New-York tribune., 1877-05-04
DIR. MILLER ON TRIAL.
HE PREsENTS HIS DEFENSE.

| HIS REASONS FOR BELIEVING THAT CHRIST HIMSELF
NEEDED REDEMPTION, AND FOR DENYING TIE
! IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL AND THE DOCTRINE
OF TaE TRINITY.
fFRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TETBUNE.l
| TRENTON, May 3.-The Brunswick
Presbytery convened in the First Presbyterian Church
this city this morning continue the trial Of the Rev
john Miller, d. D. of Princeton, charges Of heresy'
There full attendance Of the ecclesiastical judges
and large number Of ccrgymen and others not entitled
TO listened dtentively throughout the day On one
side OF church the accused mnister-thn, slight
aud gr1zzed and that his papers temDed III
his hands as he looked them over. But any one who
has Mr.. Miller any ordinary occasion
grasp the edge Of pulpit keep from shaking knows
he is OF nervous temperament and when, later III
the day. he defend himself his faculties were en-
rely his control The Rev. Dr. Studdford chalr
man Of the committee appointed to draw up formal
charges against Mr. Miller opened the for the prose
cudn by reading paper which, combined with an en-
bodment the charges. comparative citations from Mr
Milers book and nom the Confession and the CaecHS
In brief the charges Of herey, which are supported py
numerous and precise references to the standard are
these:
CAarge-we charge Mr. Miller with publicly denying
and assaing important doctrines OF tho Confession oi
Faith and the Catechisms OF our church. -.
SPECIFICATION 1-Nr. Miller teaches that the soul Is hot
immortal that at the death OF the body dies beeoe7
extinct, and continues until the rtshrrcctol uoO
tTinc contrary no the Confession OF Faith ,,,. ~
Specification 2-Mr. Miller teaches tntt Christ as =
child OF Adam, was personally accounted En'iGi m iGier a.
Adams sin, mat like other children Of ADAM ie iloi
tied corrupt nature, and that he needed to De- ahd "3
redeemed by His death; doctrine contrary 10 'no
Spee,Gcat,on Sr Miller teaches that there IS but one
RsitSl RSfitSn III tue 'Oun''''' contrary 10 '''
The charges signed by the Prosecuting Committee
consisting of the Rev Dr. studGiford Of LambeftviIe
clairman Prof A. f. McGil ID. d., OF Princeton lIeo-
logical Seminary; Prof. j. Dnncld d. ID OF Princeton
College, the Rev G. Mott, ID. D. OF FleminSton Elaef
| ASH tbel pf y
son Of Trenton
Mr. Milcrs defense proceeded upon the following line
of argument which he elaborated with great skill ana
clearness, and at times with genuine eloqnence:
! Propose to show how / can have written the book
upon which am judged and yet retain my connection
with the Presbyterian Church. do not contradict
the specncations but shall show, first that the foui
tions of TIE Church allow man TO differ from the Con
fcsson on points not vital, subject - MS own
u,icatory. We must b. essentially in unison VIVID tle
Confession Of Faith but depart from IT, ana t'e Sy
nod in accepting the Confession, reserved the nsht 10
depart from it on points not vital The question then Is
whether or not my doctrine is Il vital admit that
! il looks so, but / wish to show historically th't
question may look vital and yet not be 3d.
! | beg you my brethren, TO attend While say
/ that I believe in Christ, in His Deity, ana III
His ransom The body of your faith IL my faith Your
forensic doctrine, uniting man with Adam ana te DC
lever with Christ, my doctrine. hold your bclle IN
s,nctiacaon submit that in the his ofy ~ the
Church was any holding as | hold the 'a'Ihl'uc
! doctrine aud yet differing on one point as dner
thrown over the walls OF the Church what hen Is my
oheuse9 II is this that while believe the Father Is Cod
thai the Son God and that the Holy spirit j. Cod ana
os Won saw tie same in substance cannot find that hey
are not the same In person cannot find rythng in tEe
Bible TO confirm this hypOstac difference 10 Wmch you
ad ere but which YOU do nOt understand TINS s my a.
