The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-17
HIS GREAT INTELLECTUAL POWERS NO
LONGER A SUFFICIENT DEFENSE FOR
HERESY.
His Removal from the Seminary
Stood 55 for Removal, 8 Against
Removal --- The Last Act Of the
NraINa hns Lecn Reached
augusta Chronicle.

! Seminary and as a minister in connection
with the Presbytery Of Augusta. The re-
moval of DR.. Woodrow from this semi
nary has been the Object of the majority
of the church for two years. This, how.
ever he has resisted upon the ground
that he had never been judicially tried
upon the charges preferred against him.
The question Of his removal came up un.
! der a report Of the Directors of that body
and a resolution was offered inslructiDg
! the Directors to request his resignation
forthwith, and if he refused to summari.
ly remove him. After an entire days
debate, participated in by leading laymer
and divines on both sides, Rev. Dr. S:rick.
Ter, Atlanta; Col. G. G. Billups. Marietta
Rev. Dr.. Barnett, Atlanta, for the Church
and Rev. Mr.. Baker, the father-inlaw o.
DIR. Woodrow, himself and a young min
lister made the speeches for the defence
after which the vote OH the above ques
ton was as follows:
For the removal, 55; against, 8.
DR.. Woodrow's teachings OIL the sub
iect of evolution was then brought before
the Synod in the following manner;
Rev. DIR. WIN. Adams of tho First Pres
byterian Church of Augusta, had preferr
| ed IN indictment against him tor teach
/ ing and prom ulgating opinions and doc
trincs contrary to the Word Of God as in
terprcted in the Standards of the Presby
terian Churcn. This charge was PREFER
ed last August, before the Presbytery o
Augusta, and that body acquitted him o
the charge and DR.. Adams now arraignel
the Presbytery as complaint before the
Synod. The grounds of that complain
were that the decision Of the Presbytsry
in Augusta was not in accordance will
the evidence and the law in the case
This was the question which has JUS
been tried by the Synod Of Georgia. The
case was opened yesterday, and DR.. Ad
ans occupied the attention OF tho Synod
with hrs forcible argument from ii 4. m
| to 5 p. IN. with strong and convincing
address, sustaining his position in clear
interesting and logical manner. His ad
dress, as is his custom, was eNsempora
neOuS.
Dr. Woodrow spoke in his own defense
until Up. M. The Synod then reviewed
briefly the evidence, and vote was takel
upon the question, which resulted: fO
sustaining complaint 81 against ID
! WhereupOn committee was appointed
TO bring in the dcliveranre of tho SYNOD
OH this subject. The following is
THE DELIvERANcE-
Your committee appointed by tht
Synod to bring in minute express
ion of the actions of Synod upon the
complaint Of Wm. Adams, ID. D., against
the decision Of the Augusta PresbYterS
in the case OF the Presbyterian Church il
the United States against James Wood
row, ID. d., report the Judgment of the
! Synod therein: That the complaint be
sustained for the reason that the finding
and Judgment of the Presbytery IS con
! trurv TO the evidence and law in that thu
belief OF the said defendant, James Wood
row ID. d., as to the origin of Adams
body was contrary to the word Of God, Il:
! interpreted in the standards ofthe church
and it. is therefore ordered that the SAID
verdict and Judgment of the Presbytery
| is hereby annu!led upon this deliveranct
OF the Synod.
DR.. Woodrow gave notice TINT be
would complain to the General Assem-
bly,, and the Rev. Drs. G. B. Strickler
| VIM. Adams and Col. Billups were ap'
pointed tc defend the action before Il {
Assembly which meets in st. Louis il
September.
DIR. ADAMS ADDRESS.
Having thus put your readers in pos
session Of the facts, / have pleasure II
giving SoElc VI Tue Sdllt'llL E)'lhtS tlietNt
; hy Dir. Adams in sustaining the charges
against DR.. Woodrow.
| rile learned divine first commenced by
congratuluting himself that he felt his
task to be much lighter, and he hopco
much more pleasant than it was when he
stood before the Presbytery OF Augusta
upon the same question. He also SAID
that he felt that it was Il cause for person
al cougratulation that he had before him
body Of men whom he believed would
calmly and conscentiously examine the
evidence and the law as he hoped. to be
able to submit unto them, and render
their decision, not upon the ground OF
personal friendships or social relation
ships, but on that of profound Christian
conviction.
1.-THE circumstances surrounding the
question involved in the cOtnplaint
against the action Of the Augusta Prcshy-
terry OF the trial of the respondent (Dr.
Wou.iruw) are so fully understood by
this court and, indeed, by tho church ut
large, that no introduction or preface is
necessary in order to bring the case be-
fore you. The complaint, as you are aware
is that the decision Of the Augusta Pres
bytcry in acquitting the respondent OF
the charges preferred against him was
submitted at tho trial, and also contrary
to the law in the case. And here, MIR.
Moderator, would like to ask the court
whether, in view Of the fact that all this
evidence has been extensively published
and is SO familiar to you all, anything
moro is necessary than Il mere synopsis
of il do not mean to imply that you
have prcjudgcd the case. do not for a
moment think so, but have no desire TO
trespaSs upon your patience longer than
is necessary, and, of all men living, l
hate what is commonly termed "rc- EaSh.'
Here the Moderator announced that the
complainant, DR.. Adams, would be per-
mittcd to abridge such part of the evil
dence as he deemed proper.
DR.. Adams then continued:
~ shall therefore only call your attcn-
ton to Il few paragraphs from the pam
phlct of the respondent. which as You
know, contains his address before the
Alumni Association of the Columbia
Seminary, and also the other publications
which have been haht tled in as evidence
in the cise."
He then called attention TO tho first par
aSraph, which refers to DR.. Woodrow's
announcement, that tho address was in
compliance with Il request OF the Boaru
of Directors Of the Seminary for an eN-
position Of his teachings and belief with
respect to evolution, us it related to the
world, the lower animals and man.
am aw arc, sir, that while the defend
ant claims these IL: his views, on The sub
ject referred to he denies that he ever
taught them in the Columbia Seminary.
or course, ! accept that declaration, but
need not remind you that that fact does
not affect the question inasmuch rs the
publication, etc. of the address, together
with the other evidence which shall he
unqucstionably establishes
the fact TINT he has taught and anxiously
taught these views"