WAIKATO ARCHIDIACONAL COUNCIL AND THE ATHANASIAN CREED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9325, 30 March 1889, Page 3

WAIKATO ARCHIDIACONAL COUNCIL AND THE ATHANASIAN CREED.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The position of Archdeacon Willis with regard to the Athanasian creed, is of a nature calculated to exctie our deepest) sympathy. He is profoundly conscious of two facts in relation to this ancient compilation. First, the emphatic nature of its testimony to tho cardinal truths of the Gospel is now not loss than ever needed to be kept before men; and, secondly, that the use of it in tho public services of the Church continues to be a stumbling block to some (nob many ?) devout persons. He is anxious to devise soma means by which the cause of offence existing in the creed may ,bo removed without detriment to its recognised functions. And ho frankly confesses that he feels quite unable to 'suggest what) the means of relief should be. Quite so. The problem has proved insoluble to larger minds. Nevertheless, he is fertile in .. the elaboration of machinery by which. In course of time, may be achieved the end ho has in view. An amicable arrangement on tho subjccb ar- : rived at in. some parochial council may, ! by a series of beautiful gradations, influence the entire provincial Church, and finally force itself upon and command the.atten- . tion of the Synod and Convocation of tho mother Church. (By tho way, which bo they?) The conception of this mode of procedure would be commendable, did not a simpler and less tedious process suggest itself. For there is another fact in relation to this creed of which tho Venerable Archdeacon may not perhaps be altogether unconscious. Its use in the public services of the Church is objected to by two classes of persons : those whoso impeachment of some of the cardinal truths of tho Gospel it confronts with logic irresistible, and those again whose objections arise solely from lack of definite instructions as to its structure and aims. Of the former class, it has been truly said that "They who v wish to water down the faith always find ""' fault with the Athanasian Creed." Presumably the Archdeacon does not seek relief for them. Nothing short of a liberal use of the pruning-knife would suffice to the destruction of the entire fabric. As regards the latter class of objectors, the i responsibility for their objections probably i does not lie altogether with themselves. Rather does it not rest with those whose function it is to instruct their people, but who do not always fulfil their obligations? Instead, therefore, of casting about for some extraordinary means of affording charitable aid, why can't tho Archdeacon do as any healthy-minded —Charles Kingsley for instance—would do? Before i healthful advice and sound instruction obi jections to tho Athanasian Creed flee away, , — am, &c., E.C.U. > ,-