The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-24
a Serious Question for the Episcopal
Church.


Three months ago paper published
monthly and called the Church Defence,
was established in New York. 1t is for the
Episcopal communion more especially, and
it's aim is ito tell the truth without fear
or favor, to maintain the Faith as held by
the undivided Catholic urch," and "to
expose those who, whether unconsciously
or deliberately, are seeking to dcprave
GoDs Word" and practically to destroy
the Gospel Of Our Lord JESUS CnRrsT."
That s, the Church Defence was established
specifically to combat the liberalism and
rationalism Of the " Broad Church"
The character Of this paper, its mission
and its arguments, IL indicated very clearly,
though also very Extensively and ilippantly,
in letter to its editor from the Rev.
HEBEH NEWTON. 1T interests and amusos
me greatly" he says; next To Life. 1t is
the best paper Of its kind out" That is, he
treats its effort to overthrow rationaism in
th" Episcopal Church rs purely comral
No finer support Of our movement. 4"
he assures tho editor "can he given
than in such rcdIciiO al dbsurium Of
the argument agaii =, it, Then he pre-
tcnds Ia treat very earnest assault III tho
Bishop of Western New York on the higher
criticism" a. "a piece Of persistent irony
and iecringly expresses " fear that some OF
the good brothers in the convention took
him seriously, which must have gricvcd his
heart greatly" The same number, 1t is
noteworthy, contains an extract from
a letter OF q Ron an Catholic priest.
N u hA lii NIis I'm
you may bn successful in defending your
Church from the iuroads OF inidclity. "
That IL, the movement represented by this
paper which the Rev. IIERER NEWTON
treats as ironical and farcical, is real y
sincere and serious to the last degree.
Now, how is 1t poss bic for two parties to
exist together In common Church when
the one thus derdes the other and assumes
TO treat its arguments as so comical in their
character that they must be intended OBJ
viously for irony, though actually they ex-
press the deepest convictions OF the ablcst
men Of the opposing party. and are drawn
from the arsenal III which are its stoutrst
intellectual weapons? If the Rev. HEBER
NEWTON expresses truly the feeling OF Epis-
copalian liberalism" 1t despises its oppo-
nents in the Church because they believe in
the infalliblity ~ the Bible and in the creed
pro'ess"d 10y both, looking on them as
hypocritcs or, at least, rs ecclesiastical
comedians merely playing a part. Could
two more radically opposed sentiments
and convictions be- found Moreover on
the one side, Mt least, rs We have shown
there is complete and even unconccacd
contempt for the other; yet both are nurscd
by the same Church
Is il possible that this cat-and-dog exist
ence, for such 1t IL, can be maintained much
longer? The difference docs not concern
mere customs or practices, r.tualism or
controversial questions OF doctrine not au-
thoritatvely settled, but goes to the very
root OF tn" Christian theology itself. How
far II proceeds was indicated also In a
letter published in THE Sun last month
from the Rev. Mr.. SCHERMERHoRN, the
Rev. HEDER NEwToS's assistant. In Il
he spoke OF the Protestant Episcopal
Prayer Book IA numbered from begin
ing to end with words and phrases which
! bind 1t to the Biblical and traditional
errors which DR.. BRIGGS and his fellow
critics nrc so irrefutably pointing out"
He said also that Its clergymon are re-
qulrcd to read portions OF the Bible which
are inhuman. indecent and false" adding
that yet the rigmarolc goes on with
hardly ever lifted voice TO protest
or to demand that the Prayer Book be re-
| viscd." Moreover, he asserted that cold
| dogmas." belief in which Is constantly af.
tirmed publicly in tho churches. arc pri-
| yatply disclaimod bv many OF the ofIlciot-
| ing clcrgymen.' These are tho Scriptures
and dogmas whose defence by Bishon
WALKTR Of Western New York Is treated
so jceringy by the Rev. HEBER NEWTON
as iocosc merely.
Wo repeat the question, How Is It posi-.
Bile for these totally conflicting parties to
remain together in the unity OF one Church
and one faith?
Direct Trade with Spain.