Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-06
PROGRESS IS HERESY.
Unitarian Minister Questions Miracle
Of Jesus Birth.


PHILADELPHIA, April 6-Defining the
attitude Of men like DR.. Ransford as pro-
gressive and not heretical, Rev. Frederic
A. Hinckley, pastor of the Spring Garden
Unitarian Church. said in an address de-
livered yesterday that 1t is too late now to
maintain the invulnerability of the old
church doctrines, as many Of them pertain
ing to the immaculate conception and the
fall of man had been hopelessly shaken by
the evolution of modern thought =.
mo one need be surprised" he said eat
the widespread conviction finding it's way,
slowly into all denominations, at least in
the form threatening suspicion, that Jesus
had a human father; that there has been
fall of man. but a constant ascent of
man; that each of US must work out his
own salvation; that the great leadership
of Jesus was not a monopoly, and that
those children of the Infant who never
came within His influence are not helpless
in the struggle of life.
1--WE have been hearing good deal in
Philadelphia for the last two weeks about
heresy through the medium of the public
press; the controversy now Stirring one Of
our great denominations has become public
property. 1t contains some elements of
large import to the general and religious
welfare which esteem it right and duty
to consider.
1.-The occasion which called out this state
ment Is found in some utterances at Lenten
services by a supposed heretical rector from
New York. And the danger involved to
the Christian faith is said to have been
greatly increased because young folk were
present and the audience was made I'D of
men and women.
1.-The great doctrines fthe Gospel and of
the creed which it is said were questioned
by the heretical speaker are the infallibility
n Old Nayv nc
word of God, the miraculous conception
and birth of Christ, fall of man and the
redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ, who
made upon the cross full, perfect and
sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world,
who became thereby the Precipitation for
our sins; the mediator between God
and man.
ut is too late now to maintain the invul-
nerablity of the old church doctrines.
They have many of Them and certainly all
of those included in this recent statement
been shaken hopelesSly in proportion as
thought has been free to deal with them.
''That is why you and 1 in common with
so many people have been accustomed to
think that in all denonina lions people are
far in advance of the creeds which have
been handed down to them from the past
Those who oppose heresy assume that what
already Is is complete and perfect They
dislike instinctively the spirit of innovation.
the spirit which Is constantly making all
things new.
Now. I want to say that heresy is the
first step In all progress. You cannot find
in any realm of thought or OF action any
progress which does not begin on the sup
position that there is something better than
the established order.
'.The signers of the Declaration of Inde-
pehdence were all heretics. They struck
out from the old idea Of things in a way
that startled mankind. Every great adj
vance, of which we have had so many In
religious thought ana practice. marks the