New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-11

AUTHORITY OF GENFhhL SOO-'
THEIR COMPETENCY AS WITNESSES. NOT THEIR
ISFALtIBIIITY. THE POINT AT ISSUE
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: was attracted by the title OF letter IN your
issue OF March T. Authority OF General Councils:
An Examination of the Claim Of Infalliblity. etc.
Ru; reading further / found that this so-caied
examination" was merely a recital twith soHie
confueon as 10 the testimony of the well-known
,oc, TIM. ,here was much injustice and violence on
the par. OF some Of the members OF the council
vou what boa ring has this examination upon the
real question at issue-no the infalnbty marx OF
general courcils but the authority OF certain dehn-
tions which they set forth az to the faith OF the
Christian Church? Let at once admit that the &C.
cesastics OF that age-as OF other ages-Were ol'el
harsh. overbearing. cruel ana UNFAIR. Ca'ui'ai
Newman C'Historcal Sketches. vol H. D. "'i) says
of Cyril OF Alexandria who was the cher parsonage
q. the Council Of Ephesus: Cyril. know Is a
saint; but il does follow that he was SAINT In
the year 49," And suppose there are many VINO
would refuse to call him saint al Ephesus IN @Sl-
even Newman implied his own doubts on that point
But | submit that 1T be,okenel a superficial view
OF history TO condemn offhand the contribution 10
human thought of a given age or generafioh' DE-
cause the men OF that time (or some OF tnen) were
lacking In that tolerance that sense OF justice mat
forhearance which We have learned To prize. |
suppose for example, most Americans would mold
tina, the cause OF constitutional liberty owes some
thing TO the Long Parliament. and even 10 'rom-
well. who silenced the remnant OF tnat oody' but
tolerance is rot very conspicuous In the acts OF that
same Parliament. watch justly earned Milton
scorn nor in the acts OF the Protector
The real point however. is that. whether or no
any one cares TO claim infalliblity for general
councils IL am not aware that the bishops Pastoral
makes that claim, IL IL nevertheless the fact that
the main body OF Christian people did finally accept
their definitions OF the Catholic faith as being true
II is this deliberate. intelligent acceptance una
gives them authority for US, and not any alleged
InroI;ibI,v Of the councils that caused their ac-
cep,ance by the Church The councils were Wit
nrsses 10 the faith not discoveries OF new truth
nor cxpourders OF mysteries II Is not any
inherent sacredness in those ofttimes tumutu-
Gus assemblies. which makes us respect their
DEGREES but their competency 10 witness as 10
what the historic faith really Is and the agreement
OF their testimony with Scripture and the continu-
Gus Christian consciousness.
Is there not fair analogy IN our common la" :
30 we not there the authority OF estaphshel
precedent. withou; any claim Of infalollltyE mn
they are reversed previous decisos arr III, nn, be
cause they necessarily infdlllbl", Dit htchIS"
nom arc convenient comp ada OF recognized prln
cIoIns Every one feels however that truth IS the
great thing. and not precedent DO nol VISIT 70
press the analogy too far. but In some snch way,
venture TO think. We may consistently, and without
compromising our loyalty - ruin reiGr 20 IN,
DEGREES as 10 faith OF the Councils u the lndivtci
Church. as registers and witnesses OF that wnlcn
from the frs: was implicitly believed by Christians
Furthermore. a. are apt 20 refer - the cstab-
llshei principles OF common Ia" as ne guarantee
OF our civil liberty. so those Of US who are impa-
dent OF the dogmac and partial definitions OF sec
tartan Christianity gratefully reier 10 mo
simple majestic. concise statements % fhct OF me
Ncenc creed as the guarantee %! doci-inaI liberty
After all 20 f. remembered. Whatever may have
been the defects OF the councils ~ the hfth century
II remains true that the Niccnc Council which set
forth. In substance. the creed vhica those Iater
councils only reaftrmel ami applied. was dn the
words OF DR. Salmon. who is no defender OF MALL
hltyD such a representative body as the world up
TO that time had never seen.
am aware that there are questions pressing
upon the Christian Church which may seem TO
throw into the shade the OH theological contro-
versles / do not defend type OF Christianity
which turns lts gaze ever backward, and that has
no though, for tho problems. Bur ! maintain
that we are not fitting ourselves for the new prob.
lens by cOntcmptuously sneering al the efforts or
our spiritual ancestors to meet the problems Of their
age. Have We nos. rather common heritage
which we might well prize IN that Catholic creed.
expressing the original faith IN Jesus Christ, the
Son Of God made son OF Man which at last.
amid IN. tumult Of controversy, wins i's way 20
clear and impressive utterrnce which rings down
the ages in dominant and unm!stakahle notes ?
Gore. Incarnation Of the Son 81 God Let ~.
p I'D. bEN.AMiN BIKE" SIi|N
south Orange y. j., March 5. 1875.