Evening star., 1924-02-04
MODERNIST CLERGY
WARNED BY BISHOP
Manning Reminds Episcopalians Of
Obligation Taken Before
Ordination.
REPLIES TO THREATENERS
Scores Hints That Statement
Would Hurt Cathedral.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, February 4.-Obliga-
tiOn to accept and teach the doctrines
of the Apostles Creed, including af-
firmation of the virgin birth Of Christ,
is accepted by every Protestant Epis-
!copalian minister Of his own free
choice before his ordination, and rests
upon him as long as he may continue
in office. Bishop William T. Manning
of the diocese Of New York, declared
yesterday in a sermon at the Cathe-
dral of ST. John the Divine, in specific
reference to the questions raised by
the modernist clergymen of the
church.
Mentioning intimations he had re-
ceived that statement from him re-
garding these questions might result
in a falling off of contributions for
the completion of the cathedral, the
bishop said he did not believe this
ton were true, better that the cathe-
dral should never be built than that
a bishop of the church should fail to
bear his witness for the full truth Of
Jesus Christ"
Scores Divinity School.
Conferences are being held. DR..
Manning revealed. for the full and
careful consideration" of Issues be-
tween the factions in the church. In
this connection, however, he severely
criticized the action of "one of our
theological seminaries" in issuing a
pamphlet proposing that the doc
trines of the creed be believed and
taught, or not, as different congrega-
tions or their clergy may decide"
1t was stated he referred to the
Cambridge Divinity School.
The issue raised by the modernist
clergy. the bishop declared, was not
liberty of conscience or freedom of
thought. The real question was
whether those of us who of our
own free choice have accepted office
as ministers of this church are
obliged to teach the faith which this
church holds"
Bishop Manning declared that re-
cent discussions of the tenets of the
creed. painful and in some ways
harmful as they may have been, have
helped to make the issue clear, and
that their chief result would be to
arouse many to more earnest thought
on religious subjects.
He declared the pastoral letter is
sued at the Dallas, Tex, meeting of
the house of bishops. in its emphasis
on the necessity for acceptance of
doctrine of the virgin birth, stressed
an important part of the teaching of
the church.
Sermon Sets Precedent.
| Wherever belief in the virgin birth
becomes weak, he continued, belief
seemed also to become weak in the
| resurrection and ascension of Christ.
This present movement does not
| mean only rejection of the virgin
birth. 1t has its roots in deter
mined presupposition against the pos
sibility of miracle, against the super
natural as such, and so against the
very message of the gospel as de-
clared in the New Testament"
Few members of the Episcopalian
Church are fundamentalists," the
bishop said. I'VE believe fully in ap-
plying modern knowledge to religion,
but we insist that the power of God,
and His revelation of Himself, shall
not be limited by the measure of
our human reason"
Bishop Manning's sermon was said
to have been the first occasion in the
120-year history of the Episcopal
, Church in America that a bishop had
made a pronouncement from the pull
pit of the necessary content of. doc
trine the clergy should hold and
teach.