Tense and omit take my stand As fol- my bflieffespecng
IN, souls Immortality have no fear arising HOh thal
That point would carry into the Sanhedrim OF Crs-
tianity Luther did not believe 1t; the martyr william
Tyndal did not believe it,
| say that Christ capable OF sin. You say lie
| was tempted but not peccable What do yon mean by
hat1 assert that Christ Inherited mans weak nature
by reason Of which hc tempted in every point e as
we are hut was sustained by Almighty grace. come
back to the e1ayamcn Of this charge. that cannot ind
o ,ual distinction between Father Son, ana spirit
and right here too, s tie very center Of my defense.
hold with Won that Tie Deity OF Christ is the Foundation
of the Church but my ], tt 'f DCH .ed {" tEe
was never admitted before ~ any one WHO oPuScu -c
Trinity. and thus 0in amid the rush ana power OF u
great anita cOusm against he plain error tn'l hf't Is
not God Bu say plainly mar NY ehit a''hl'Il'!l. ~
the Tguity is my strong point ~ t1at u e' nu 10
! ezat the Dally Of Christ above the Trinity. Herein
differ from the theorists whose views are long since eN
! p0ded . =, - ,o - ,,,io,.
less There is ~ middle point iJrme between cth'ulo
and deposition. Tie Discipline has three pages on me
snMect Of moral charges and only two plasriliS on
hcrcsy These para graphs contain two pOins-hat tue
| accused must be- tenderly treated, and mat me
be OF vital importance. Now claim that
ynn are NOT treating me tendcry II you allow
7rnicnce Of the evidence against me, my own BOOK 10
rec.ptate action Secondly, am not treated tendcrly
If am tried ahnnrmally because THIS Is an abnormal
prcsbvry largely composed of professors who are wont
H. draw tie ines very close who special cusoins
of the orthodoxy for which the Princeton SEMINARY -
specially ushed and who are compelled By ihrlr
oath not depart u any point from the teachings oi the
symhois-a very different Oath irom the one avn com
nred to fake Thirdly IL viii not be tender treatment
to condemn me because differ from the standard Tor
when ado ltcd the Confession stHttI} dNuNcl Il non
essential diff renee of opinion. FOUthy, shall not be
treated teudcry II am Judged by any law except tho
OF tho as Scriptures flhy; your lre'im WIZ hGt
you hold hereafter, or by any book when you
fear may yet write. 49,, .,.,-
resumed his defense, taking up the point at ms dr
ences not vital, and further eiaDofatIng II. lie
asserted vital IN having any power To
disturb the Church OF 10 interfere WIN ls usefulness
IN two years he had had the least occasion 10 refer
TO hyp0,atc differences. Thcy were not vital IN pract
cal tendnccS. 1t would, ~ iact greatly 5lilpIrg anu
faiiiac missionary efforts IL the doctrine of the Trinity
were abandoned These differences were not vital IN
prrsona TENDENCIES " Had YOU better put me out T. sad
Mn Miller in conclusion. what do You gain by ~ Do
Won say that Princeton cannot afford 10 let me stay
assert that precisely Princeton that can afford 1t IN
these circumstances. And, brethren II you derOsc me,
what shall do am old man, but am not so old that
cannot preach. want 20 preach, bIethIen my heart
j. in it, SuppUsng am nuisance nOw l. II not pOSsi-
BILE that shall become greater nuisance II you dcpOse
me g. N,,
College ana one OF the prosecutors began MS summing
Up by stating That the personal relations between h-
self ana D.. Miller intlLate and pleasant aud he
hopcd they might continue. He explained the thcOry
Of the prosecution that the Presbyterian Church, being
association not OF members, but or those VINO ac-
crDrd lis doctrine of faith and government ana ccr
doctrine, he was thereby bound. Dr. Duficd admitted
that allowance should he made for inevitable differences
| DR. Miller were vital Before DR.. Dlicd could finish
his argument the limit Of time had been reached, and
the PTesbytery Journcd 10 meet tomorrow mOrGhS a
Dr. Mies's forcibe defense was listened TO with the