The Portland daily press., 1895-03-15
THE BISHOPS LETTER.
Episcopal Church Over Fundamental
Doctrines,


Fort land, and throughout Maine who are
desirous of keeling abreast with the move
ment of thought and current event in the
history of the church. said a well known
local churchman yest erday cannot fail 10
be particularly interested in the spiritual
discussion which the pastoral letter issued
by the House of Bishops on st. Luke's Dag
has elici'ed not only from the religious and
secular press. but from Clergymen of the
church.
In order TO have a clear underst anding
of the issues involved it may be necessary
to ask what prompted the letter. the tenets
therein set forth. the comments of the
clergy and press, and finally what cons IT,
tutes Catholic truth and loyalty.
In the first place it had appeared from
opin ions expressed by certain candidates
that had offered themselves Tor holy orders,
and by other evidences that many deyout
people enter aimed fear that he EGpis copal
church was virtually undermining the
foundations of the Catholic faith, and il
was therefore deemed expedient and wise
by the bishops to issue pastoral lett er
which would declare the opinions of the
church regarding what il teaches as funda-
mental doctrines. and which must receive
the assent of those who desire to minister
at her altars.
First it set forth clearly and plainly the
inc arnation of our Lords GOD from all eter-
nifty and born OF he Virgin MaIy. Next it
asserts anew the inspiration of the scrip
lures, as containing all things necessary Y
for salvat on. and as being the word OF cd
and this is asserted in the ordination vows
nv q III r1rie tt md h hishn L f,l
stud, of the scriptures is invited. and the
assertion made that the time will never
come when the honest student W i'll not well
come every criticism that may cast a new
light upon the sacred page. 1t is also denied
that the Christian religion has anything to
fear from the critical study of the holy
sc rupture. The literal resurrection of Christ
is also insisted upon, a physical. and not a
spiritual appearing. otherwise the resurrec-
tion was /, ON this cross, and not from the
sepuleher. This pastoral letter was signed
by Bishops Williams. of Connecticut, the
presiding bishop of the church, DoaEe, of
Albany. n. Y, Huntington, OF Central New
l ork, McLaren, of Chicago. seymour. Of
apringfi field, Illinois. and Potter of New
York.
Bishop Potter, then addressed letter
10 the New York Tribune ,whio is part of
this CONT oversy in the public press. He
therein stated thatthe did not fully approve
of all the statements made in that letter,
that it carried with it no councilar authori-
ty, and that If at any time the basis of
fact on which the virgin birth of Christ
rests Gun be shown to be false the church is
not going ON Indefinitely affirming it, and
also if there be today school or party of
individuals that deny the church's doctrine
of the incarnation he does not know il.
'This was sad surprise to Bsnop Sey-
only of an apostolic ministry. In a letter
to the cLurchman he expressed the opinion
that Bishop Potter had an opportunity to
nave criticised the pastoral letter previous
to its publication. He affirmed in the
strongest terms that the acceptance of the
doctrine of the incarnation is necessary to
the existence of the Christian faith. Bishop
Seymour informed his brother prelate that
there are some in the church who deny the
incarnation, and this opinion was fully sus-
tanned by u letter from an Episcopal
clergyman published in the Boston Herald
which may bring the whole matter to an
issue by the trial of the writer who denied
he incarnation. and also said that it was
impossible for him to teach that the scrip
lures were inspired by God. in peculiar
and miraculous manner, distinguishing
them from all other writings.
Another clergyman of the church has
given notice tnat he shall preseLt the
writer to Bishop Lawrence for trial. and
the challenge has been accepted, and SO
there may be important results,
2, The pastoral letter of the bishop has
been widely commented on by5fihe press.
and by ciergymen. 1t has been warmly de-
Tended. and just as warmly prot ested
against. 1t mas been affirmed by some that
the letter had no valid authority from the
fact that it was not issued by general con-
vention and bore the signature of but six
bishops. Others have claimed that the
hurch has endowed her bishops with power
to set forth her faith and doctrines.
Broad churehmen objected on The ground
that the letter limited or destroy ed tie
freedom of theological thought. and on the
other hand the high churchmen objected
that the bishop had opened the way for the
hiehe criticism of the word.
IA strongly worded article in the Boston
Herald. termed the pastoral a dootrina
statement of the seyerest type. taking sharp
grounds against biblical criticism, and ex-
p1 essed th. opinion that scholars will
still follow the witness of their studies, and
that thinking men will still express their
honest convictions.
1T is oontended however that tie bis
hops did not take grounds against reason
able criticism. The fact is the Episcopal
chuIch allows perfect freedom of thought
in nonessentials. 1t is matter of regret
o some that there are large number of
clergymtn n in her communion who fully ae-
cept the fact of the historic episo opate
minus the claim OF an absolute unbroken
apostolic succession without which il is
afirmed there is and can be no valid min
isiry in the church.
1.-The Churchman has been keeniy as
sailed tor its neclaration that the bishops
have spuken, and settled the faith of the
ohuch and DR.. Lyman Abbott's review of
the letter was sharply assailed in turn.
"And now comes the question of interest
here in Portland as elsewhere. What con-
stitutes Catholic faith and loyalty? What
does the word Catholic mean? The word
is found In profane authors. rs in Poly bus.
but among Christians it was received in
special sense and was applied to the true
church everywhere throughout the world