Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-30
FROM EPISCOPAL TO
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Rev. DR.. Buxton, Rector of St..
Paul's, Council Bluffs, Re-
signs Passionate. E.
FINDS TOO MANY DoGMAs

Rev. A. G. A, Buxton yesterday
morning not only preached his fare
well sermon as rector of St. Pauls
Episcopal church in Council Bluffs,
bat announced his final withdrawal
from the church and its ministry, in,
taking the course he left no means of
retreat, asserting that. he would shere-
after devote himself as clergyman
to the work Of the ministry Of the
Christian church and will assist Rev.
Edgar Price for %the next month or
so, conducting series of meetings
in the First Christian church here.
The. withdrawal of Rev. Mr.. Bux-
ton from the Episcopal ministry and
conclusion of his work as rector OF
the church here was dramatic. The
church was crowded The rector took
forshis text Luke All; "And he closed
the book"
In an easy conversational tone Rev.
Mr.. Buxton recounted what had
taken place in the church during his
ministry, its growth in membership
and spirituality; his constant and
earnest effort to proclaim the gospel
as its truth appealed to him. He
referred to the work accomplished,
mentioning the establishment of All
Saints chapel and the erection of the
building. He spoke Of the warmth
Of the friendship formed and the
spread of the influence of the church
outside its ecclesiastical limits.
| Makes the Announcement.
The announcement of the with
drawal from the ministry did not
come until the farewell to the con-
gregation had been concluded.
| Rev. Mr. Buxton stood surveying
the audience for a moment in silence
and then said, in clear and deliber-
ate tones: --,'
you know the Christ said to His
disciples, all of you shall be- offended
because of me. this night If l had
stood in an Episcopal pulpit in the
sixteenth century and read what |
am going to read to you now, |
would have been burned at the stake
before Saturday night. | am tired
of creeds and dogmas. l have lost
all interest in them, and as the Epis-
copal church is a maze of doghas
that | can no longer accept, | must
leave it to secure the larger liberty
my soul Graves. Here are some of
the reasons why can no longer re-
main priest of the church"
The speaker then read slowly and
with great dramatic force, this type
written statement after he had sharp
Fly criticised Bishop Morrison:
Reasons fop Action.
my parishioners will always re-
member that | have preached to them
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
and while | have not been as active
from worldly point of view as some
would like to have had me, yet have
endeavored in every way to be a true
minister of the Christ.
my religious convictions will no
longer permit me to remain in the
Episcopal ministry and | must serve
my Master regardless of salary or So
called social standing. To serve Christ
means that one must fight for right
eousness and the truth rather than to
obey a man-made ecclesiastical fancy.
The following are some of the reasons
for my leaving the Episcopal and en-.
tering the ministry OF the Christian
church:
81. The Episcopal church does not
base its authorityupon the holy scrip
lures, but upon dogma and ecclesias-
teal legislation. 1t has substituted
sacerdotalism and tradition for the au-
thority OF Gods word.
"2. Its clai INTO apostolic succession
is unwarranted and cannot be sus-
tained by New Testament interpreta-
ton
"3. Although the rubric in its prayer
book directs to dip, yet it does not
practice the apostolic method of bap-
tism, which is very plain to anyone