, 1874-10-18


At the rug.est.on of DR.. kiteredse five minute
| Were spent in PRAYER Tor Gods blessing upu
the Temperance Alliance aud the Home to b
founded.
THE SWING CASE.
DR.. Curtis moved that the first order Of th
day Monday afternoon be to hear the report O
the Judical Committee On the appeal Of Prof
! Patton.
The Synod then took roccss.
| AFTERNOON SESSION.
Upon reassemolins (she a:ten lance being the
largest yeti, the Moderator reminded the Syuoc
| that it was about to enter upon tho considers
ton OF judicial business. enjoiniug upor
the members to regard their high char
acter as Judges of a court Of Jesus
Christ, and the solemn duty in which
they were about to act. Tho matter was more
than mere formality. and he hoped they would
observe the rule in the spirit ana that order and
| deccrun would characterize their deliberations.
After prayer, the special order,
THE COMPLAINT OF DE-. HA1sEY
aud others against the Chicago Pre6oytery, wa.
taken up.
Tho complaiuants, after giving summary OF
the proceedings leading to, mud terminating in,
the erasu1e OF the namo OF Prof. Swing from
the roll, stated that neither the spirit nor
the letter Of the form Of government or
Book Of Discipline sanctioned or recognized
such method Of seyering the relation, and ter
minatlDg the accountability OF munster of the
Presbyterv Of which he WIS menoer. Only
Two methods we're rrovidol for so doiug In the
case OF member, by olEMission, to enter anoth-
CT local church. or by accommodation; and, in
the case Of q minister b. disn1ssiou, to cutter
co-oralnaso body, or by dismiksiun.
The letter Of the book contemplated only tho
dismlsson Of q minister in unlmpeaclGbe stand
ing to sister Psesbyte1y. and That only in the
event OF an authorized call from some church
under its care. But its spirit, and
tho practice OF Prssbyteres sanctioned By the
higher courts, allowed the dislnission, on re-
quest, OF minister in euch standing, to cor
responding body in another evangelical church.
Aud even where 4 member, claiming to have
changed his views on points which differen-
evangelical churches bad been received into
one Of them without having applied for or re-
celved dismisslouary credentials, some General
Assemblies had allowed the erasure OF the name
from tho roll ; but even then ouly il. up to the
time OF his departure, lie had been IN good
standing.
In certain cases. when minister, without re-
cciving dio.uisslon from his Presoytezy, lett
the presbytety and abandoned the ministry OF
the Presbyterian Church, it WAS decided that the
the roll, ''proyided no left the church without
being clarSeab1e with any Fundamental error in
doctrine or immortality of ife.'
Mr.. Swing having been charged With errors
which the compliments deemed fundamental,
and the Gaze being still undecided, the Presby-
terry was By this decision precuded from erasin8
AiB name.
The Assembly of 1880 resolved that
When minister, otherwise in good standing, gives
notice in form to the Presytery TO which he belongs
TINT he reuouuces the fellowship OF the Pfesbyt in
Church, or By neglecting to attend the meeting OF its
judicaores after being dealt with fur such neglect
gives evidence that he has done in fact his
ought to he struck from the roll and uotice OF this
procedure communicated to the diso~ned member,
and, Il necessary. published 70 the Church The con-
greg1on under tie Of such minister ought be
held still under the OF the PTesbytcry, unless
they give evidence that they also have withdrawn; in
that their uae also ought to be eru:k from the
LIST OF congregations belonging to the PresLytsry.
Alr. Swing was not in good standing when the
action complained Of WAS taken Dur had tue
Prcsbyteiy dealt with him for his neglect as re-
CURED to do before erasns his name, even II he
had been IN good standing nor did tho Preeby-
terry, in its haste, allow itself reasonable time
to initiate such dealing with Mr. Swing before |
proceeding 10 the extreme measure OF diaoWuing |
him, though with benedction.
ANOTHER REASON
offered in support Of the complaint was that the |
action complained Of had tho appearance of m |
attempt TO prevent the legitimate exercise of |
inasmuch rs Mr. Swing WAS under |
charges, the case still pending on an appeal to |
the Synod from the Presbytery. That Mr. Swing |
withdrawal would prevent the Synod from near
ing the appeal OF the prosecutor seemed to the |
to be suggested by the tenor OF his |
letters to the rresbytery.
They further complaiued because the majority |
Of the Prcsbytery. having thus attempted to re-
lease Dir. Swing from Nil ecclesiastical jurlsdlc-
tion, aud also sent after him in his sse11atic
career" assurances OF their uDimpared con-
fdence, neglected to take measures for tho
safety and well-beiug OF one Of the churches up-
der it's aud vitalg implicated in the case tho
Fourth church,. They omitted to require Mr.,
Swing to return the uuaccepted call tIom said
church, and to cease to perform the functions of |
pastor therein since he had disowned the author
ty OF the Pfesbyte1y.
In these omissions, and in the iucautious ex-
pressions of unimpaired confidence On its part
the Presbyte1y, it was the belief Of thecomp ain
ants. became cbargeable with grave fault likely
to work disaster to the church.
While an imperative sense Of duty iupel1ed
the complainauts to arraign the Presbytery at
the bar, and wblle they earnestly desired, and
and confidently expected, the Synod to condemn
reVerse the action, they would not have tbs
Synod attribute the error, serious and hurtful Is
complainants deemed it, to ANYTHING else than
misguided Judgment
This document was signed By William Il. Van
Doren, Francis L: Patton. John H. Faris, r. f.
Wharton. John Forsythe, L. J. Halsey, Albert
Warden, ". F. Wood James Mcleod, William
Brobston, P L. Garden, Samuel Hair, s. ii.
Moore.
Mr.. Mcleod announced that the complaiaante
had appointed Dr. Halsey. Mr.. Faris, and Mr.
Eurrlu to represent them.
Mr. uuHD /
said, on behalf OF the PresbVtery, bv their ap-
pointmcut. he desired to move that the com
paint be dismissed on the ground that it could
u"t lie against achon which Was in compliance
with the instructions OF the General Assembly,
The Moderator ruled that the complaiusnts
should be heard first.
DR.. Blackburn did not think the Chicago Pres
bytery had waived its right to speak only
through Dr. Hura, who was delegated to repre-
.eut it.
Tho Moderator asked for . provision or rule
n hich authorized the delegation Of any body to
represent the Presby1ery.
Alf. Blackburn, after saying he wished to speak
It some time, sat down.
Mr. Noyes wanted to say something which
Prof. Patton considered improper. and he made
he point that what Mr. Noyes vas about to saY
sas out Of order.
The Chair sustained him, aud k1r. Noyes sub
aded.
DR. HA1sEY
han addressed TN s7nod h said hs eppaazea