The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-23
DIR. WOODROW SPEAKS.
HIS CASE RESUMED BY THE PRES
BYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
He Makes a Very Able Defense OF His
Position In Few words-Judge Heie-
keii Also Speaks In His Behalf From q
Legal Standpoint.

BALTIMORE, Nd, May 22.--Tho general
assembly OF the Presbyterian church re-
sunied business at $50 o'clock today.
Tho greeting Of the general assembly OF
the Presbyterian Church north was re-
ceiyed and ordered on the minutes.
The Rev. DIR. Smith, Of the committee
ON publications, reported the department
to be in prosperous condition, with a
large surplus on hand.
II recommends wider distribution OF
the church publications by the employ
ment Of colporteures. The report was
docketed.
The case OF the Rev. DIR. Woodrow was
resumed, and he continued the prosecu-
ton OF his appeal. lie quoted from his
speech and writings in which lac supported
the idea Of evolution.
lie had been charged with subordinating
the Scriptures 10 science. That was not
true. He had never spoken, written a
word, which could bear any such construc-
ton. lie had never taught word that
would throw doubt upon the headship
OF Adam, without regard 10 the manner in
which, or the material Of which, God
formed his body. lie believed Adam was
a miraculous creation. lie held all his
beliefs 10 the teaching Of the Holy Script
ures, and TO nothing else. So he holds
his opinion Ms TO the formation OF Adams
body. Upon any subject Of which tho
Scriptures are silent he accepts natural
history rs his guide, but only ON such sub
jccts A church court the general as
sembly had nothing with his view outside
the teachings OF the Bible. All IL has 10
do Is 10 discover IL his teachings conflict
with the Scriptures, and II they do not
then the case must end.
The law Of gravitation informs ms that
iron in water will sink, and yet the Bible
said In one place that iron did swim"
That instance did not make the law OF
grayitation inconsistent with the scripture.
lie then quoted scripture as 10 the forma-
ton Of the sun, moon and stars, and OF
the four corners Of the earth. Did any
suppose the earth 20 be a rectangular for
maiion2 II had been taught that the sun
and moon moved around the earth, but
science had done away with that
idea, and IL was no longer thought
OF. lilo quoted from Paddington,
Brown and others their views OF the dust
OF which man was formed, meaning dust,
from which, though steps from one stage
10 another, man came 10 have dominion
over all other living creatures. II was once
believed that lunacy was controlled by the
moon. Must hc believe II now because Il
was believed then7 The assembly OF West
minister taught that the sun moves. II
would be unreasonable 10 believe he will
believe II because Westminster taught IL.
II made no difference whether the lorna
ton OF Adams body was mediate or i'm
mediate. lie was made living soul aud
God made q covenant with him.
The ppsbytcry of Augusta could not
find conviction against the speakers be-
lief, because lac had not antagonizcd the
Bible. lie had not taught that God had
performed his works systematically. That
will have 10 be determined by each indi-
yidunl mind. lie believed that God
formed man out of dust Of the ground, and
yet he was charged with teaching contrary
10 the Biblo aud the standards because he
went beyond and believed beyond what
| was not contained In them or upon which
they arc silent. To sustain tho synod OF
Georgia would 10 10 condemn all who
believe thcro may be some truth in eyo-
luton. II was fact that the church had
never failed In deciding on science 10 de-
eide wrong.
After DIR. Woodrow concluded his open.
ing address, the Rev. DR.. Adams, OF Au-
glista, the prosecutor, began his argument
ON the part Of the synod Of Georgia. He
denied that he was actuated by unworthy
motives In the prosecution or desire 10
get DR.. Woodrow removed from his pro.
icsSonlip In order that he (Adamsl might
git control Of the place, M DIR. Woodrow
had charged. lie then called atlen-
ton 10 the issue before the count. DIR.
Woodrow was charged with advanc-
ing views contrary 10 the stand.
ards Of the church. The Prcsbytery
sustained him and the synod annullcd the
action Of the Pcsbytory. Tho question 10
he determined IL, "Shall the synod be
sustained" Tho complaint against DIR.
Woodrow was that the body Of Adam had
been formed out OF inorganic matter con.
trary 10 the standards Of the church. DIR.
Woodrow denied, and his friends denied,
that he ever taught evolution In the school,
but whether he taught II or not was i'm.
mctcrial In his address 10 the alumni he
Taught Il and In his writing he
taught u, AID before this assembly
advocated aud taught II. The
complainant claimed that In the Bible
he finds nothing 10 contradict the Cclt
theory, that Il, that a few bodies were
formed, out Of which all other things in
vegetable and animal life arr formed. We
take what lac says Just "a he states Il 10 DO
his belief, and no ono attributes 10 him
dcism or ancism. The cvolulionisls hold
that for long time the fish was the high.
eat type, then they got the frog. and the
frog was every ancestor, then they got the
reptile, the lisxsfd and the alligator.
Then followed the lower mammalian,
which produced the highest mammal.
ism. lie would not call Il monkey
either HUT they cut of his nails,
ilaticncd his hands and shaved him. Then
divine miraculous intervention took place,
and God put soul into him and he be.
came Adam.
That u tho theory Of evolution. God
did not intcrposc until all these changes
had been passed. This isaS.crtod hacanso
the Bible does not contradict Il and bc.
cause Gods word gives no testimony on
the subject This h the theory advanced
by Dr. Woodrow. lie believed that man
was a. the horse, born from animal an.
ccstry Of the lower form, because he said
the Bible did not contradict Il. The church
WIS the conrcryaior of truth and IL now
asked 10 cngrait upon this theory. They
werc not 10 determine whether evolution
u true OF false. They wcc 10 determine
on the CREATION OF the body Of Adam ~
understood by the standards al the
chunch. II the church has put upon Il a
construction, he Il bound 81 accept the
annafFusftatt .uI -. N.... ~. 80. - -