The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-17

that all animal and vegetable organisms
Lad also evolved from the Same source.
That if the law OF evolution was that
by Ehich a horse came into existence,
the probability was that man came into
existence by the same law.
That no supernatural or divine inter-
vention was exercised in the creation OF
the one any more than in the creation OF
the other, and that DR.. Woodrow had no
way of accounting for the creation of the
body of Adam than for any other body,
organic or inorganic.
That not in all this pamphlet does DR..
Woodrow attempt to show that the mode
of the creation of the first man differed
from any ether created object, but he has
again and again inserted it as his belief
that the entire creation is the outcome Of
the law Of evolution, with certain modifi-
cations.
The question which the Synod has to
try is whether these plain declarations Of
his belief in the gradual evolution of the
body of the first man is Ill accordance
with the law of the Church.
"What is the law of the church? I
need not remind you that the law is con-
tanned in the Westminster Confession OF
Faith, the Larger and Shorter .Catechisms
Of the Assembly, and the book Of Church
Order and Discipline" p
'.Referring to the last of these, find
the following in paragraph l53:
"An offence, the proper object Of
Church Discipline, is anything in the
principles or practices Of a church MEM
Der, protesting faith in Christ, which is
contrary to the Word of God, the Confess
sion of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter
Catechisms oil the Westminster Assem-
bly,"
''Now the charge preferred against the
defendant before the Presbytery was tLst
of teaching and promulgating opinions
and doctrines not in accordance with the
Sacred Scriptures as interpreted in these
authorities. The question, therefore,
which this court has to decide is this:
WAS the evidence which was submitted
to the lower conrt. according to the laws
Of our church sufficient to con vict the de-
fendants' II so you are bound to- sus-
tain the complaint II not, OF course,
you will not sustain it; and here ! take
orcasion to say that if You do not sustain
this complaint shall bow to your decis-
than my own. I am not Il prophet Of evil
who foretells that judgment aud calamity
is coming upon the church because It's de-
cisions do not accord with my own I
shall press the case mp farther unless
some principle should be involved in
your decision which cannot conscienti-
ously accept.
"Please allow me to call your attention
to the fact thae thoso symbols of our
chnrch'S doctrine are to he accepted as
fully according with the word OF God and
while the principles which they enunci-
ate are mainly in the language of Scrip
ture, this does not diminish but rather
establish their significance. The church
kixn nfO,, - ,Nt 1nH s,, lnt,tf f<> rs
meaning. ..E
"The questions in the standards are
clear, definite and direct; so are the an
swers. ...
"N0 question is asked in these stand
ards that is not answered, and no answer
leaves the Church in doubt or difficulty
as to its meaning. What then do the
standards say with respect not only TO
the fact, but to the mode of the creation
of the body of man? The Confession OF
Faith declares that after God made all
other creatures he created man. rnaLe and
female. lie made the body Of the man
Of the dust Of tlse earth, and the woma4s
of the rib Of the man. The larger and
shorter catechisms declare tire same thing
and substantially Use the same terms.
need not remind the Synod of what WAY
ut considerable pains to explain to the
clesastical as we'll as civil law, it Is ncc-
essary to ascertain what is the granmatI-
cal and ordinary terms employed in y
statute, and what was the intention OF the
sHshoTs Of the statute. En- other words,
what is its historical Specification and al
So that it is not allowed to bring for
cgn sense into statute but to bring the
sense contained therein out Of it. Apply
ing any one of the principles to the stat
utes of our church which bear upon this
Question, can we suppose that by any
method of Interpretation the theory 9
the respondent can be adduced from
these authors. -.
At this point the Syn,d took recess.
The subsequent parts Of DR.. Adams
address related to the second paragraph
in the indictment of DR.. W oodrow, and
the minor points in his complaint against
the Augusta Presbytery. During tho
first part of tho delivery, he was evident
ly suffering intensely; still he received
the closest and most profound attention
from the entire audience, and he spoke
with an ease and evenneSs which was re-
garded as very remarkable under the cir
cumstancos. During the latter part Of
the address however, he rallied and SEEM
cd to be i'm better trim and ut the close OF
his final reply to DR.. Woodrow lie receiv-
ed the highest enromiums and warmest
congratulations Of tine audience.
DR.. Woodrow's great ability was also
duly recognized, and however much the
people differed with him in his position,
yet everyone was willing to give him
credit for the strength OF intellect and
passion Of utterance which he displayed
in such trying ordeal. "G."