The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-03-03

that the sacraments are the Divinely Of
dained means Of bringing men into vital
union with Christ.
The Bishop had no sympathy with the
recent development of rationalism
among Christian teachers. he never al
lowed himself to try to explain away
any difficulties of belief on ratienalistic
grounds, he never sought to empty the
mysteries of religion of all their mean
ing and efficacy by giving q naturalistic
explanation OF them, he never attempted
TO solve the question of the authorship
of the Old Testament Books by adopting
the questionable methods of recent Bibli-
cal criticism. He was strongly intrench-
| ed in an mistaken faith and relied upon
the authority of the Church as expressed
| in established formularies. The Bishops
teaching made out very strong case
| and presented an almost invincible ar
gument against the exaggerated claims
OF the Church of Rome on the cone hand
and the emotionalism and kindred errors
Of extreme sectarianism on the other.
These are some of the leading charac.
teristics Of the teaching of Bishop Will
Iiams not only in the divinity school but
in his public preaching throughout the
diocese. He 10 admired and honored
and respected not only by the members
of his own branch Of the Church but by
Christians of every name. And this is
so not because they found In him any
falsely called liberality, or any laxity in
his Churchmanship, but even while he ia
recognized as loyal Churchman, true
| to his convictions, and faithful to the
Church at whose affairs he ministerial,
THE EXTENT OF HIS INFLUENCE.
| have said, we cannot estimate, but
there are some features OF it which may
claim our attention. His memory ia
still cherished in the one parish of which
he was rector. He lectured to the stu
dents of Trinity College during a period
of 40 years. He has been the chief in
structor in the Berkeley divinity school
during 45 years, having prepared about
400 young men for the ministry. He has
confirmed 48, 900 souls-17 900 more than
are now in the Diocese of Connecticut.
He has preached during AZ years over
and over again in all the towns of this
State. AS writer he has not been pro-
life but leaves few valuable works be-
bind him. His strong personality left
its impress upon his pupils in such q
way that what we may call his second
airy influence will long abide. There
are in the chur CHI to-day at least ten bish.
ops whose administration of their do
ceses will be the ADLER and the stronger
because Of the training they received
under our beloved Bishop. There are
the heads of other theological seminaries
whose teaching will be In some measure
a reproduction of that which they them
selves received. There are upwards of
400 clergymen now in charge OF parishes,
whose preaching is the better and the
sounder and the more helpful because of
the training they received from Bisho p
Williams.
80 there are many congregations of
church people who will continue to de-
rive benefit from the greatness of the
bishop whom we mourn to-day.
And what is the Lesson of all this !?
1t is that whatever ability God has given
us we are TO use to His honor and glory.
Ii is that we are to be diligent and pains
taking and untiring in duties which are
given US to do. It Is that the exertipg
of wide and wholesome influence upe n
our fellow men is OF vastly more worth
than amaaeing however much material
wealth. And in our place in the men,
bership Of Christ's Holy church we can
not do better than to initiate that un-
swervipg loyalty to the .Church's ways
and teaching, OF which Bishop Williams
was so conspicuous type. The rector of
this parish owes much to him. Whatever
theological training he received he
received under the direction Of Bish.
op Williams. His ohurchmanship
is of the type OF that for which
the tishop stood. And 1t is and
shall be the settled purpose OF your
rector to make his teaching conform as
nearly as possible to that which we have
all received from the one In whose MEM
DRY we are met to-day. It must not be
forgotten that the clergy and laity must