The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-06
szCuLAR NEWspApERs cRrI1msED.
Rev. A. W. Cornell Says They Are Not Com
potent to Discuss Church Affair.".

New BRUNSWICK. N. j.. June 5.-Ths Rev. A.
". Cornell. rector OF st. Peters Protestant
Episcopal Church at Spotswood preached
sermon concerning secular newspapers and
the case OF DR.. BriRGa yesterday morning.
He said in part:
THE afrairs OF our branch OF tho Church
have recently had a large place In the discus
sons Of the public press. The eccentricities
In ritual o! certain parishes and certain priests
OF the Church have been widely noted and
commented upon The question OF the sound
ness or unsoundness In the faith OF q reverend
gentleman. already deacon in the Church
and seeking to be admitted to the priesthood.
has called forth numerous communications
and editorials in the daily newspapers. It Is.
In degree. unfortunate that the secular press
should handle such matters, for many who
write OF them for the newspapers know but lit
tie OF the facts In the case. They are not theo-
logians perhaps not churchmen. or even Chris
ttans at all. And their comments upon church
doinRs are apt to be superficial. ignorant, one
sided and pandering to. popular prejudices.
Church people ought to beware how they take
their church views from secular newspapers.
II they want to be we'll informed let them read
the church papers 1t is to me amazing and
lamentablo fact that where one church paper
is taken and read among our members there
are probably fifty secular newspapers. and
to, time articles or paragraphs which sheer at
al religion and 'nisrepresent the teaching and
which the eIaegeration of the pubIic. presS is
likely to create In some minds. is that one half
OF the Church is going over to Rome and the
other haf to rationalsm and infdelity. when.
In fact the, truth is that the great body OF the
Church is;of one heart and mind and altogether
loyal to the form OF worship prescribed In the
Where there is one parish in which an e1-
treme and lawless ritual PREVAILS there are
m
formity to the Prayer Book. Where there is
n IN the ministry one Dr. Briggs With HE ra-
faith u the Bibls and the Church. anu VI ''ON
which chronicle It's doinep. take notice OF the
exceptional and not of the ordinary. I'm
B:ct The fsssh nr PHI sG the
ties and extremists get wide ON bazonment.
toned. fste the sase q pr. Brises. xhIch
but mere passing incident soon to be for
gotten; l. his ordination is found to be mis-
take the Church wiz take warning and profit
end It. DR.. Briggs belongs to class of men
who are not content to receive unquestioned
men have their uses, Ifthey are capable. sin
cere and honest their Investigations have Of
faith and confirm the faith Of others he ' com con-
Tess that 1t seems to me he is more likely to
pc wrong than right and that some Of his
could myself i | had been one OF his exam
iners fol Holy Orders. have recommended him
to the Bishop for ordination. But then he af-
firms his absolute belief in all tho articles of
the Christian faith az contained in the Apos-
Holy Scriptures as the Word Of God and nd that
he will conform to tho Doctrine and worship OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church There Is
his moral and religious character. l canno:
see how he reconcites some OF his views to the
evidently and sincerely sees a way. SO.
think. We ought mot harshly or hastily to
blame the Bishop OF New York. who accepted
him as candidate and ordained him to the
priesthood"