New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-15
THE BISHOPS PASTORAL.
A LETTER FROM BISHOP POTTER EX-
PLANNING ITS PURPOSE
IT SIMPLY REsTATEs THE POSITION OF THE
CHURCH AND is AIMED AT NO SCHOOL

CHURCH AND Is AIMED AT NO sCHooL
OR INDIVIDUAL
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: The Trihun. has lately referred. eu'orlally,
10 the pastoral letter OF the House Of Bishops OF
the Episcopal Church IN terms which indicate tnn'
those for whom 1t undertakes TO speak are iaoofhs
under very considerable misappfehensioh
II NAV we'll to say that the pastoral OF which,
am permitted 10 say. the presiding bisnop ana not
any other. was the author was aimed al no schoo''
nor undertook to subject 10 criticism OF snsp'eo"
anv individual party or institution. II there be TO-
day a school or party. individuals that deny
the Church's doctrine ofntf incarnation j. Tor one
do not know them. or the teaching which couiu
Justly subject them 10 such imputation But
there are a good many people VINO from Na''o"S
causes (amone which the habit OF miss'a'emeh''
exaggeraiion or innuondo 20 which individuals news
papers and. II must he added. so-calied rens'ous
or ecclesiastical journals are sometimes aud'c'en'
must be reckoned I'M. have come 10 ne Hioic VI
less perturbed or alarmed as what they nave
been told is distinct tendency or drl'l Ill ''e
Church itself For the relief and reinsurance oi
these widely scattered they are ana imper-
fectly informed it WAS thought well 10 res'a'e 'he
position of the Church held and taught from the
beginning As your editorial points OUT no'"'i's
more or other than this has been done ny the
pastoral letter unless IL be in an occasohai phrase
which i. made 10 bear some other meaning IMAM
that which may rightly be put upon It,
As The Tribune further points out 'ne pastor a.
letter has undoubtedly no conciliar authority ana
NAV be said II anybody chooses TO say so. 10 nave
uttle more value than is expressed in the more or
less close consensus of opinion OF some naiuO"eh
individuals. It's value. If ii has any consists SIM
nlv In It's reafilrmlng things that the Church' IN
her formuares. and Holy scriptures IN their pam
and obvious sense. teach and affirm Ihere are
phrases in it which. am quite free to say snould
have beer glad to change into other and less ar
in, no Of 10
noxious of these criticised in your columns
such as G. &. that "iXedness of Interpretation Is
of the essence of the creeds, this plainly cannot
be intended to carry more than the simple state
ment that the Church in the case. G. g.. OF the VIZ
Gin birth of our Lord. does not any longer regard
that question as a deba able one in her pulps anu
by her authorized teachers. II certainly does no.
mean that IL al any time in the future the Whole
basis of fact which that article IN 'he creeo
rests can be shown to be false or tctitIous' 'he
Church is TO 60 on. Indefinitely aihrmnS H. but II
ought to be clear enough to the most inter-
rogative mind that divine society. whlch Claims
to rest upon most certain facts. cannot consent
that any one who is clothed wh.authority 20 'e'ch
and bear witness to these facts shall surrehuer' vi
impugn. or dsparage them until the Doo! 'na'
has commissioned him has authorized MIN 10 90 So
His office and authority first last and all the tme
are representative. and when the time comes that
ne finds himself requiring larger liberty tnan MS
official obligations concede TO him. common honesty
would seem to require that he should seek IL out
side not inside. of fellowship TO which his vows
and promises. in the matter OF what he snail 'edch
and hold, are both definite and explicit
There is a very large constituency that feels tnese
things and feels them strongly. They may be SIM
pie folk too easily alarmed. too little informed. NO
matter: true wisdom will seek TO teach ana re-
assure them and If the letters which nave coJ W
me from Texas TO the s.. Lawrence and from pa
ko,a to the sea--in every case but one rom iiS
people. and asking for copies Of the pastorals 10
circulate-are any evidence of what was widely
desired the pastoral letter has not been written IN
vain IL has indeed affirmed the Church's doctrine
but IL has no less may add. guarded the scholar
liberty. and. more than one friend OF fearless
that claims TO be Holy Scripture has said to me, II
has defined the Churchs freedom no less tnan its
faith. . 49, -, .. ,eaa11 - =