The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-16

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The ftrv Hotsr' Hosrrs ~ nfouhlyn vas
eipciet secretary, the How Henri Hs,tia
assistant srcrriafy. klsSahdef v orr
tfca~prcr thshop BurRce' appointed the
following committees before the feadinR
~ hia annual addrrs-'
On the treaaurrr'a report, william W.
Thomas, william ". Wallace, u. " Pierre
punt, on tho General Theological Seminary,
the ltev. John " aattis, tho lev Charles A.
Jcaeup. IslAo Simonson, j. y. Halatead, y.
Tapncpll. on tho Church Charity founda'
ton and other benevolent Institutions, the
Rev. John q. %Iaccis. u. d, q. - j. Wrigley.
n. VI. Fairbain. william II. Male, John W..
Weed. John y. Maae, on tho salary o. the
Bishop. the lSsv. T.. 81. Mc0ufy, the Rev.
J. How land Melish, X. Kriske, Frederick
r. Aldridge. Francis n. Miller, Percy Itch
field. Alexander =. orr, on tho American
church building fund, the Rev. Arthur Is.
KinsolvinR, Henry r.. Piorrepont, tho Rev.
Henry Mesier. the Rev. r. NJ. W Black, A..
Augustus Low. Spencer Aldrioh, A. II.
Mann, q. =. Hibbard, Charles r. Kragg and
the Rev. W. s. Baer; Sunday school COM
mission, the Rev. W. 3. Baer. tho Rev. II. l.,
Bridges, A.. Augustus Low, William y.
Dali, Charles +. Fuller, the Rev. Paul r.
SWEET, &. +. Smith; committee on social
! service, president. the Bishop and the
A~rchdeacons Of the diocese; delegates
at large, tho Rev. Robert Rogers, the Rev.
Joshua kimber, the Rev. William =. Chase,
the Rev. f. II. Miller, +, T. Sherman, the
Rev George u. Sparks, the Rev. j. Howard
Melish, the Row. F. Appleton, E. ID. Litch-
field, Henry Z. Vessels, Charles H.. Fuller;
examinations Of chaplains, the Rev. S. S.
Roche, the Rev. j.. @. Jones, the Rev. 4. W.
McGufy. tho Rev. p. F.. SWEET. the Rev.
j. r. Moses.
The address Of Bishop Burgess was in
part as follows:
Il wish to speak of a subject that has
been very close to the minds and hearts
Of churchmen during the past year-the
question of the allegiance of the clergy TO
that a convention address is not the place
in which to discuss subtle theological prob
lens, but il is surely not amiss for me to
outline what l think should be the practical
policy for the Church and the diocese in a
crisis which. while its Importance may
have been exaggerated, has certainly
caused anxiety and uncertainty to many
devoutly religious minds:
1T ia claimed, then, by certain writer's
that the facts Of the Christian creed are
on the eve of being disproved by historical
science, or, as they prefer to all It, by
higher CRITICISM; that these facts Of the
creed are not essential to the faith, and that,
therefore, men should be allowed to
officers OF the Church when they no longer
accept the historical statements Of the
Apostles and Nicene creeds.
'"F..r be it from me to wish TO belittle
higher criticism. / glory IN every one OF its
Victories. l believe that the new and scien-
tifc method Of studying the Old and New
Testaments have deepened the spiritual
life of scholars, and through them it has
affected the whole body of believers.
"The fltal mistake which is often made
by enthusiasts for higher criticism lies in
supposing that it is to be the final judge
in regard to the truth Of the Christian faith.
The professors life is too far removed from
the centre OF human life. SO long as his talk
N,.., a. r@,,nl Nhn nan 10 h. q nrn
tons Of the faith, he may be allowed to
decide. The moment scholarship tries to
touch the person of Christ and to settle in
regard to the vital facts which lie behind
the creed; it will find its mistake The
people will have none OF it.
What shall be the attitude Of the Church
toward those who hardly recognize the right
of the Church to d~ognlatio teaching N
who doubt the facts a sserted in the creeds?.
Let me say, then. 1t should be one OF
liberation. We do not wish to multiply
heresy trials. The Church is intrenched in
her own fortress. She need not fear. Man
kind is inherently honest. The normal CON-
science will not permit a man to 60 on saying
liturgy of the prayer book rs agalnst these
naturalistic ideas Of the Christian religion,
and laymen and clergy. alike will demand
common honesty in themselves as they
light will seem to many a thoughtful church
man almost TO have become night and his
hold on one or the other Of the Christian
v~erities may have been relaxed.
The Church will be gentle with such
She does not commission them to tea oh
their doubts or errors, but TO wait in prayer
for the light of the Holy Spirit. That l
think to be the intended meaning of the
much discussed phra Sc in the Bishops
vention. Be silent or withdraw The
whole assag had l time to discuss it, could
be made clear, and while the idea may
nave been awkwa rdly expressed it was
manifes.ly not the intention OF the House
of Bishops TO encoura &c hypocrisy. but to
counsel silence and pra yer and study to
those who were tormented with doubts
about the Church's fundamental teaching.
Those who distinctly throw over the
say that the facts of the creed may be de-
MED, can ha rdly fail to be tried and CON-
demned. This is a matter Of necessity