The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-08-25
NO.. 81.
THE GREAT EVOLUTION TRIAL.
DR.. Woodrow Cleared of the Charge Of Heresy-
4 Statement of the Case.
(Fron the A;.e usta Chronicle, August 49,

DR.. Woodrow Cleared of the Charge of Heresy-.
a Statement of the Case.
(Fron the Aae usta Chronicle, August 49,
This is the first formal arraignment OF.
DR.. Woodrow in Court Of the Church.
authorized to try his case, although his
peculiar teachings have been reviewed.
and criticised in every assemblage Of
this denomination. He has been cleared.
of the charge of heresy, and escapes even.
the admonition which was the mildes,1
form of punishment he could have re-
ceived, and which, believe, would hav,s
been the penalty selected by the prose :
cution. The case will be taken, on com :
plant, before the Georgia Synod, whicl l
meets at Sparta in November, and ass
this body has been against DR.. Wood.
row, the verdict Of the lower Court maSr
be annulled. But annulling a verdict o
not guilty does not establish verdict o
guilty, and new trial before the Pres
bytery could have but one termination.
So much, then, for DR.. Woodrow 8
ecclesiastical character. Three of the
four Synods controlling the Theological
Seminary in Columbia may, and proba-
bly, will, vote to turn Dr. Woodrow out
of the faculty in accordance with the
recommendation of the General Assem-
bly,. That, of course, will sever his con-
nection with this Institution. DR.. Wood
rows point was that he could not afford
to resign under fire, and that, as he has
been cleared of teaching error by the
Court having Jurisdiction, he viii remain
until he is removed by the formal order
of the Synod.
As DR.. Woodrow has two large pubi-
cations in Columbia, and as he occupies
the chair of natural science in the South
Carolina College, he Will remain in Co.
lumbia at all events.
The features of the trial were full of
interest. The two persons pitted against
each other were prominent men. DR..
Adams, CT Augusta, conducted the prose
cution in spirit Of candor, courage and
high ability. His argument was said by
DR. Girardeau to have been the most
mastery presentation of that side of the
question that has yet been made. saw
no evidence of malice or intolerance. It
was the clean work Of man who did his
duty in the most direct way, and did it
well. It was not an enviable position
that Of prosecutor. It was contest with
DR.. Woodrow in his own field, among
his old friends. No man knows better
than DR.. Woodrow what he does believe,
and no man marshals his proofs so COM
pletely. It is hard to fasten error or to
impute heresy here.
Dr. Woodrow says he believes the
body of man was formed by successive
steps through succeeding stages of lower
animal Life.
The objectors say he does not give full
credit to God.
DR.. Woodrow says he recognizes God
in the whole development from begin
ming to end.
The objectors say God created man
out Of dust.
DR.. Woodrow insists that the exact
process of creation is not told in the
standards of the Church or in the Bible;
that science is not forbidden to try to
work out the problem, and that tbs
Church should not set up arbitrary OF
iliberal barriers.
The personal character Of the accused
had its effect upon the case. Members
of the Presbytery had been associated
with DR.. Woodrow for thirty years.
They refused to believe him dangerous
man to the Church. Others of the
younger ministry had studied under him
at Oglethorpe University and at Colunl-.
bia. They did not incline to the belief:
that his teachings were heretical. AL.
recognized him to be a pillar of intel.
lectual strength in the Presbytery. Tt
was not easy to secure verdict OF guilty
against this sort Of man.
DR.. Woodrow's handling of Witnesses
was wonderful. He has trained and
subtle faculty. His mind is alert, and
his output this time was finer In thread
ing evidence from the stand thar in
making his appeal to the Court. Ele IS
q skilled debater. The examination Of
DIR. Girardeau by DR.. Woodrow was the
keenest contest of the trial. 1t was
clash of flint and steel, edge-cuttirlg and
spark-throwing. It was quiet and IL
tense. Both men are masters Of contro-
versial forces.
DR.. Adams proved the better advocate;
DR.. Woodrow the more adroit attorney.
One is impulsive and eloquent; the other
wary and logical. DR.. Adams is full and
florid, aud his eyes shine with fire and
nervous force. DR.. Woodrow is quiet
and collected. He is precision ITSELF
His face is pale, his eyes clear and pas
sionless and his demeanor indicates cool
determination.
Both men l believe were born abroad
and are Of Scotch extraction. This meet
ing might have suggested the array Of
extsemes. You might almost
see Bruce and Baliol personitied there.
was glad to note the exchange Of
friendly courtesies in the train this after
noon. The personal relations are not
disturbed. I think DR.. Adams has sus-
tanned his reputation and made friends
even of his opponents. DR.. Woodrow
has, of course, gained all the official ad-
vantage of the trial and proven his
strength in his home Presbytery.
The vote on the Indictment stood as
follows: Yeas Guilty.: Ministers 4
elders 5; total 9. Nays (Not Guilty.;
Ministers 4, elders 10; total IA.