The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-30
THE HEREsY CASE.
The Hearing Resumed Before the
Board Of Visitors Yesterday.
Prof. Egbert c. smyth's Address In
His Own Defence.
Hon. Charles Theodore Russell
opens the Case for the Defence.

lessor Clny III cdoc Was dIBucu al tHt OutSct
today as it was yesterday. Judge French
stating that the complainants had made no
preparation for prosecuting any other than
the case against Professor Smyth; and Pro-
fessor Baldwin urging that, while each case
should be decided by itself, the evidence and
arguments applicable to all alike should be
heard once for all, otherwise the hearing
would be indefinitely and needlessly pro-
longed.
During these preliminaries throngs kept
coming in, and when Professor Smyth arose
to resume his address almost every inch of
standing room within hearing of the speaker
was occupied. The crowd was considerably
greater than yesterday.
Professor Smyth made among other points
the following; They charge that teach that
men 'are not sinners who have not heard of
Christ, or, at any rate, not in danger of be-
ing lost" Now, on pages Al and AZ of 'Pro-
gressive Orthodoxy sinfulness is predicated
of man universally. The quotations they
make in supprot of this charge are gaIblsd,
like so many others of their quotations Pro-
fessor Smyth read many extracts showing
that the book plainly teaches the exact con-
trary to what is charged.
They charge me with teaching "a model
trinity" How do they make this out? They
have picked out two or three places where
the word mode occurs in discussing the doc
trine of the trinity. Yet any tyro in the0lO-
gy ought to know that the distinction be-
tween modal and real trinity is clearly
pointed out in the very sentences from which
they quote. The most characteristic ex-
pressisns which have been used for fifteen
centuries to denote the orthodox doctrine of
the trinity are employed.
After citing Professor Parks memoir Of
DIR. Hopkins in defence from the charge of
exalting reason in theology too much, the ci-
tation showing that Professor Park insisted
on the need and safety of exalting reason,
Professor Smyth took up the really and only
important accusation of teaching future pro-
baton after death.
Our views ON this topic have not been pre-
sented in the unguarded way that the charge
implies. The only use, believe, which is
made in Progressive Orthodoxy of italics is
Tor the purpose Of making caVeat against
the very misrepresentation which is made in
the charges. 1T is, in our opinion, to be
looked on as an appended inquiry rather
than as an essential question in theology
still it is not wanting in practical and present
Importance" The doctrine comes in as
meeting difficulty in the doctrine which is
made fundamental, that Christ Is central in
theology.
IL. VI.
emnly and with tremulous earnestness, ''the
right under the creed to hold in this matter
whatever a true Interpretation of Scripture
and the revelation which God makes of him.
self in providence and creation shows me to
be true. do not think l shall commit any
sin against reason or violate any obligation
under the creed if / allow myself to follow
with perfect trust wherever with the heart
as with the head, i can discover any traces OF
Gods holy and reconciling love. (Applause).
will not avail myself of any mans want OF
skill in attacking me. Although state in
Progressive Orthodoxy that hold God as
revealed in Christ is central in theology, /
deny here and now that there is anything in
what | hold on the doctrine of future proba-
tion inconsistent with the creed. Prof Park
has said that the professors at AndOver are
under the safeguard OF the creed, and cannot
be required to believe more than is required
or implied in it, In the subject Of eschatol-
Ogy (the ultimate condition of souls the
makers of the creed did not use language OF
their own, but Bible language and attempt
ed no Interpretation of that language. The
creed on that point has the meaning of the
Scripture, which 1t quotes, and the meaning
only. l claim that this dispOses cOnclusively
and finally OF this whole question. Gap
plause).
Prof. Smyth said he accepts the seminary
creed in its historical sense, intending by
this formula to emphasize several things, as
l. The language of the creed must be in
terpreted historically, and its traditional
terms, not otherwise explained, must have
their traditional meaning. The creed, as
Prof. Park remarks, is protected il hiStori.
cally taken and as whole.
2. When historical language is depa rted
from, and new phraseOlOgy is used, we are
bro, gt n. esgeeial contact with the inten
right understanding of the creed is thai
where contradiction would otherwise arise
from mingling traditional and new language
the controlling principle must be found IN
the interjeeted or new statement. The old
cannot help the new, but ON the contrary
tbs new may liberate the old He think.
that any one who takes the creed in this way
comes as near as it is possible for any mar
really TO come to the mind of those who
framed it.
3. There is room for a progressive inter
probation and systematization of all relg
ious truth under this inspiration.
4. i he truths of the seminary creed may
be adjusted to a larger knowledge and life
than were open to its trainers. The semina
ry itself is on trial, he urged. Is it for the
maintenance of transient and past opiniO )
or is there truer Interpretation Of its his
torical position, and work and creed2 HI
asked for breadth, insight and justice in the
| Interpretation.
In the afternoon Prof. Newman Smyth tes
tilted as to his own subscription to the An
dover creed. He would subscribe to il as
whole, but could not accept the point of fed
eral headship, because he had been taugh
| by DR.. Park not to believe 1t.
Dir. George Harris was then called. He re-
| ferred to the time of 1882 when he was to bI
| appointed professor He objected to som,
| points of the creed as read by the secretar,
| Of the Board of Visitors. When the end o
the reading was reached he said before tn,
| Visitors:
II accept this creed as expressing substan
TALLY the system of the truth taught in th'
| Holy Scriptures"
1t was understood as sort Of agreemen
| that we should subscribe to the creed unde
| these conditions. During the questioning OIL
| the part Of the Board of Visitors question
| was raised about probation of those not with
| in reach of the Gospel. The reply given b,
| the Visitors was in substance that thougl
| clergymen might not teach probation extend
| ed beyond this life for these persons, the
were at liberty to hold this view as priyat
| opinion.
! Prof. Hincks gave testimony in corrobora
/ tion Of that of his associates
| Professor Tucker testified that he accepte
the creed ''as setting forth the truth agains
the errors it is designed to meet No cOnfes
sion so elaborate may assume to be the fina
expression of truth"
The respondents said their case was noy
all in, and Professor Baldwin proceeded Il
sum up for the professors. Among othe
| things he said "Sixty years ago the Su
preme Court of the United States decided
| case Wnlcn bears directly upon this case.
| is the celebrated Dartmouth College decision
| The claim had been set up that the charte
given by the English crown to the colleg
could not be had under that clause Of tn
| United States constitution which forbids an
state to pass a law impairihg the obligatio
of contracts, because the trainers of the con
stitntion could not have had a charter in min
when they mentioned contract DAM,
Webster said charter was contract. an
great Chief Justice Marshall said the onel
tion was not whether the trainers of th
constitution were thinking of charters. bu
whether their language is such that Ii ma
be interpreted to include charters. Nh
question in regard to this creed is M
whether when the trainers put an uniyers,
atonement into it they thought of certai
doctrines, but the question is what NAV i
fairly derived from their language by chri,
tian teachers. That principle governs tn
case as it governed the Dartmouth Colleg
case"
Prof. Baldwin spoke about one hour. I'll
argument was compact, learned, and cor
vincing, and commanded the closest after
tiOn.
Hon. Charles Theodore Russell then bepa
an address for the defence, and at adiourI
mens he had not finished