The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-23

reason why such terrible calamities may
not be repeated in America"
The public confession OF such conviction
by an Episcopal clergyman OF prominence,
supported apparently by his vestry, is a
remarkable utterance, and II he has justin
cation for It its Importance cannot be
called less than momentous. His accusa-
ton for 1t amounts to that, Is that the
controversy in his own Church, more
especially, between rationalism and faith
has generated so virulent hostility among
unbelievers that they have entered into
a conspiracy Of incendiarism against him as
foremost and typical champion Of faith,
and 1t Is an awful suggestion to come from
distinguished Christian minister.
In times past the odium theolo1icum has
vented itself in oratorical violence, but we
have been accustomed to regard such mani
festations as belonging to the days Of the
stake only. So far as we can interpret DIR.
CLENDENIN's meaning his conviction is that
It has been revived in all its old bitterness
under the stimulus OF the hatred generated
between schools in the Church now engaged
in life and death struggle" OF the avowed
infdelity which prevails outside OF the
Church he seems to have no fear. Nor has he
any such suspicion OF the leaders OF the clash
ing parties Of faith and rationalism inside
for on each side they are men Of exalted
character incapable Of toleratng outrage;
but he Is convinced that the violence Is the
direct consequence Of the hostility Of rude
and undisciplined minds who have been in
cited to violence by the theological assaults
on faith. His theory seems to be that when
faith Is assailed in its very citadel by men
appointed for its defence there is likely to be
bred among simple or disorderly natures
outside vengeful feeling against faith,
fully capable Of such violence as the In
cendiarlsm to which he attributes the de-
struction OF his church and his barn.
AS we have said BEFORE the peculiar char
acteristic Of the agnosticism Of this time Is
the entire absence from it OF the odiun theo-
lo0ictrm. 1t Is not passionate. but rather
partakes Of the wholly dispassio ned spirit
OF scientific investigation; it does not deny
holly, but coolly asks for scientific demon
stration. Accordingly, DR.. CLENDENN does
not seem to have any suspicion OF 1t as the
incendiary, nor could he have 1t reasonably.
His suspicion, apparently, Is wholly and
peculiarly Of tho influence and tend
ency Of the rationalistio party In the
Church itself. Having sought to blow up
the immaterial foundations Of the Church,
his notion seems to be that 1t has
provoked q feeling Of enmity to the
faith in its more inconsiderate pupils, which
might logically express itself in blowing
them up materially.
That Is the most startling suggestion
which the history Of modern theological con-
troversy has brought out, and we cannot be-
lieve that it has any reasonable foundation.
1t is hardly supposable. Undoubtedly the cir
cumstances attending the firing Of DR.. GLEN
DENNIS church and so soon after Of his barn
point to incendiarism, but there may easily
be no connection between the two which is
more than q mere coincidence, though that
1t has excited in him the suspicion that 1t
Is something more cannot be called sur
prising. The frankness with which he gives
public expression to his surmise is the as
tonishing thing about 1t.
Accordingly, no effort should be spared to
discover the exact facts as to these sus-
pected fires, and as large rewards for the
arrest and conviction Of any person or per-
sons who may have been concerned in the
suspected crimes have been offered by DR..
CLENDENN himself and by the vestry Of
st. Peters Church. it ought to be possible
to obtain them