, 1874-05-13

'ernmbtntt md Confession of Faith. (1auishtor
/. = rio Moderator sugsegtot! 'thst t4e motion
you'd provo5e araent Mllo rto1 Mo1.d tsko up
It would ec boster to lot tho nattor roat until tue
trial waa disposed Of.
Afr. lI1lrd moved that tho resolution bo Ibid on
tho tabo temporarily Agreed to.
no CRITICISM DESIRED.
DR.. Patterson. ofTorod the fol1owiugs
{sso!urd, Thnt In tho Judgment Of thl judfcstory,
u duo to ths itoreets OF impartial 1stice aud u
barn 81 ths body aud especially Tho partit1 Or either
q them. engaged 4! tlle sase now ontpg ahould ~
% dseassona of tse - crs Of tIe esao o.ie * 1t the
jud'cstory before tbs final iBsue In roachod.'
Tnia, also, for: tho roasoh tl,ht 1t would pro-
Yoke dobato, wsa latd on the tab!o; .,..
should be occupied lit making tho arguments,
but disposition being shown to place no re-
strlcslona upon elther pnrty, It was dooidcd not
to limit thoa, though 1t waa hoped they roull
keep within tho bounds Of " a reasonable time."
ARGUMENT ron THE PROSECUTION.
Prof. Patton thon began tho nrRun'ent for tho
prosecution, speaking substantially ~ fo'lows Il
Ho realized tho responsibility OF bis position,
and the difficulty of his undertaking. drare
tor, who was loved by his Congregation, and had
tho aympathios OF tho city. 10 many Of tho
prosbyters ho stood in sllo relation Of a warm
personal friend. They and he (Swing) had been
shs s a: h1Rs L Ss sa. taking / f"0st as es
Of the samoS, family Ind been impanelod
aB Jury to .liaton to tho charges preferred
agaiuHt ono Of thoir number by 4 stranger. IIo
should not think It strange II their first impulse
we're to stand BY their friends. and, wbRtovor,
thor doubts might have boon with respect to
hs soundness IN the fait to huah tllom in their
determination. aud aho!d him from reproRoh.
He understood that ~ =
OTHER QUESTIONS MIGHT he RAISED -.,'
on tho threshold Of Tho discussion. " Why
like thia2" ''Why cali mon from tho active
issues :" "Why iuitia to proceedings WHICH h may
ed know not whore aud oe be 4 ftapRt VIII
questions he answered, "aYo can afford to risk
something rhon the ca,,so OF truth IL IN issue"
He Who came"to service like this, 1t would
SOON, should bring gray hatrs and > ripo otperi-
deserving Of tho respect OF tile Court stood In
GOD Had BEEN FIT
TO cast tho burden upon his young shoulders,
and he was doing Els will. What made him at
tonpt to stem tho tide Of public sont,mcut
sealed his lips in such a presence WAS the
thought tlat be pleaded the injured cause Of his
cruciaod Lord. Ho who is my advocate at tho
right hand Of tho Majessy on high sustain mo in
Iuo HGEFlCo WHICH uuQGElHke IQ-tlAy.
The prosbytora who wore ministers and he
had taken the Bauo vows,-vowa that thoy would
bc faithful in maintaining tho truths Of tho
Qoapel; and ho crayel their indulgence, and
that of tho Elders, while le prosecuted tho eyi-
dohco and tic argument on which tho eaae Of
mias from their miuds all personal questions, to
bring to the consideration Of tho subject Judi
oiai ntate antiframe of mind, md to 30 net that
thoir decision would advance tue glory Of God,
4 rrn z1tt1 III xrf Eiut t,,11tl II
: -. ronM OF THE CHARGES.
! Thoy would notice tlat tho chargoB preferred
against Prof. Swing were in the form Of d tra-
verso Of his ordination VOWS. Every minister at
hisEordinatlon answered in tho Affirmative the
queattons-" Do you sincerely reooivo aud adopt
the Confession Of Faith Of. this Church, az con-
tanning the system OF doctrine taught In tho
Holy HorIpturos Z" "Do you promise to be
jealous aud faithful In maintaining tho truths Of
The .aospFel. and tho purity and peace ct the
Church ?" and "Do yon engage to be faithful
and dillgont in The exercise OF all prlvato and
oflloial duties, % bocomeA you as Christian and
Is . 1nipister Of the Gospel" ?"
i LACK OF ZEAL AND FIDELITY. i.
Prof. Swing was charged, in the first place, to
the offcot TINT ho hadnot been yoa1ons md faith:
fni In maintaining tho truths OF the Gospel, and
Ind not been faithful and diligeut in the e1or-
else Of tho public duties Of hia. oflco as such
tventy-four specifications, and tho object Of
pose, in goncral terms, tho charge was that; 10
had not been faithful In maintaining the truths
Of tho aospel,''' and TINT uothing else was said;
have boon uufaithfu1a Who're have violated
my ordination yowsi How is It possible for
mo to defend myself against an issue 60
widc, as this, and IN referenco to "a
question 50 bread as this" Therefore. IN order
intended to prove, the itema in respect to which
Ills nnfaithfnlueBa WIS found were set forth. II
those were true, it would soem to follow that 1t
was tho duty Of the dafonAo to reply to tho
By proving that tho facts alleged had never ex-
fHted. Or, existing, did not constitute otfenge.
1t would not do for the dofense to undertake tho
diBproyal Of the charge in general terms by prov
ing that Prof. Swing lad bac1i faithful and Jealous
il respects other than those not forth in the al
legation: They might prove that he Was exem-
plary in hia private lito. That had not basn
called into question. Thoy might provo that lie
q large congregation. That had novor
beon doubted: They might show that on We'd
nesdhy night his services wero Of an evangelical
character. Who had said the contrary2
TILE ISSUES.
Tho specifications wero truo OF they were not.
Il true; they did or did not, sustain tho charge
tho allegation proyed2 II it was did it constitute
all otYonBe7 Those wero the issues botore tho
Court, and, II distinctly in tile mind Of the
Court, he would raise the question Us to what
vas tae Ht1nQaEu ny WHICH " was 10 DC Qecldeu
whether tls allegations did constitute ofrenaos.
Clearly. what was an oiIenae IL one Church
an ofense in the Methodist Church to revile the
doctrine Of predeBtipation; nor was It an Of
fonae In the Baptist Church to speak slight
ingly. Of infant baptism. Nhy7 6in1-
ply because those doctrines were not
only not believed by those denominations,
but positively ,donied by them. It soas an ofeuse
to Eeyile the doctrioe Of predest,natlon and to
speak sltghtng1y. Of infant baptism, because
those doctriues entered into tho worry life Of
Presbyt Hence aroso the qucstion Of,
WHAT wA8 THE STANDARD OF PREsDYTEn1ANIsM
Happily this was a question in reference to
which there WAS no doubt. II tho Presbyterian
Church were called upon to vote on, or to an
ever the question, .what are your. standards ?"
abe would reply, q The Westminster Confession
Of Faith, the Larger aud Shorter Cateohisn, aud
tho Inspired Word OF God" =
Tie history Of the Presbyterian Church was a
history identified with adherence to the Vest
minger CoufoaEion Of Faith. aud, even though
Il 30 happened unfortunately ut 6ne period TINT
she divided. eacl1 company took tho eane Con-
fesslon Of Faith, and when. in the process Of
time, 1t seemed ssiBo that tile separated compa-
Mica Hftnni6 ANNA I1uaifinr geairi they rama m.