rejects has been most jealous | ly guarded by the church all through its history. Early in its life herstioal scots | frequently arose which denied the identity ! of the risen body with that eruoifled, and | such scots were always promptly put un { der the church's ban. The church used i the phrase resurrection of the body" in expressing that portion of its belief, but to guard against the possibility of errors changed the expression to resurrection of the flesh, ' the Latin word used being "carnis-" When the creed was translated into English by the Anglican church. the word "oarnis" was sometimes translated body" and sometimes "fesh.''
 There Is little doubt that Dr. Newton will be made the subject of complaint to the bishop by other priests In tho city. This Is more likely to bc the case becauss many are dissatisfied at the result of . former effort to have his theological sound ness examined when complaints were made against him to Bishop Potter.
 Feeling in the matter Is intensified by the reception which has been accorded tc the pastoral letter recently issued by ths ops declare that this letter is tho solemn declaration of the church, while Bishoy Potter says that 1t Is no more than oon. sensus of individual opinion without any authority. The pastoral distinctly rs aff1rms the traditional doctrine of the In carnation and othera It therefore is o importance In determining the status c the Rev. Dr. Newton.
 Dr. Newton Is at present staying ir Morristown, N. J. He declined last night to say anything about his ssrmon-