Religion: A Truce

In Manhattan, the Rt. Rev. William T. Manning, target of many modernist attacks within the Protestant Episcopal Church, “called off his dogs” temporarily by enjoining all clergy of his diocese to refrain from theological controversy at the Christmas season. Both liberals and conservatives moderated the tone of their utterances or remained silent in consequence, but rumors circulated among the modernists that certain close clerical friends of Bishop Manning were violating the spirit of the truce by sending out circuar letters in an effort to repair fences and round up the Bishop’s supporters for a firm stand in the post-holiday battle that is sure to come. Dr. Leighton Parks, veteran insurgent rector of St. Bartholomew’s continued as a prime center of interest. He issued in printed form his controversial sermon of the week previous (TIME, Dec. 24) and in an appendix he charged the Bishops with being “unscholarly men, whose administrative duties gave them little time for study.” Dr. Parks said he had shunned the limelight of publicity all his life. “Physically and spiritually it hurts my eyes.” He received promptly the confidence of his vestry and the majority of his congregation. It is generally admitted both by the conservatives and liberals who heard Dr. Parks’ sermon that he did not personally deny the virgin birth and that the Bishop will be unable to bring him to trial for heresy.

Bishop William Lawrence, of Massachusetts, most prominent of the left wing bishops, in a sermon welcomed the theological battle as a stimulus to intelligent religious thought. Bishop Chauncey B. Brewster, of Connecticut, also took the modern side. The great majority of the House of Bishops, however, publicly upheld their action in issuing the pastoral letter at the Dallas meeting, and approved the proposed trial of the Rev. Lee W. Heaton, Fort Worth. Many intimated that New York rectors take themselves too seriously, and will not be able to cause a ripple in the great body of the

Church through the West and the South.

Dr. William Norman Guthrie, rector of St. Marks-in-the-Bouwerie, whose program of dances and “paganism” in worship incurred the displeasure of Bishop Manning, announced that a detailed statement from himself and his vestry would be made after the holidays. Dr. Guthrie is more of a mystic and an aesthete than a theological radical, but is in general sympathy with the modernist position.

Dr. Dickinson S. Miller, for twelve years professor of apologetics at General Theological Seminary (Episcopal), resigned to teach philosophy at Smith College. His action is understood to be a protest against the Bishops’ pastoral letter.

Developments in other Protestant communions on the Fundamentalist-Modernist battle-line:

¶The Rev. John Roach Straton, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Manhattan, and the Rev. Charles Francis Potter, of the West Side Uni-tarian Church, Manhattan, debated the infallibility of the Scriptures before 2,500 people, many being turned away. Unfortunately they had not agreed on their definition of infallibility, so that, as might be expected, their premises did not meet. Dr. Straton’s argument was an oratorical sermon on the Bible’s power through the centuries, while Dr. Potter pointed out many errors of fact, contradiction and logic in the Bible, as well as divine commands abhorrent to modern morality. The judges, who included Judge Almet F. Jenks of the New York Supreme Court, voted two to one for Dr. Potter. It was the first of five debates between them on Fundamentalist issues.

¶One hundred and fifty liberal Presbysterian clergy signed a document denying the “essential” nature of the five articles of faith adopted by the Indianapolis General Assembly of the Church. Their leader was Professor Robert H. Nichols of Auburn Theological Seminary, Rochester, N. Y. Professor Henry Van Dyke of Princeton University, moderator of the Presbyterians in 1902, came out with a letter in favor of liberalism, which was promptly opposed by Dr. Clarence E. McCartney of Philadelphia, and other Fundamentalists.

¶Modernists prophesied an outbreak in the Roman Catholic Church, staved off hitherto by Rome’s “marvelous system of discipline.” Official Catholic organs, America and the Boston Pilot, in editorials, showed no tendency to a breach in the citadel.