New-York tribune., 1896-03-29
THE CONGREGATIONAL HERESY TRIAL..


The Congregational hcresy trial in Madison.
Conn this last week resulted In verdict ol
acouttal for the accused clergyman, the Kew.
william r Brown. This outcome was fully ex-
nectod bv every one who had followed the case;
for In the first place tie genius OF 'ons'e"'
,;onoIism makes 1t difficult under the most
favorable circumstances to es'aDhsh the g""'
Of clercymen accused Of holding lax views
and In the second place the particular
charges formulated against Mr.. Brown were
SO vague and tenuous that no court coulu DC
expected 10 take cognizance OF them. Suhur!
members Of his congregation In Madlson' IL
seems were offended at his method OF stalihs
certain doctrines, and forthwith decided that he
did not hold the doctrine OF the trinity, 'he
atonement, the incarnation and Biblical lnspira-
ton. which are set forth In the Congregational
Creed At the trial, however, they were only
able to prove that the clergyman had made STATE
ments that to them seemed out Of harmony win
the Creed and even as to these statements they
were obliged to trust 70 their memory. Under
those crcuIn tances the able and representative
cl,rcvmen who composed the court had only one
thinc 10 do-they decided that the charges were
not sustained. giving II as their opinion that the
Who'll, difficulty arose from the differences IN
the training and environment OF the pastor ana
the complaining members.
Rut while this heresy trial In itself calls Tor
no extended comment. IL is for that very reason
an interesting waymark OF the revolution that
is now taking place In religious thought. MT.
Brown sirenuously asserts that be holds the
doctrines Of the Congregational Greed, ana Il
court II his peers has decided that he does but
II is certain that he does not hold them-or, NJ
any rate. interpret them as they wer" heId ana
interpreted generation ago. Now liberty "i
Interpretation Is necessarily implied in the Con-
gregational polity: but. as n matter or fact' IL
has not been allowed until the last few years
While Congrcgatonalism has rested on the the
ory that It's Creed must be living creed, ana
must. Therefore. be- subject TO modification from
time 10 time. that IL may rci"ct the beliefs
Of the living men who accept H. that theory
has always been nniagonzcd by IN" conserva-
iives IN the denomination. or course no modi-
ncation In the beliefs of the churches could
take place unless individuals In the churches
were allowed some liberty u view In holding
the old beliefs. And yet the history OF Congre-
gatonnllsm shows that whenever an individual
has exercised such n liberty OF Interpretation
an attempt has been made 10 discipline him.
The result. Of this last trial. however shows
that liberty 81 Interpretation for the individual
is fully recognized In the Congrega tional pollty
today. There are. Of course. limitations TO that
liberty. beyond which church member could
not 90 without putting himself outside the fel-
lowship Of the denomination But within those
limitations the field Of investigation nn1 specu-
latlon is SO large that radical notifications OF
belief are not only possible but inevitable The
orthodox Congregationalism OF today would
have been sterny rcprobated by the fathers who
first planted COngregationalism in New England;
and under the operation OF the present tenden-
cies OF religious thought 1t seems certain that
the tests Of orthodoxy in the future will be very
different from those that obtain to-day. As the
court which tried Mr. Brown said. in its judg
ment:
The Congregational ministry OF the present
day would not be true to the principles OF their
IN theirs II they did not follow them In endeavor-
ing To read the Bible in the best light that the
closest study and highest learning can give The
result OF their abors and OF Biblical study on the
bart OF Christian scholars In all denominations
10 give q clearer meaning to much which had
bcfor, been obscure. to remove the foundation
Of many OF the stock arguments OF inhdelity
and elevate our conceptions OF the nature OF God
and the duty OF man.
In that passage Is found imbcdded the spirit
Of modern Congregationaism. 1t cannot, II it
would. stand still: and under It's present leader
shin II would not II II could.
Kentucky is In mourning. There has Just been