New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-19

A REPLY TO BROUGHTON.
THE REV. SYDNEY HERBERT COX DE-
FENDS UNITARIANISM

reply TO the attack made upon Unitarians by
the Rev Len G. BroughtOn and others In the re-
vival services in Brooklyn was made yesterday W
the Rev Sydney Herbert Cox in the Lee Avenue
Congregational Church. 1t was in his evening
sermon that the preacher took for his SUBJECT
Are Unitarians Christians?" Mr.. Cox said In part
The greatest struggle of the centuries has been
TO force men, If possible TO a uniformity OF re-
llgious thought Ecclesiasticism still hopes to
make us theological machines and create uni
versal Theological monopoly To this end it has
recently caused another windstorm by Ine uaiL-
nable assertion that all Uutarians, Intellectually
classed such, will go eternal perdition
Never till we adopt the spirit of Jesus Christ will
there be Christian unity that will be simply
irresistible against sin. He went about doing
good. saving men; not pronouneing bitter ana
and education Let go out and save men, not
stopping to argue but eager to save And this Is
pertinent for the dogmatizng Trintarian as 1t
is for the coldly negative Unitarian What is q
Unitarian? One who stands for the unity of God
and reyerently seeks to " Know Zone God" The
rest of Untariansm is incidental TO this funda-
of the Trinitarans once they have defined the
Godhead. 1t is true that Unitarianism denies
other truths that orthodox Trinitarianlsm oeieVes
essential, but these denias do not constitute Uni
tarianism as regards the connotation of its name
Trinitarians. Honest spiritual Unitarianism seeks
10 bring men 10 the knowledge or one COO lhat
they may dwell with him Unitarianism was az
first 'iberaisms" protest against machine made
religion And the protests have forced a desirable
change. To-day the protestants are to be found III
all bodies, not even excepting Rome, which has
tried w saG a st s0E Jesus from
the cross" But is this true? The best of them
deny 1t earnestly. And II II were true Is IL
worse to tear Jesus from the cross (often mis-
conceived Trintarian cross than 1t IS to cover the
with gilt paint and Him with gorgeous raj
ment and His simple teaching with d hollow liturgy?
Verify Professionalism covereth multitude of sins
Let us be honest and turn from side issues TO ask
What does honest Untarianism seek? The answer
is: ITO know God and do His WILL But are
UnitarianS honestly searching for the truth? the
man who will doubt that and malgn Church that
stands for God deserves a hell of his for such
a blasphemy on human goodness. Where is the
Unitarian, after honestly seeking the truth and
crying in her poem, Nearer. my God, to Thee cen
though 1t be cross that raiseth me, nearer, my
God to thee, is for her intellectual opinions con-
signed to hell fire? Such mans congregation
would rise up in wrath and leave him.
Can Unitarian be a Christian? Are the terms
Nor are Trnitarians always Christians. What de
termines decision here? The fact as to whether
moral intellectual proofs of belief. From
the third century until now, and especially in the
SIM and for centuries 1t held to be the duty Of
the State to crush It. even by legal murder Now 1t
sumed sin, and II it can 1t does it, even unto
ostracsm which is social murder.
1t is said that Unitartsnism cannot be Chris
tianity, for 1t denies the New Testament, Honest
Unitarianism refutes this statement, just as dis
honest and unkind Trintarians reterate 1t without
proofs. Again and again does the New Testament
echo such thoughts The that believeth not is
judged already" But every examination will re-
veal the fact that these passages condemn the I'M
belief of the heart the mistaken belief OF the
head. And the example OF Jesus is sufficient. His
who denied immortality and resurrection; not of
Scribes the orthodox religionists the extravagant
orA 5sbopaet Eata- 90 Trv,,as
john when worldly and material motives took
precedence of spiritual purposes. We not able
tarfans and Trinitarians win be Judged not for
what they thought. but what they were in ifel