The times., 1897-05-07
BISHOP sEssUMs HEREsY
Eminent Episcopalian Clergymen
Creates a Sensation.
CHARGED WITH PANTHEISM
Preachers of Other Sects Propose
to Try Him for Heterodoxy-Sa
He Has Completely Abandoned the
Tenets of Christianity and Is
Teaching "Damnable Heresies."

New Orleans. May 6.-An extraordinary
religious sensation was precipitated today
by the proposal OF the Presbyterian, Metho-
dist, Baptist and Lutheran clergy of this
State, to try Bishop Davis Sessmus, OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church OF Louis
lana, for heterodoxy. Trials for hetero-
doXy have been frequent OF late, but this is
the first time it has been proposed that
several Protestant sects should unite "
try q niinister of another sect, and a bishop,
too.
The affair promises to precipitate re-
ngious battle royal between the several
Protestant denominations. The trouble has
been brewing since a pril 2l, when bishop
Sessuns, in Lenten sermon delivered in
Trinity Church, preached, SO his enemies
assert, an entirely new religion, which
ignored the doctrines of Christianity and
the Bible, and substituted for them
broad humanitarianism, without theology
or belief recognizing the universe as God
and tie final pardon of all sinners, whether
repcntant or not. The sermon, which was
publ shed in the papers, produced pro-
found sensation and did not go long un-
challenged. Bishop Keener, of the Meth
odist Church, criticised ii severely some
DAYS ago as heterodox and antagonistic
to Christianity.
1t was, however, today precipitated
among all the Protestant clergy on the
very severe arraignnient OF Bishop Ses-
sumes by the Presbyterian, Methodist,
Baptist and Lutheran clergy, as not teach
ing the Christian religion, but an abhor-
rent pantheissl. 1t now appears that the
clergy of these denominations sent him
protest hardly two weeks ago, in which
they asked him to avow or disavow the
sermon attributed to him in the news pagers.
The bishop sent no answer to this protest,
and today the Protestant clergy of New
Orleans, except his own church, arraign
him for teaching damnable heresies.
On Wednesday, when the Episcopal
diocesan council Of Louisiana met and
resolution was offered congr ula ting
Bishop Sessums ON the success Of his ad-
nlinistration -of the affairs of the diocese,
it was warmly antagoniZed by Rev ii. IL.
Waters, rector of st. PauI's, on the ground
that its adoption would indicate that the
council approved or acquiesced in the ex-
traordin ary religious teachings Of the
bishop, which were antagonistic to the
doctrines of the Episcopal church and the
Holy Scriptures So far the conflict had
been confined mainly to the Episcopal
church, which, however, was rent in twain
between those who favor the bishop and
those who think him an unwise and dam
geTous leader
The arraignment is headed by Rev. b.
NJ. Palmer for nearly half a century consi.l-
cred the most eloquent clergyman in the
South, and the most eminent leader in
the Southern Presbyterian Church, by
eighteen Presbyterian, seventeen Meth
odist, twelve Lutheran and three Baptisa
ministers, practically the entire Protestant
clergy OF New Orleans, with the excep-
tion of the Episcopalian
I'VE united in public protest" say these
clerg ymen, against the exposition of
Christianity given by Bishop sessames. as
published in the press. 1t is, in our JuGg-
ment a complete surrender of the whole
system of grace revealed in the Holy
Scriptures, so far from being, as he claims. !"
Bishop Sessmes has announced his in
tention to preach next Sunday in st.
Pauls Church, whose rector, Rev. II. H.
Waters, attacked his heterodoxy in the
diocesan council, aud 1t is understood that
he will seize this opportunity to recant his
heTesies or explain his beliefs.