, 1874-03-29

To II. Editor Of The C1tccgo Tribune;
SIR: Al article under the shove heading
appeared in TIE TRIBUNE Of the 2lst inst. which
Irega:u ss calculated to nislcad these Of youl
readers who taae an interest in the Patton.
Swing controversy.
WAS present at that NOW famous "1nini.ters'
meeting, and =n greatly surprised to leaIn from
ITS II article that no censure was either intend
Cd OF expressed in tbs resolutions 'whieh Wera
offered to and entertained by that body.
Que resolution distinctly says: - We do mos:
cc1PAaticaliy protest agailst the cou1se Of the
Interior. as being to the las! degree unfair and
injurious " towards Prof. swing-as being pre-
judicial to religion and the Church OF Christ,
and wholly trancending tue functions Of the
religious pzess." And yet, despite this strong
and unrals!.saele language. '.T has the bold
no eersuro was intended. and that the rcsoIu-
tious "contain no censure other than inferen-
tiM.'' 3. what systcm Of ethics '' Z arrives at
euch 8 conclusion lesye your readers to deter
mine.
lulio1, which 30 strongly and rolntediy censured
the Interior. =" be communicated to ite editor. y
Ard yet 1T tells ~ no censure Mas Intended
Of either the Inferior Or it's editor.
II "T'' should preach sermon. mud should
receive from his Session, whom he had hitherto
regarded as his friends. eeries of resolutions IN
which they expressed their etrong condemua-
ton Of his discourse, and III tie most enphstic
WY declaring that lie had wholly transcribed
lis pulpit functions, wonder would he regard
italy. The statement Of *''" that the reeolu-
tions contnln no censure has not the merit Of
beine oven LnSenioas. .,.:
"gotien up in tue interest Of Prof SWING -
aud yet they emphaticatly protest against the
course OF his strange article, TT" explains
how the resolutions came to be drawn up, and
says that s. certain gentlemen who dieapproyo Of
the course OF the Interior in relation to Prof.
editor cast1gntion aud yet lie saSs the rssoln-
tons were not gotten up for any sn'h purpose,
but only in Helf-defense, when everyone knuwB
they were no. attacked; OF o o-der to save the
Presbyterian Church. which they declared the
Interior was endeavoring to destroy. Is anyone
except "T." preraled to swallow that pill:
Docs anyone believe that the ministers as body
{rerAaps that is botter than Ministerial Aasocia-
toni needed to defend themselves, when they
were not attacked? OF does auyone 10 his
eeuses believe that the Interior is an enemy OF
the Presbyterian Church and her ministry?
Not bit Of it, Why does "T.'' deny that
which the resolutions Assert most strongly?
Again, the resolution empbatically protests
against Prof. Patton and the Interior, and de-
clates it to te '*to The last aceree unfair and In
furious" to ''Attack any minister of the gospel
IN regular ecclesiastical standing" There you
bn7o 1.-THE consolidated wisdom Of ''T" and
..ceEtain gentlemen" =" who disapproyed OF the
cou1se of the Interior in relation to Prof. Swing;
and yet censure was not thought Of or s'almed
at" lie. ne ask AT" If the paster-elect Of the
Ninta Chulch in Chicago Is not il regnla, e@cle-
r;a5tlcal standing. and were the resolutions in
tended to cover bis csse? Are editors, and es-
,,cciar religious editors, to be denied the right
of o attacaing" minister who teaches and pub
iishe bald inildellty because be happens to be in
regular ecclesiastical s.andingf So tile re8olu-
uoas offered in tns: "u4inls;ers' meeting" eay,
and so Says "T."
Now IL ia 3 well known fact in tho Presbyterian
Church, that OF those who are tried By rresby-
tery, either for heresy OF other crimes. but es.
,,eoially Tor he1esy, the attack is seldom made in
The first instance, either by Presbytery or in
Presvy1ery. Public men are liable to be attacked,
and if their published utterances warrant it,
,eitber they nor their friends should complain.
For the5 hsve remedy. Prof. Patton Is no less
.merablc to Presbytery than Prof. SWING, aud
be knows it.; aud il he has attacked Prof. Swing
10 the last degree unfairly and injuriously,
either Swing or his friend ought to tako up the
u atter, a1,d deal with him accordingly. But it IL
nero childiaapess for = body of ministers to
,rrck the whip over the bend Of an editor Or =
brother minister, because he has .ventuted to
.t:icze public document, sbd, in dong go,
declared that he doubted its orthodoxy.
70 tbs question Iralsad by III" which he !