The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-05-26
OVERCOME BY EMOTION.
Rev. DR.. Costa Answers Bishop Pot.
ter'S Recent Sermon.
He Declares That "a System of Doubt and
Denial Has Entered the Episcopal
Church.

NEW YORK, May 22.-Rev. DR..
Benz. +. De Costa, of the Church Of
St. John the Evangelist, prepared
sermon in answer to BishOp Potter's
action in ordaining DR.. Briggs and
talked for about five minutes he was
so overcome by emotional feeling
that he passed over the bulk of his
manuscript and dismissed his con-
gregation with ten-minute sermon.
But after the service he gave out his
manuscript with the announcement
that he was unable to deliver it en-
tirely. The sermon said in part:
"We live under new dispensation.
We have reached a new epoch. The
work attributed for the last eighteen
centuries is now challenged. Protest
ants are now engaged in reading the
Bible in pieces, declaring that it is not
infallibe, and that the Old and New
Testament abound in myths and
legends. At the Threshold of the
| twentieth century theological teachers
all over the land are declaring that the
Bible was not made infallible by the
| guidance of God, the Holy Ghost. /
| could not select text from any part of
! the Bible which would not be chal-
| L
tenn of doubt and denial has entered the
Episcopal Church. and its chief ad-
vocate has been deliberately received
into the ministry. 1t is known as the
! higher criticism This is revolution.
would fain turn away from the issue,
| but the system of criticism under con-
sderatiOn has been recognized as allow
able and within the liberty of all by the
official action of the diocese of New
York. This precedent must be accepted
by the body at large.
"There is now no question about the
future attitude of the Episcopal Church
in respect to the Bible. The scriptures
are no longer to be enforced as an in
falllble guide. The church has relaXe
the appearance of authority and its in
terpretations may now be governed by
individual caprice. This result follows
from former issuances, ending with the
Brooks case. Another case has now
been literally forced upon the church,
arraying the students in two hostile
camps. Hitherto sacred places are
illumined by the reflected light of pagan
altar fires. Belief in the Bible as the
inspired word of God is Fundamental
doctrine If this doctrine is impugned,
so are the doctrines generally of the
! whole church.
at is affirmed broadly in the General
Introduction to the Study of the Holy
Scriptures (Dr. Briggs book that
which we call the Bible is not really
the Bible; that the early manuscripts
have been lost and that the real Biole
is vet to be discovered. But | wish to
show that the scheme of criticism ad-
vocated by the distinguished author OF
the above, strikes at what the Episcopal
Church ever held sacred and funda.
mental. We still have the ancient au-
thors,' but these are valueless for the
reason that they relied upon INSULT.
cient scripture writing, which, as our
author says, are covered over with the
debris of traditional interpretations.
On this testimony we have no reliable
authority for apostolic orders, the be-
lief in which is fundamental doctrine,
} and the teaching of the church is under
mined and stripped of authority. The
facts of the case are perfectly evident
and it is in vain that any man haughti'
iy undertakes to bring the charge OF
| Ignorance much less 'malice.' We
know what the Bible says and what the
prayer-book declares, and we do not
stare in the face the issue nor point out
the nature of this joint attack upon the
Bible and the church.
at has been we'll said that the high.
er critics are now bivouacked arounG
the smouldering camp-tires Of Ton
Paine"