New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
CRIEUS.

II j. not our purpose To take sides in the sharp
controversy concerning crccds Lat has ar@rh
over DR. Snyngcs sermon. but rather 10 give
a short summary of the facts IN the ease sug-
grStcd by the briefs OF the two parties in the
controversy. First OF all. then. it will De gen
orally admitted that crecds have always pro
yokcd controversy. The latter years OF the
nineteenth century are not peculiar IN that re-
spcrt Every clause Of every historic creed Of
Chrstendom has been earnestly. even bitterly.
opposed by men who profeSsed and called them
selves Christians. and some clauses that have
come 10 be- almost sacred through the conSe-
Grating hand Of time and ancient Use were writ
ton in thc blood OF contendlng factions All
this furnishes no good reason In itself for as
sailing the creeds or even calling in question
such claims 10 divine authority ~ may be made
for them The same thing * true of the as
surcd conclusions OF astronomy or geology.
They had to fight their way into recognition
against the ancient buwarks Of ignorance cr-
ror pride or prejudice. The fact that certain
crecds nnally came to be generally accepted as
true statements Of Christian belief does not.
Of course give them the stamp OF divine au-
thorty; but II does prove that for one reason
or another they were the ittest forms which
the Church at the time could find for the ex-
preston Of Its faith.
And not only were the crccds formulated by
human beings. but they had 10 be expressed
under the limitations Of human speech. Now.
no language, however flexible 1t may be- Is
capable Of expressing every delicate shade OF
meaning much less the inrxplicabe gradations
Of thought any great subject or any pro-
found truth Strictly speaking. language at
beat Il only clumsy and obtusc handmaiden
Of thought, a fact that those who have secured
the noblest and most complete service from II
would b. the first to acknowledge. If this IL
SO in ordinary matters. how much more must
II DO in attempts TO define mems thoughts OF
God and the hereafter. When we reflect how
utterly beyond mans powers ii is 10 understand
fully and clearly these transcendcnt subjects.
the wonder Is not that crccds have been I'M
perfect, but that they have been so successful
In their definitions Moreover. must rcmcm-
her that even II language were an absolutely
perfect vehicle VI thought. its meaning ana i'm
plications change from age TO age. For this
reason while Church can retain the words Of
n creed II cannot insure for II exactly The same
shades OF meaning from generation to genera
ton Every far-minded Christian will admit
the truth of this; but while ii suggests to the
thoroughgolpg Churcbman the necessity Of max
ing the Church the authoritative interpreter OF
the creeds. 1t suggests to the so-called liberal
Christian the need Of elasticity In interpreting
the creeds. The divergence Of these two schools
Of thought IL inevitable, and no amount OF argu
ment will ever bring them together.
Lastly, creed OF some sort Is essential TO
the existence OF any organization; really
crecdless Church is an imposslbity. Its be-
lief may be simple. and almost wholly free from
the refined distractions Of theological dein
ton; but belief OF some sort there must be-
Indeed. we question whether the undue en-
phasis laid on theological subtle,les in the early
and middle ages OF the Church did not really
make II more difficult for the Church to formu
late creeds truly expressive Of Christianity. 1t
IL worthy OF note that, although the Greek Ian
g,iagc lent itself most admirably to the finest
shades OF theological abstraction. Greek Chris
tinnity to-day IL the least progressive and the
least helpful Of all the forms into which It has