Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-15
EXPLAINS REASON
HE IS PROTESTANT
Rev. Randolph McKim Speaks
on Subject to Laymen
and Clergy.

Rev Randolph McKim, rector of the
Church Of the Epiphany. spoke yester-
day afternoon at the union Protestant
meeting in the New National Theater
his subject being why / Am a Prot
estant. An audience that taxed. the
capacity Of the theater heard DR.. Nc
kim's exposition of fundamentals of
Professionalism, while more than 500
persons, unable to find even standing
room in the crowded theater, waited
on the sidewalk and afterward attended
meeting at the Church of the Epiph-
any, where other clergymen spoke.
All the Protestant churches of the
District of Columbia were represented
at the meeting, number of distin
guished laymen of the various denomi-
nations, in addition to the members Of
the clergy, occupying seats on the
stage.
DIR. McKinn said in part:
We are Protestants because We build
our faith on the impregnable rock OF
molly Scripture, and not on the shifting
sand of ecclesiastical tradition. The
of the religion of Protestants; but tradi-
ton. interpreting the Bible, and often
superseding or contradicting it, is the
basis of the religion of Romanists.
THE authority of Christ Is against the
principle of setting up tradition upon the
same pedestal with the word of God. He
said to the Pharisees: 'Ye have made the
word of God Of none effect by your ira
dition': and again he said in vain do
they worship me. teaching for doctrine
the commandments of men,.
Doctrine Not Found in Bible.
Again. we are Professionals because
he ri nf he oh pf rrrhi oh
we are called upon to accept as necessary
to salvation, cannot be found in the
Bible. The late Cardinal Wiseman ac-
knowledged that neither transubstantia-
ton. nor auricular confession, nor purga-
found in the Bible
Another reason why we are Protes-
tants Is this-we cannot give up our spir-
itual liberty. The Church of Rome puts
the priest between us and Christ She
teaches that II we wish forgiveness for
sin We must go to the priest who sits in
the tribunal of penance. If there were
no other reason for refusing to sur
render to the Church Of Rome this would
be all sufficient.
Finally, we are Professionals because
we love our country and connot con-
template with equanimity the possibility
that this land of the free and the home
of the brave" should be brought under
the dominion of the Pope. Why not?
Because the Popes nave solemnly con-
demned free speech. free press, religious
liberation and liberty of conscience.
Time to Secure Liberties.
In concluding, DR.. Mckim said.
Il ask you then, my fellow-citizens, is
1t not time for all Protestants to take
counsel together for the security of our
liberties. for the preservat ton of the heri-
tage Of personal liberty-liberty of con-
science. liberty of speech, liberty of action
which We received from our forefathers?
Colonial America was Protestant, over
whelmingly so, and the statesmen and
patriots of the revolution were also over
whelmingly Protestant, though there were
many Roman Catholics who nobly and
bravely labored and fought and suffered
with them. But the ideas which gave
birth, to the revolution were the offsprings
of the Protestant reformation. The prin-
ciples which lay at the root of the Ameri-
can Constitution were born of the refor-
nation: and it behooves US, whose ances-
tors pledged their lives their fortunes
and their sacred honor for American in
dependence, to gard those principles Of
liberty from every open or secret assault