New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-28
AVAILABILITY AND INSPIRATION OF THE
BIBLE IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

BIBLE IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In view Of certain incorporate utterances
In respect OF the Scriptures, which about the time
OF DR.. Brggss ordination astonished the laity of
the Episcopal Church in this city, It is worth while
to call attention to recent proof of the fact that
the great body of that Church is never truly
represented by extremists or by hot headed per-
sons who fire without taking aim.
This proof is furnished by recent discussion
in the Church Club which is g representative body
of Episcopalans in that it is com posed OF laymen
belonging TO all the so-called parties in that
Church. Two evenings of the club have been
given up to discussion upon the Scriptures. At
the first one the speakers were the Rev Drs.
Batten and Peters, who known as Liberals.
At the last meeting a few days ago the speaker
the Rev. Dr. Body of the General Theological
Seminary, who is classed a High Churchman.
All three are men of recognized scholarship. and
1t is significant (as showing how the Episcopal
Church really regards the question of inspiraton)
that all three agreed in these propositions: That
the Church, while asserting the fact of inspira-
ton, has undertaken to define it; that 1t
cannot be defined; that the Bible, we have 1t
is not in all respects inerrant; that its diff
ferent writers were inspired in different degrees,
some more some less; that the different books
have different values, and that the socalled doc
trine Of verbal inspiration 60 which the Presby-
terrain Church by its conviction of DR.. Briggs has
pinned its faith is utterly untenable.
Laymen in the Episcopal Church glad to
find that representative clergymen of different
schools of thought agree in these propositions,
because i'll the lay mind they rest plainly upon
sound reason and ommon sense. The claims of
the Bible to commentator and reverence
must be made good to reason. like those Of
any other book. Its meaning must be determined,
like that of any other book. When have set
tied its claims and its meaning then, and not till
then, it have any value for US. An infallibe
Bible is much Of myth infallible Pope.
interesting observe
Roman Catholics have made the mistake OF max
ing their Pope infallibe, so on the other hand
many Protestants have made a similar mistake in
making their Bible infallible. Such mistakes are
unfailing causes of scepticsm
Each generation must settle the question in re-
gard TO the Bible anew for itself; and the real
strength of the Bible, the thing which shows It's
strength the thing that in turn becomes add
tional proof in it's favor, is that the Bible holds
its own with each generation, and establishes and
m meas ITS The IN R ibH s geg G 6S
in the house of its friends, and never more badly
irn5ii There is one class of aymen in
every Protestant Church who can never be brought
to believe in verbal inspiration and that is the
professional class.
and a theologian as an expert witness to an opin-
ion in favor of verbal inspiration and that lawyer
Club the other night when one Of the members
answer fairly and consistentiy If he be fair he
cannot be consistent, and If he be consistent he
cannot be fair.
Permit me to say in conclusion that at that
meeting the same layman also pointed out the
close bearing which the question Of inspiration
has upon the proposed canon in the Episcopal
Church which seeks to forbid the remarriage by
its ministers not only of the guilty party to
divorce. which is the present canon but of the
innocent well. This proposed canon is as
serted to be based upon the law of Christ If the
law of Christ is correctly reported by st. Mark
the proposed canon is clearly right. far
lgious observance is concerned. If the law of
Christ is correctly reported by st. Matthew then
the proposed canon Is clearly wrong.
Therefore, 1T follows that before the proposed
can be adopted by the Episcopal Church 1t
must be settled whether St Mark or St. Matthew
rightly report the words of Christ. No such set
tlement can be had until get good working
hypothesis in respect of inspiration, and that we
cannot get 1t is apparent when we find High
Church scholars and Broad Church scholars agree
ing that the Church never has defined what Is
meant by inspiration, and that it is deflnabe.
The probabilities are that st. Matthew was cor
rect and that st. Mark in error in leaving
out the qualifying words which permit the
marriage OF the innocent party. Be that It
may. the canon should rot be changed upon any
uncertainty which can never be cleared away.
New-York Jan. s, 1900 JABEL.