New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-05
TRIAL OFREV. CHAS. B. SMYTH
REPORT or THE COMMITTEE-MR. SMITHS DE

day morning, at E.eventh-st. United Presbyterian
Church continue the investigation into the conduct OF
Rev Charles B. smyth, their pastor. the Rev. Or.
Finley. Moderator in the Chair. The proceedings opened
at O'Clock with prayer, by the Rev Robert Armstrong
WHO asked that they might approach the subject before
them with due Of reverence and humility, as
sinful creatures who before the presence OF God
lie hoped that due Of humiliation might be felt
by the accused in view OF the sentence whatever IL
might he which about 10 he pronounced upon him.
He hoped tI they might all I've kent from sin and this
for CLrists sake The roll tten called. and
lT HaTN,i one Of the committee appointed Yesterday
prepare resolutions respecting the disposition OF the
'G 5epted such resoutiops Freyousy TO doing SO he
rad 20 one member of the committee but not to the
ot!ct-Aho, however had expressed Lis mind pretty
following
RrroEr or TIE COMMITTEE:
r "ei,r I'm in s ' y, ,S S , Tp"ans Sn
Sa, Of oooapaa against which has been under invesiss
BOZ eg leave to submit th following report, VIZ
s .e .psoa loai1 under ,s i:''S
In;e aos a which believe have been extracted fOw
nc % MS an;,cd 10 Pro.tyte7y writing statement The
e"ccrcneos an.o the complaint The testimony Of witnesses
bee tase, On Che sane aee Il strikes that between the
ntn, &c se4 aai e testimony OF The witnesses examined there
saisnai o,,E az. h some incidents ore brought to vew
S % sls S' IN he @ s w % s o1ots
anorae to The IePuon Of the au.ed and then shall
F,cts ef.n uphvCrasle nature, admitted proved;
III: s 1 @ aS & sSa 1si sS barr
S o" & ~ ny PrS e accused called for and drank or
S ep4ra ~ en- and m one Of his guests
the Other calling for and dsposng Ola
portion nils THIS occurred at time when sell into1
atng drinks he sabbath violation Of Che law Of the state
.;s Ia' ua tie h. 1 Tl the entertainment W." Pa by inc
a slhoueL company seated private blessing
.ssassc a le,si anlioy or sIasy on t9s rspa , made T.,
on Of s guess reporter Of me sun nvaPSI sent s son on The
.n.oen Of the Ssh qee,o9 to a' n IN % I'm as
sssd day.
ESTRyr,rISs clR nc, ,..o.,,,.,,.
ss & for NV Leverage Of hat nature thew did not By
yoe Of sey spSe invitation by nm but on ih that his
The sccae appears to have been aeorng at the time alluded
quantity ga used BY him the to have been
here has been presented justify belief
ebe the occasion question any symptoms Of noTca
Balancing all -h and taking Of an the evidence
Pspr ~. city sn ,mod in The complaint are in variety re-
sS Of '1 Ssrm e s a1 convey al
But at M enough established by
that The accused acted u3becomng manner on
The occasion rcf to IN the compliant Not only does he appear to
responsible other grounds And h by ecclesiastical law to take
10 sae Of tbse as well as to The msn hsrse
rsong liquor is sold the accused acted at
as, y aaoNing as be thereby DID, an occasion for evil uT
his house for Refreshments he should have made
been the iputadOns referred have laid stumbling
calling for the accused guilty pprebeud tempting
the beerO proprietor Of the restaurant to violate the law Of the
Itmy fairly questioned whether me ,cusd did right
nav be s on the abstract Question as to The poey Of using such
to such smun according to hs own ideas Of utility and
The conduct Of others
nng Intoxicating drinks without the plea special exhaustion In
Gospel eIodngy careful avoid lending
ih Of Intoxicating liquors beverage He above a.
shers should beware OF placing stumbling block in the Of his fell
all considerations recommend the adoption Of the
That while the specifications contained complaint preferred
sgans de Rev SMITH have IN variety Of particulars not been
scousderahe degree ersggaOp distortions o. the
y rrn eg o The saeSess Of tb Sabsth Win hat Christian
9Gs evil ard I that e N ss of % love for @s
or Sthef' 70 ,n ,o the ro
.p he he om1y warned 10 gnar NOT opy the n
which brought grave ensGre upon the
Of Chris much repeh hut also against everything variance
iii IeoId That the submission Of the accused th decision
orcumsPcty the future the case be endrey dismissed
Mr. Robert Harper moved that the word "rebuke" be
stricken cut, and the word "suspenson" the next
higher order of punishment be substituted After CON
siderable discussion the resolution not concrred in
The original resolutions were then adopted seIidtiDa
THE REV. Mr.. SMITHS EXPLANATION
Mr.. smyth was offered an opportunity to make a
statement, which he did IN ertcnso follows: 1 have
listened, may well be imagined, with no small degree
and close attention. the remarks which have
been made by every speaker this have been
struck now, well yesterday, with the very
Kind and cordial personal good feeling which has been
displayed by every member of the court with excep
zion. That was more than had reason to expect
from my past experience OF the brothery conduct Of
every minister and every member Of this Prcshytery,
with tie exception referred TO Mr. Robert Harper
This speaker seemed TO think that if my health
appeared Ia myself TO he in such condition
medicine or smuants, il my duty TO consult some
medical gentleman before employing remedy and this
appears TO have been of weight his
coming to decision as to the course to he pursued
differ in toto. II very seldom in of illness either
of myself or family, that resort to professional medi
cal advice Last year one Of my children had scaratna
which confined her to her and bed for weeks. did
not all medical aid attended and prescribed for her
myself and she recovered and in perfect health
Immediately after her recovery, myself was taken i'll
with the same disease employed no physician pre- |
scrbed for myself, and recovered, perfectly cured.
would not submit my Judgment to the first medical
IN the land although have not the good fortune to have
amedca diploma 10 has been my good fortune to study
medicine, aud 10 understa it, think sufficiently well
tO he able TO administer wine when stand in need
thereof.
toxicating drinks This inferred from the fact of
know that this is very common argument Of the side Of
the question, which appears to he pretty generally
sanction II It can he called such which this furnishes is
very different from that which presented by person
OF occasionally for medicinal purposes is thing
che of ii regularly, Systematically, as beverage
latter case I think there is responsibility |
resting with the person who goes, to excess
merely IT, at the same time controlling himself with
regard to the quantity Another idea which seems 90
have weighed in the argument that there VIC
lation of the Sabbath in sending son 10 aid reporter
a. trsnserhing some OF me notes VIII not deny but
4 will not dOgnatcaly oppose that idea. At the same
time think IN view OF some circumstances tns might
not clerical member Of this Court who has not, some
Sabbath -day-ehf nquringlyl There may be laugh
ing possibly there may be- honorable exceptions In this
Presbytery 1.-THE clerk and DR.. Harper. They deserve
credit as men Of good and regular habits But u any
member in this Court were 10 spend a |
portion OF the sabbath morning afternoon in writing
out the manuscTipt-which he is to deyer-has this gen
tean broken the sabbath II they think it out and do
the difference between writing the substance OF the
sermon and thinking it QUIT If there are only one or two
who have not written out the subject matter there are
doubtless one OF two VINO nave thOught out Inc di