Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-13
The Synod Of Virginia.
CASE OF REV. E T. BAIRD.


The synod of Va, has been in session
at Alexandria during the past week.
Much important business was transact
ed, but we have not the space to pub
lish it. Rev. w. T. Richardson of this
place was elected moderator. The most
important case before the Synod was
the appeal of Rev. E. T. Baird from the
decision of East Hanover Presbytery.
We have not the room to give full re
port of the trial. We take from the
Baltimore San the following report of
the last days proceedings in reference to
this law
The trial of the appeal of Rev. DR.: E.
Il. Baird was then resumed.
East Hanover Prebytery, the app ellee
in the case, was called, and after brief
statements by some of its members the
presbytery and Rev. DIR. Baird, the APP
pellant, withdrew from the meeting in
accordance with the requirements of the
book of discipline. ttat 5si <
The members of the synod were then
called in turn to pronounce their opin-
ions on the case, the time of each being
limited to five minutes.
Several hundred names were. called.
Some did not respond. Over forty made
brief statements. The larger number of
these concurred in saying that in their
opinion the action OF the presby terry had
been hasty, their proceedings unconsti-
! tutional and their sentence severe in the
extreme. A few thought the action of
the presbytery in deposing DIR. Baird
and suspeDding him from church COM
munion unjust, one member declaring
that eff this thing was to 60 On no min
ister's life, for his reputation was his life,
was safe" and that DIR. B. should be sent
back, restored to his membership and
his ministry. Another declared that he
had always had the fullest trust in DR..
B., and would just as soon trust him
| had they been in the Presbytery of East
Hanover they would have acted as its
m embers had done, but on SECOND tho't
and further light would now be willing
to modify their action. A few declared
that DR.. B. had committed a great crime
and that the sentence of the Prsbytery
was eminently just and a proper vindi
cation of the honor of the Church. One
member thought that as long as DR.. B.
held that he had committed no crime
he was to be held as still impenitent.
All concurred that the forms Of the book
had not been observed by the Presbyte-
nv in the trial, and that the case should
be sent back; some favoring its refer
ence to commission other than East
Hanover Prsbytery. p
At the close Of this expression Of
views Rev. DR.. Dabney introduce the
following: ,.-,-.,,ssss
! RESOLVED, That in the case of the ap-
peal of Rev. E. T.. Baird, d. D., from
Presbytery Of East Hanover, the synod
finds as follows .',4s'lSl' 4. i7l,..' .....
l. That the appeal be sustained pro
forma for in formalities in process.
2. That, inasmuch as East Hanover
Presbytery appears to have acted to the
| best of their judgment, the synod i'm
plies no censure on them.
| 8. That the whole case is sent back to
East Hanover Presbytery for trial, Cat
an early day, and that the court is in
structed to proceed regularly and make
a thorough Investigation.
4. That until the new trial the SEN
tence appealed from shall remain pro-
visionally in force.
The clause ''atan early day" was added
after the word "triar' in the resolution.
/ The resolutions were divided and the
i first, SECOND and fourth adopted unani-
mously, and the third by considerable
majority.
The appellant and the Presbytery of
East Hanover were afterwards. called
in and the judgment of the synod an
nounced to them.
REPORT OF THE STATE SUPERIN-
TENEEGT OF PUBLIC PRINTING.--The