The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-23

fecsCa OSfiptufo a " ~ wilma
ton OF the sun, moon and stars. and
OF the four corners Of tho earth. Did anyone
suppose the earth TO be a rectangular forma-
toni 1t had been taught that the snn and
moon move around the earth. but science had
done away with that idea. and IL was no longer
thought Of. He quoted from Paddington,
Brown and Others their views of the dust or
which man was formed, meaning dust from
which, through stvps from one stage 10 another,
man came TO have dominion over all other
heved that lunacy was controlled by the moon
Must he believe it now because il was believed
thenf The Assembly of Westminster tauehs
tnat tho sun moves. 1t would be unreasonable
to expect that we will believe it because West
minister taught it. 1t made no difference
whether the formation of Adams body was med
late or immediate. He WAS made q living soul.
and God made . covenant with him. The Pres
bytery Of Augusta could not find
conviction against the speakers belief,
for he had not antaeonizsd the Bible.
He had not taught that God had performed his
works supernaturally. That will have to be de-
termined by each individual mind. He believed
that dod formed man out OF the dust OF the
ground, and yet be was charged with teaching
contrary TO the Bible and the standards. because
he vent beyond and believed what was not con-
tanned in them, or upon which they are silent
10 sustain the Synod Of Georgia would be TO con-
denim all who believe there may be some truth
in evolution 1t was a fact that the church had
never failed. in deciding on science, to decide
wrong.
After Dr.. Woodrow concluded his opening ad-
dress. Rev. DR.. Adams, of Augusta, the pross-
cutor, began his argumen on the part OF
the Synod of Georgia. He denied that
he was actuated by unworthy motives in the
prosecution, or q desire to get DIR. Woodrow re-
moved from his professorship IN order that he
lAdams) might get control of the place. as Dr.:
Woodrow had charged. He then called
attention to the Issue before the court
DIR. Woodrow was charged with advancing
views contrary to the standards of the church.
The presbytery sustained him and the synod
annulled the action of the presbytery. The
question to be determined Is, 'tShall tho synod
be sustained" The complaint against DR..
Woodrow was that the body of Adam had been
formed out of inorganic matter, contrary to
the standards of the church. DR.. Woodrow de-
MED. and his friends denied, that
school, sS ever BUT s .aushs s ss0ia saosh. It It there ere
or not was immaterial. In his address to the
alumni he taught il. and In his writings he
taught it. and before this General Assembly ad-
vocated and taught it. The complainant claimed
that in the Bible be finds nothing to contradict
the cell theory-that is. that . few bodies were
formed. out of which all other things in vegeta-
BILE and animal life were formed. We take what
he says, just az be states it, to be his belief;
and no one attributes TO him deism or athe-
ism. The evolutionlsts hold that for a long
time the fish was the highest type. then they
got the frog. and tho frog was your ancestor;
then they got the reptile. the lizard and the ALI
gator. Then followed the lower mammalian.
which produced the highest mammalian; he
would not call it monkey, either. But they cut
of his nails. ~1attened his hands. and shaved
him. Then Divine, miraculous Intervention
took place, and God put q soul
That is the theory of evolution. God did not
interposeiuntil all these changes had been passed.
This is asserted because the Bible does not con-
tradict 1t, and because Gods word gives no tss-
timony on the subject. This IL the theory ad-
vanced by DIR. Woodrow. He believed that man
the lower form, because be said the Bible
was the conservator of truth. and
is now asked to engraft upon itself this theory.
true or false. They were to determine on the
creation OF the body Of Adam ~ understood By
the standards of the church. If the church has
put upon 1t a construction he 10 bound to accept
the construction and conform his teachings
TO that construction. He asked, what do the
standards teach on the creation of Adams
bodyl And read from Potter's Decisions showing
that when the serse IL manifest, and shows
l poshing that is absurd, the sense must be ac-
cepted- After God had made all other Great
ures BE created man, male and female, 30 says
the Bible. and so assert the standards of the
church. 1t is pretended by evolutionists that
Adam was going from stage to
stage for centuries before Eve was created. He
b0Ve wv PSCAsASh saes s10 0sosC
announces not only the fact, but the moment OF
the creation of Adams body, and the standards
do the same thing. The question 10, how did
God create mani 1t was not questioned as to
the creation. but howl He formed the body OF
the man Of the dust of the ground. and he
formed woman from q rib of the man. and that
is the way it was done. This is plainly
uttered, and it must DO accepted
as it is expressed. Evolution was 9
of when some of his hearers were born. Yves
1t to be supposed the Westminister divines used
the words dust of the ground without under
standing what they meant By their assertions
Adam existed before his creation. but not q:
God put the soul into him, and then
he was . male. That was q contradiction and
an absurdity. He honored the man who .ad.
hered to his friends, Of whom DR.. Woodrow had
many, but there might come 8 time In the his
tory of men when they must adhere to God and
truth, even to the hurt of q friend.
Judge Heiskell, on the part Of DR.. Woodrow,
next addressed the assembly. He said that,
twelve months ago, with Rev. Dr.. Daniel, be
thought for the peace of the church, it would be
better to burn the man Woodrow at the stake,
or throw him into the sea; but he had since
read the record and was himself re-
sponsible for his position IN the mat.
s Grounds as i tSss B broe wssSro 10 ~ ssapI not a'I guilty sss q
any offense in believing all that the Bible
teaches and more. He declared that the theory
of evolution was not new; that Bishop Butler
believed IL long before Darwin announced it. II
behoovsd them as wise men to move elowly.
It might be that DR.. Woodrow 10 right. and
those opposed to him might be wrong. Gould
they convict q man upon such q charge
without making themselves . laughing stockl
He asked what Interpretation the standards had
put upon the words ''dust of the ground" Thu
standards simply quote the words of the Bible
but do not say what they mean. They do moi
say that such dust was organic or inorganic
and they had no right to condemn . man for be
lievIng either way.
Rev. DR.. Smith. of the Dutch Reformed
Church of America, a corresponding delegate Il
the General Assembly, was introduced and
offered the greetings Of his church, and Modsr
ator Bullock responded.
A greeting was received from the Cumberland
Presbyterian Assembly. in session at Waco
Tex, which was referred
TILE nIINK IN NJ