THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1899.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1899.

A? a rule, " heresy hunts" are not edifying spectacles. We may fro further, and say that they are about the sorriest and most pitiful sights that lire offered to tlio publio gaze. Ono would hflvo thought that when a number of men, educated in universities, consecrated to moral and religious teach':ig, dealing with subjects of great difficulty and nrofound interest, differed on some points, and camo to discuss them, they would do so with such a senso of awe and responsibility, that nothing mean or personally offensive would bo uttered. It ought to be recognised that each man acts in the light of his conscience and his reason. These gentlemen should differ in sorrow but not in anger. It has, however, always been the other way from the very earliest times when theologians came to discuss and to debate. Wo see some bc'i'inr.intra of bitterness even ir. tho New Testament, and somo if tho Fathers were masters of Bil.lingsgate. And wo have this tendency continued to the latest case, when the Dev. Mr. Ferguson, of Victoria, was brought before the Presbytery for the heresy avowed by him in a book ho has recently published, entitled, " Spiritual Law in the Natural World." It must bo admitted that tho "odium theologicum," conies out more strongly in the Presbyterian Church than in tho Anglican. When an errincr Anglican divine is challenged with heresy, ho has to come before his ecclesiastical superiors, and in the last resort the apnea! is to certain legal dignitaries who consider statutes and precedents, and who are under no temptation to use heated and intemperate language. But. in "the kirk" we have Presbyterian parity," and a heretical clergyman's equals set to worry him wit'' a, will. They are not in a position individually to admonish, as a bishop or an archbishop is, but they can denounce, and it must be admitted that they do that heartily. They are like a pack of hounds in pursuit of a fox, and it must, bo admitted that the fox frequently It,urns round and snarls and bites in' a most effective maimer. The Anglican Church has its articles (those "forty stripes save one" which used to bo complained of), but it has been ruled that there is a wide limit of " private interpretation," and of signing them with reservations of conscience." But the Westminster Confession and the Longer and Shorter Catechism have been more stringently interpreted, and thus we find that when a heretic makes his appearance in the Presbyterian Church, he is much sooner got rid of. Professor Robert-son-Smith made indeed a somewhat prolonged fight before the General Assembly removed Mm from Ills professorship, but the rale is a speedy decision,

As we have stated, the book which the Hectoi Ferguson published, and which contained the avowals winch have been considered heterodox, was fitted 1 "Spiritual Law in the Natural World." This is a parody on the title of the late Professor Drummers famous "Natural Law in the Spiritual World," a book which created a great sensation when published, but which is an excursion of fanc-v under the pretence of being profound, theological, scientific, and metaphysical investigation. Those who admired the other works of P'o- - Drummond, and the character ol the man, were gratified to lieur that, before his death he had express* n wish that the book should hi withdrawn from publication as king founded on an utterly fallacious idea! We have not yet read the Rev. Hec l -v Fergusons work, but we do not think theie can be very much in it, judging by his actions and utterances lately" According to the document laid before the Presbytery, the book teaches If S ?v: esai to the brines ox the Trinity, the Atonement, the correction, and Justification by raath. Mr. Ferguson does not seem to deny llmt has teaching i s not in fconfomuty with the standards of W

Presbyterian Chyrch. In his statement before the Presbytery he said:

But the truth is. gontlemon, I do not blame anvono of you for trying to silence me and forbidding mo to preach, or to teach any more in His name, whioh is above every name, for it is owing to your rules and to the constitution of your churchy That popular book, "Tho Crucifixion of Philip Strong, shows what some churches would do if Jos® "P: noared on earth disguised as a minister of the ordinary orthodox church. They would, it asserts, crucify Him as they crucified Philip Strong. - / But if Mr. Ferguson was led by study to come to the conclusion that the teaching of the Presbyterian Church was erroneous on the subjects we have mentioned, his duty was to have resigned his position, to have said: "I find that I have made a mistake' in giving my signature to the standards of the Presbyterian Church, and I must, withdraw in obedience to my conscience." Then, even those who thought him grossly mistaken would have esteemed him as an honest man, Mr. Ferguson continued: —

Of course you will depose me for all this. Well, all I ran say is, do it ! If I am to bo wsnarted from Iho church of my fathers, it will not como about by my resignation; the blame will rest on those who depose me. Mr. Ferguson also talks about the Presbyterian Church being reformed " from within." But this is mere sophisticating, and his duty was, when he found he was entirely at variance with the teaching of the Church, to have resigned the position he held as an accredited teacher of her doctrines. The Presbytery had the subject before them some time since, and an interim sentence of suspension was passed until that body could arrive at n more definite decision as to the alleged heretical tendency of Mr. Ferguson's teaching. The Presbytery were quits entitled to take this action, "But Mi. Ferguson disregarded the sentence of suspension, and held service in the Northcoto Town Hall. He thus set at naueht the special order of the Presbytery, and ho was sworn to bo obedient to all orders of the Presbytery, as his ecclesiastical superior. Of course the Presbvtery could not overlook this. Mr. Ferguson asserted that he was unfairly treated, and that the Moderatoi had allowed Dr. Remtoul to indulge in the grossest oersonalities. Dr. Rentoul's reply was, if not courteous, brief and forcible. He said: " I assert that that statement is a falsehood." The Presbytery then got into utteii confusion. Subsequently Dr. Rentoul repeated his assertion that Mr. Ferguson had been guilty of "an absolute and utter falsehood." Mr. Ferguson continued to read his statement, which consisted chieflv of assertions that if Christ came now " they would suspend Him and despise Him as minister of the Church." Here is the exeit of Mr. Ferguson:— l Mr. Yule: I say that Mr. Ferguson has most deliberately and publicly defiod the Presbytery's authority. Mr. Ferguson Ivory excitedly): You shall not commit any blasphemy in my presenco you may do so in my absence. Farewell !

With this piece of nonsense Mr. Ferpuson swept, out of the hall, and wo have since heard that he lias resinned his position, which is simply anticipating his emulsion. Tho Presbyterian Church at the nresont time appeal's to tolerate a considerable amount of freedom, as some of our most eminent scholars and theologians belong to that body. Whether in all cases these gentlemen could bring; themselves within a strict interpretation of the standards, is a matter which lies between themselves and tho theological courts. But there is, we think, no disposition in the Presbyterian Church to excessive strictness, or to interpret the ancient standards rigidly. But the line must be drawn somewhere. A revision of the standards hag been often spoken of, but about this there ia a great difficulty. If a clergyman wero to stand up and say that certain articles should bo modified, he would be told that ho had sworn to these standards, and if he no longer believed they were right ho should walk out of the church.