New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13
ORTUODO lNU IIHER lTISH.

The fact has been published that many Pres
bytcrlans from NIL parts of the country nav"
written TO Professor MctiIIfort Of the Union
Theological Seminary. in this city. begging nm
10 resign his chair in the Seminary so as II
spare rho Church the necessity Of putting nm
on trial for hpresy The good intent Of those
who take this ground cannot be questioned. At
best a hcrosy trial does serious harm To the
Church. and. coming 40 soon after the bltter
controversy evoked by the trial Of Professor
Briggs, another similar trial in the PresDy-
terrain Church would undoubtedly work grave
injury to the Church. But To an outside OBJ
server It Is not clear how Professor Mc''inerts
resignation from Union Seminary would settle
the issue raised by his book. He would still
remain II Presbyterian minister, and the qres-
tlon is whether Il Presbyterian minister can
hold the views Of the Lords Supper which Pro-
fessor Mc,iffcrt has published In case Ike
this a policy of avoidance seems hardly feast
bio or wise And certainly the Presbyterian
Church does not want to go Oh record as say
inc that It's ministers can believe what they
please so long as they do not occupy official
positions Of authority. Nor is II likely that
Professor McGTert. being n sincere and cou-
ragcous man. would be willing 70 dodge the
questions brought to rhe front by his book.
But. It will be- asked. II Professor McGiffert
Is an honest man. why does he not withdraw
from the ministry Of a Church whose doctrines
ho rcpudiatcs? This Is the favorte method
adopted by The Ncw-York Sun" in dealing
with similar cases in all thc churches Al
though. like Gallo. It cares for none OF these
things with brazen cynclsm II has consti-
tuted itself the champion Of orthodoxy. and It
H.. ipfi,1 al
man in the Christian Church who has found
himself compelled to reject some traditional
views Of Church doctrine. In point Of fact.
rs this view Of 1t would Indicate 81. Paul and
the other Apostles did NOT leave the Jewish
Church until they were expelled from it. al
though their teaching rcvolrtonized the whole
system Of Judaism. They took exactly the same
ground taken by the loyal liberal Churchmen
of to-day. namely. that they owed their first
allegiance 20 tlie truth and that Christianity
was. In effect. the fulhlmcnt Of the Jewish law.
Instead Of leaving the Jewish Church they as
serted their right as Jews to rcinterpret its
formularies in the light Of Chrlst'S teachings
So. also. Luther did not feel It his duty to leave
The Roman Church; he was turned out Of It,
Nor did Wesley ever leave the English Church
point of view of Angllransm, he soutly main
tnired his right to hold and teach them. he
cause no believed them to hp true. And his
first allegiance was 10 truth. and NOT to the
traditional conceptions Of the truth then cur
rem.
And this is rho grounl on which the liberals
in the Presbyterian Church arc standing To-
day Az n writer In Thu Indcpendcnt' eX-
presses il. there Is to-day no zone OF outer
''dlrkncss 10 which. with any Scriptural basis.
Two can consign dcvout scholars who differ with
''us even on matters which some brethren con
"sl,lor vital. He who Is ChriSt'S may rghtfully
''clalm from his Lord his spiritual heritage
'where n gracious Provdepc" has placed him.
''Thcre he will find the duty Of humbly seeking
truth ne It Is In him. and rcvcrcntly proclaim
ing IT," DR.. Henri NJ Field. whose loyalty
to the Presbyterian Church will not he Qucs-
toned takes tho same ground. Speaking Of
IN" Westminster Confession. he says: II do
mot make any profession Of believing
~ verbatim ct lltcratm. accept II for sub
Stance ~ doctrine. as that which Is taught
"in the Holy Scriptures. Our faith must
"be. to some extent. like orr scientific dscov-
'crics. in n state of growth. All our knowl-
edge Is bnt approximate We SEQ through n
glass h1rliy" Ho regards tho confession as
goody house hudcd by I'll" fathers But ~
NOW the ancient rnftcrs begin n creak by
"andby the house may have 10 give place To
zone newer md better" In word the posi-
ton of the liberals may he summed np in those
words: I've take truth for authority. and
not authority for truth" And on that plntform
thoy mlinian thcI, right TO remain I'm the
Church 90 long rs they accept Loyalty the great
fundamental principles on which Christianity
Is built.