Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-23

AVER stating Whist the STANDARDS OF the
Church teach on the creation OF Adams
body be Woodrow had brought sense with
the Standards which the words did not
justify, and until within few years such
thing was never thought OF. by their
assertions Adam existed before his creation,
but not a. Adam, for he was not Adam until
God put a soul into him, and then be
was male. That Was a contradiction and
an sbsurditY. Dr. Woodrow has sssented
his belief In every word OF the Bible, and
yet he does not believe that God made the
body OF man out OF the dust OF the ground
because its definiteness had disappeared. Ho
also assented that when God put the curse
upon the serpent and said he should eat dust
Adam was 6esh aud blood and bone, md
after the fall OF man was the same. The
speaker wondered " The serpent did not
wink At the curse. lie hoped this assembly
will put it, seal OF condemnation upon all
such ideas and relieve the Churcb from such
\ misfortune. lie honored the man who adj
hcrcd n his friends. on which Dr. woodrow
had nanv, but there might come time In
the history Of man when they must adhere
10 God aud truth, even 10 the hurt oil
friend.
Judge Heiskell on the part OF DR.. Wood
row, next addressed the assembly. lie
Daniel be thought that for the peace Of the
Church IL would be better to burn the man
Dr. Woodrow At the stake or throw him
into tie sea. Rut he had since read the record,
and was himself responsible for bis position
IN tDls case. He then read the indictment
against Or. Woodrow a. 10 his teachings in
relation 10 the creStiOn OF the body OF Adam.
The Svnsd OF Georgia neither convicted nor
acquitted Or. W oodcOw. The Presbytery OF
Augusta wa 90 trial before the syGod, and
that was rot convicted The charge was
teaching aud pronulgstn9, and OF That the
prcsbytery acquitted hin. Il Il his belief
and he was not tried for believing. and the
action Of Inc synod should be anuuiled or
reversed, because Il Is absolutely VOID. ~
there was no offence at all There ceuid
1e no dorht that the hctlon 81 the
synod vas erroneous, and did DR.. woodrow
ana TIE prGsOytery bota wrong. The only
evidence Wa that Woodrow believed that
Adams body was probably produced by
evolution from some lower nHind. 70 be-
licvc thing probably true that Is not true
is not contrary 10 the Scriptures. BE had
asserted bis belief in everything IN The
Bible. but what was not in the Bible he had
risbt 10 bis belief. The question 10 be
determined was whether Or. WOOdroU's
belief in evolution il In conflict with the
Bible. He brtieved that Adam was created
Immediately from oTgaDic matter and Eot
immediately eut Of the htersl dust o. the
groun-. Evolution is taught in MANY of
tho principal colleges OF the country, aud that
theory Ia held 10y some eminent divines oil
the Church. Long before Darwin Bishop
Butler advanced the idea, and those WOO
heard him were iAmIiiar with the views OF
that great msu.
Judge Heiskcll made q strong argument
In favor Of evolution ne entertained by DF.
Woodrow. which is not Inconsistent With
the Standards OF the Church. The bibie
saws that God created the world Ia SIX days.
Nas It believed now that these six days were
OF tWcnty.isut hours eaohf There ara many
who believe the six days was an indefinite
period. and that belief il not contrary to the
standards o. The Cnurch. Il beloved them
aS wise men % move slowly. II might he
that Dr. Woodrow s right, and those op.
posed 10 him nisht he wrong. lie would
not say either was right or wrong, but one
or The other may be wrong. Coud they
convict = man upon such charge WIZ
ont making themselves 3 laughing stock
Re asked what Interpretation the Stand
ards had put upon the words "dust
81 The grOundi" TIE Standards simply quote
the words Of the Bi0e, but do not say what
they mesu. They 90 NOT say thal buch mat
ter was organic or Inorganic, and they had
no right TO condemn man FOR believing
either way. DR.. Woodrow may wrongly in
terpret the Scriptures. So may We. lie
never knew ~. Woodrow until he came
here, aud be CHE speaker stosd in defence
Of the Church. lie could not say whether
be believed in DR.. Woodrow's theory or
did not believe In 1t because he ws' isna-
rant on the yubitct He hoped the spirit OF
all Truth will guide The determination OF
this assembly. he spoke OF the wonders OF
science. and especially Of the telegraph, by
which immediate communication can De had
across the sea. showing the progress OF SCI
euce not dreamed Of few years age.
A greeting was received from the Cumber-
land Pfesbyieriaus in session at Waco, Texas,
which vas referred.
Adjourned until 8 O'Clock tomorrow
morning, when the case OF DR.. Woodrow
will be resumed.