The Evening critic., 1883-06-19
MR.. nuRpIoK RErRAors.
But he fl Not 10 Preach for Some
Time. I'm Order That His Fixedness
of Durnnse MaY he Tested.

Oh furpose mHy De Eesteus
At the meeting of the Presbytery of
Washington city, yesterday, the case of Mr..
F. II. Burdick was taken up, 1t hav-
ing been postponed from the previous meet
ing. Mr.. Burdick had preached and pub.
lished sermon in which certain views
were promulgated in opposition to the doc
trines and politv of the PresbyterianChurch
At meeting Of the presbytery held on the
fourth instant these views came up for con-
sideration together with letters avowing
his change of views. which rendered 1t
necessary to sever his relations with the
Sixth. h.street church. His case gave rise to q
protracted discussion, but Mr.. Burdick
being absent no action was taken further
than to enj0in him from preaching until
its adjudication by the presbytery. Yester-
day Mr.. Burdick appeared aud made full
and particular retraction Of all his errors
explaining the circumstances under which
he was led into them, and submitted him
self to the wisdom aud Judgment of the
Presbytery. A committee, consisting Of
Revs. DR.. Chester, Childs and Rev. Charles
b. Ramsde!l, together with Elders Bohrer
and Bartlett, was appointed to frame a
minute expression of the views of the
presbytery, who, after consultation, intro
duced the following paper, which was
adopted
Whereas a sermon has been published, pro.
fessedly by Mr.. +. II. Burdick, llcentlate un-
der the care OF this presbytery, entitled what
is the Church" Which sermon contains
statements In direct conflict with the doctrines
or polity OF the Presbyterian Church, aud the
presbytery having directed him to appear be-
fore them, and In such appearance he having
retracted in the fullest manner the sentiments
OF said sermon, and on being further carefully
examined In regard TO his present belief In
the doctrines and polity of the. Presbyterian
Church, he claims now to sincerity accept them
as expressing the system taught In the holy
scriptures; therefore be 1t
Res0I1td 1, That while the presbytery ex-
plicitly condemns the errors OF Mr.. Burdick as
contrary both to the doctrines and the pollty
of the Presbyterian Church, yet, in view OF his
unqualified retraction OF which, 1t Will con-
tinue him under Its care as a llcentiate.
2. That owing to the brief time which has
elapsed between the publication of the sermon
and Its retractlon, aud In view Of the state OF
the Sixth Church and Mr.. Burdick, directs
him to abstain from preaching until the next
ae n
his own flxedness OF purpose and study more
fully and carefully the doctrines and polity OF
the Presbyterian Church.
One of the elders of the church said that
this whole trouble has arisen through SO.
called evangelist named Wolfe, printer by
trade. He first came into notoriety by con.
Quoting revival meetings when Hammond
and Bentley were here. When Mr.. Burdick
came to us he found the church run down
This man Wolfe essayed to act the part o.
| spiritual adviser and instilled all sorts Of
notions into Mr.. Burdick's head. Con
sequently our pastor-possibly mol
knowing the company he was in
was led away and tempted tt
| preach as he has done. Then Wolfe got
hold of the manuscript and made the mat
ter worse by printing an incorrect report Of
the sermon. We shall stand by Mr.. Bur.
dick and feel sure that tho presbytery viii
receive him at its next session. He ha!
been reading considerably of Kant AMI
| other metaphysicians lately, and l think
| his head is in whirl."
| Rev. William Burdick, who is a peasan!
appearing man of about 90 or 30, came Il
the Sixth Presbyterian Church only few
months ago. His home is in, Saratoga
N. Y. He received a collegiate education
and came to his present charge from q Con
| gregational church in California. Th
members of his congregation here say thai
they are highly pleased with him.