Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-10
THE HERESY TRIAL.
Dr.. Sweeney Holds the Floor Three
Hours -. "a -
IN BEHALF OF THE PROSECUTION.
A General Belief That Or. Mclane viii
be Found Guilty as Charged
Much Interest Mani
tested To-day.
Special Dispateh to the Reaister.

NAAIS, lux hcIcoy Ucsdu III the TEeSDy yLeTldu
Church at two o'clock this afternoon.
The Doctor, accompanied by large num-
Der OF friends and members Of his flock, ar
rived here on the noon train, and when the
trial opened the building was well filled, a
large portion Of the audience being
Composed OF Clergymen
from different parts of Ohio. That the
trial is exciting much interest is evident
from the large number Of newspaper men
present, representatives of Wheeling, Pitts
burgh, and eastern papers being in attend
anCe.
Rev. Geo. Milligan, Of East Liverpool,
and Sweeney, of Unionport, acted as prose-
| cutOrs. while Rev. S. S. Gibson, of Denni-
son filled the office of moderator. At his
| own express request DR.. McLane conduct
! ed his own defense. AT precisely at 2
| o'clock the session opened with prayer by
! the moderator, who announced that it had
been deemed advisable to devote the first
! half hour
To Earnest Prayer
! that their discussion might be tempered
! with Justice and charity for the accused.
| After prayer they proceeded to business.
! Considerable wrangling occurred over
| motion TO exclude from voting all elders
! present not members of the last meeting.
| After warm discussion the motion pre-.
| vailed.
The clerk then put the question guilty
| or not guilty when in a clear and deter
! mined voice Rev. McLane answered not
! guilty.
/ The arguments in the case then began,
! and DR.. Sweeney made a lengthy address
accusing DR.. McLane of heresy and bring
/ ing forth many able points to substantiate
! his charges. He closed his argument for
| the prosecution after having held the floor
| for over three hours during which time
| he proved that McLanes book was directly
! antagonistc to the doctrihyl standard of
/ the Presbyterian Church. His effort was
| mastery one and was listened to with
/ breathless attention. DR.. McLaue then
/ began his defense, but when he
| had reached about half mo-
ton was made to adjourn and the gen.
tleman was forced to wait. a great change
was noticeable in the 81 ssion this afternoon
and the one this evening. AT the latter
session the church was filled and enthusi-
asm ran high for time. Feeling, howev-
er, seems to be against McLane, and little
doubt is entertained but that he will be
found guilty as charged. The trial will be
| resumed again in the morning.
The following are the important points
| in DR.. MCLanes defense:
I r.
terry:
Standing before you, accused of the grave
crime Of heresy. | feel myself constrained
! to saw, in the language of Paul, under SINH
lar circumstances: They neither found
me in the temple disPuting with any man;
neither raising up the people; neither in
the synagogues, nor in the city. Neither
can they prove the things whereof they now
| accuse me: but this | confess unto thee,
that after the way which they call heresy,
so worship the God of my fathers, believ-
ing all things which are written in the law
and in the prophets. Acts NNIN., l2.li.
And in the language OF the same true and
devoted servant of Christ say TO the men,
berS of this Presbytery: Men, brethren
and fathers, hear We my defense which l
make unto you."-Ac's MIL, l.
II is charged that in a certain book, en-
titled The Cross in the Light OF To-Day
have presented to the public teachings
contrary to the doctrinal standards OF the
Presbyterian Church,
In Refuting this Charge,
| shall lay down and maintain five propo.
sitiOns which will pr we to be as strong as
the famous five points OF Calyanism.
These are as follows:
First-That at his ordination a minister
in the Presbyterian Church subscribes 10
the confession of Faith as containing the
system of doctrine taught IN the Holy
Scriptures:
Second-That there is no traditional
Interpretation of the words of the con-
.eSsion that is inhexible and unchsnging.
Third-That the system of doctrine
taught in The Cross in the Light OF To-
| Day is essentially the same as the system
taught in the confession.
FOurth-TEat there are no denlals or
| negatOns made in the said book which
have not been made substantial and per-
mitted in the Presbyterian Church.
Fifth-That the very words IN "Ihe
| Cross in the Light OF To-Day coincide with
the words of the confession from which it
| is said to differ.
| After a lengthy discussion upon these
five points Dr. McLane continues as fol
| lows:
do not Lay the stress OF Preaching
upon the origin of sin but upon the fact Of
| sin. | teach men that penalty and punish
| ment follow sin with the same sequence
| and certainty with which pain follows the
| violation of physical law, that sin when 1t
! is finished bringeth forth death and that
/ man can be saved ultimately from the pen
| atty only by being saved from the sin.
| teach that although the Suterings of Christ,
| who identified himself with us and suffered
| yiCariOuSly in every way in which one per-
| sonally innocent could suffer, propitiate
| Justice and satisfy it, yet in their relation
| 10 US these sutferings bring to light the
! great wickedness Of the human heart
| which could sin against God, and reveal 70
] ms the love of God. who ''commendeth His
| love toward us in that, while we were yet
| sinners Christ died for US | preach in
! order that men may be drawn TO Christ
! and led to believe IN Him as their saviour
and to love Him with their whole heart.
Although hold and teach that there is
I a legal relation which
Christ Sustains TO Men,
vet place the emphasis Of my teaching on
/ the vital relation which He sustains to men
| teaching that If any man have not the
| spirit of Christ he is none OF His that
man must be born. again, that
| he must be united to Christ
| as the branch is united to the vine, that he
must have within him the very life OF
| Christ and then he will be accepted and
| justified in Him and saved by Him with
| that salvation which consists in new
mind, a new heart, new will and new
life.
teach also that the life Sutferings, death
and work of Christ honor the divine law
and preserve the government.
In concluding his defense, DR.. McLane
SAYS: l wish now, in closing, to put two
plain questions to the conscience OF every
member of this presbytery. Our Form OF
Government distinctly says that one Of the
first things to be considered
Before Trial for Heresy
issues in suspension from office is whether
what is taught strikes at the vitsls OF
religion" J. E., would tend to destroy it.
Now, is there any man in this presbytery
who can say with a Gear conscience that a |
system of theology which teaches these |
facts, viz, that all men are in sin, under |
condemnation and exposed to death that |
Jesus Christ the Son of God is the only !
Saviour of sinners; that as a prophet he |
reveals God 10 men, and as a priest He Of |
fered such a sacrifice as prOpitiated Divine |
Justice from all who, in all time, believe |
in Him; that His gospel is the power OF |
God unto The salvation Of men; that men |
m1't he horn OF he Spirit; that they must
repent and believe in