, 1874-05-26
NEWSPAPER COMMENTS.
Tho New York Express Hays:.

Tho rrcsbyterians arc threatened with tho hottest
kind Of hot Tatcr from tho folly Of Prof. Patton.
withdraws from hla Church, because, rs Christian
mniater ho does not CHOOSE to rotaain whore
DO made nIon him either for preaching Tue Gospel or
The St. Louis Republican, In its roriow Of
"Truths for To-Day" romarkB:
Ills otenae was maintaining In the pulpit that
tain doctrines Of his Church were nntiqusttd. lnroa
could not hoi them, was convinced they ought mt to
was liberal movement which brought down upon
feow-proAclers mud the dignttarlos Of tho Church.
uo defended himsot e1oq0eny, and yinlicated big
n"bo opsnion stronRy IN s fssos, and seerad &C.
qnitta Mt The banda Of Ills judges. It was triumph
Of tho onlishtenlnent of the ago mado IN unusual
er amongst ting churches, md exctted great public
interest. David Swing a m able thinker mud an eo
quont preacher and what ho has prcachcd and written
Ii worth rcading for its intrinsic merit.
The Now York Graphic ssyas
Tho Chicago prcsbytory has acquitted Prof. Ewing
On tho charge of cresy by yoto ot ~ to IT, nut Dr.
patton ia not eaanod and has gtvon notice that lo
shall carry tho ease up t. the synoa Practically how
notable ecclesinatical trala record. The Chicago
presbytcry with all duo respec3 for John Calvin aud
tho ngo, and as no stones 70 throw 1t tho preacher
who las good word for John Stuart MIL mud rofusoa
to believe that Socrates spd Penelope gre br%Sn 81
conservative religious bodies IN tho country Ia yield
ing to The tendonuiea Of modern thought IN important
particulars.
Tho st. Louis Globe says:
proY, Bwtnga notion In Withdrawing linH no think
boen 1-juuged and ill-tinfel. in simi1nr cir
cumatances haa other things to consult beside hts owl
What We consider truth and principle sro to bo ad.
hored to and advocated, at tia expense Of litto
trouble. It would hnrd been much more comfortable
Charles 10 seo their dfercncss md 70 have retired
to his country esate plant cAbbagos n to read the
an Il. day 10 s aoss ao ri
Of fulfilling his duty 10 hts congregation The Fourth
Church haB held to him firmly through evil report mud
persecution, and had he been defeated, its members
would not hare forsaken him.
Prof. Bwing's net Is, Htll further, unfair In Tho OK
trone to those who have ehraced hs cause and fought
his battles. Two-thlrds Of tue Chioago presbytery
have resolved to stand or fall with him. The Venerable
Dr. Patterson, tho Lender aud buwark of Northwestern
position in Tho Church ere slr swing had thought Of
entering s ministry, had chanploned his CAUSE IN
by tho aprit Of warm Christian. In vitll.
drawing from the Church Mr.. Ewing committed IN oct
Of the gravest injustice With respect to these friends
And here let express our deliberate and unquAt.
c dfaApprovnl Of tie conduct Of the prosecutor, Mr
Patton IN eu p5sy1o. y. Article, the sas
upon hs side anl We hnve given him credit for hon.
est II bIgoo zeal and devotion to the letter Of Pres,
III tho cenaurs business lie offended the canons o
dscencJ in manner TINT cannot bo pa7doned. The
Book Of Diseiplno provides yory, Justly thai
othor to trial md falls to convict him Of shs
alleged errors or misdemeanors, the barratrous
individual may bo oonsured by tho Court. Mr
Patton, unlos4 our memory Is egregiously ri
ortor accered this responsibility in oxpres terms ant
nyowsd hts willingness to submit to ANY discipline II
ls charges were not sustained. At any rate, tho gen
oral provision applied to a Well tho impotence
Of the prosecution established, aud resolution d
cenaure Wa proposed by Tho victorious party butt
they could very we'll afford to do, hang successful
and unwilling 10 adu new animosity to the srifo the,
Withdrew the resolution. after which b1r. Patton an
nounoed his intention to appeal. This sort Of proceed
ing will We think hardly commend Itself to the publlt
large, or to tho many Rteatheartel, honest II
the Presbyterian Church.