Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-22
Next Move in Church Fight
Up to Bishops Modern
lists. Continue Teachings
Despite Protests
BY ROBERT L. SMALL
Especial Wire Service to The Joui nall
(Copyright, 1929

Copyright, 1O23.)
NEW YORK, Dec. 20.-The Epis-
copalian modernists, who appear to
have taken more forward ground
than theNliberals in any of the other
denominations affected by the new
thought on the divinity Of Christ
and the bodily resurrection, declared
today that the next move in the con-
troversy was decidedly up to the
bishops. They say they will continue
their teachings and it will be up to
the bishops to show wherein this
teaching violates the established doc
trines of the church,
The fundamentalists struck back
at the modernists today They said
that the liberal clergymen generally
cloak their ideas in such ambiguous
language it is difficult if not impOs-
sible for the bishops to frame a
church Indictment against them.
Some of the supporters of Bishop
Manning, of the New York diocese,
cited the case a year ago of the Rev.
DR.. Percy Stickney Grant, who
preached a sermon in which he ap-
peared to deny the virgin birth of
Christ. When Bishop Manning call
ct uDOD LII vi ctIlI " 1SNA az VI
leave the church, the rector wrote
a long letter Of explanation, stating
his views in such a way that no
prosecution Cor heresy could lie
against hinc. In this connection,
Bishop Manning has said;
Raps Evasive Language
eff any minister of this church,
bishop, priest or deacon, should deny
the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and express this denial in words
clear, courageous and unambigu-
Gus, such as the church can deal
with, no one need have the least
fear that the church will shrink
from meeting this issue and that
she will fail to take definite action,
and the whole body of the clergy
and people of this church will APP
prove and support such action. But
the point to be kept clear in the
mind is that the church cannot take
formal action against denial of her
faith unless the denial is expressed
in words that are clear and I'M
evasive and are acknowledged by
their author"
Bishop Manning is expected to
deal with the more recent outbreaks
Of modernism in his sermon at the
Cathedral of st. John the Divine
on Christmas morning. The ami
versary Of the birth of Jesus will be
taken advantage of in pulpits all
over the country to emphasize the
faith of the fundamentalists in a
strict Interpretation of the Scrip
lures as opposed to the modernists
who would apply the acid test Of
science to the New Testament.
Meantime it appears that the
present agitation of the modernist
issue has made it imperative that
the Episcopal church shall proceed
with the trial of the Rev. Lee w.
Heaton, of Fort Worth Tex, on
charges of denying the virgin birth
Of Christ. This case has been taken
up by the modernists and through
it they have thrown down a gauge
TO the house of bishops. Until the
most recent outbreak. however, eff
forts were being made to compro-
mise the Heaton case and avoid a
trial. The Modern Churchmen' S
union, centered in this city, called
Mr.. Heaton here for a conference
and have urged him to demand that
his case be heard. Mr.. Heaton is
inclined to believe with his bishop,
who is accused of saying that the
young rector has about as much
chance of acquitta1 'as a snowfall
in hell" In any event that is the
impression he left here before de-
parting for his home to await devel-
opments.'
Church Split Not Sought
The modernists in announcing to.
day their intention to pursue the
even tenor of their ways despite the
bishops and all their works have
also stated it is not their purpose
to bring about a serious split in the
church. There will be no split, they
add, unless the fundamentalists
withdraw, and further they say:
1--WE have no desire to drive the
fundamentalists out. We believe
there is room enough in the church
for all. We liberals are willing tC
be liberal to the fundamenta1ists and
accord them their right to their own
beliefs. The Episcopal church is not
narrow church. 1t has room for
those who wish to believe in the let
ter of the Scriptures and also for
those who believe that science and
common sense should play their
part in the Interpretation of the Tes
taments if we are to hold modern