Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-19
BOTH CALLED DOWN,
The Monongahela Presbytery
Rebukes Dr.. Ewing, and
ADM0NTSHES DIR. J. W. REED
DR.. EWing's Resignation as Pastor
Unanimously Accepted.
ANAPPEAL T0AHlGHER TRIBUNAL
ADM0NTSHES DIR. J. W. REED
ANAPPEAL TOAHlGHER TRIBUNAL

|
punishment will be an admonition not to
such thing again as long as the articles o
faith forbid such marriages.
The entire proceedings were characterize
with much seriousness and deep feeling
In the discussion there was no ranting, n
tearing of the hair or finging of the hand
wildly in the air.
COULDN'T SPOIL HIS SMILE.
The only man present who didn't seem t
be the least bit nervous was DR.. Reed. H
smiled throughout it all, and even whel
DR.. Mclean hit the hardest, and every wort
he uttered was a sledge-hammer blow
against the 1awfulness of man marrying
his sister-in-law, that pleasant smile neve
deserted him, and his full face and rotunG
figure were the pictures of contentment
The debate on both sides was devoid of al
bitterness. and the action of the Presbytery
was based on that cold devotion to duty tina
lacks all sentiment, is so uninviting, ano
vet that ali men admire and strive to attain
The vote as it stands is misleading. One
would imagine that the minority represented
DR.. Ewing's supporters, but in reality these
men favored a more severe sentence. Rev
Littell expressed their views when he moved
|
present relations he be suspended from the
ministry and membership in the church, but
this motion was not carried.
APPEAL TO THE SYNOD.
As soon as the vote was announced DR..
Mclean took exception to it, as he had
given notice he would, and he declared his
intention to carry the case to the General
| Synod for its review. The doctor said that
nothing in his life had grieved him SO much
as this marriage. He had nothing person
ally against DIR. Ewing, but he claimed he
had violated church law, and public
rebuke did not help matters. If the mar
riage relation continued, the law was still
defed, and other men could exercise the
same privilege.
Revs. D. Barclay, J. T. McCrory and J..
W. Wallace were appointed a committee to
put the case in shape to present to the Pres
bytery. Late in the afternoon they reported
In substance that as the Rev. DR.. Ewing
had appeared before them and acknowl-
edged that he had disobeyed the law of the
church in marrying his sister-in-law, Miss
Agnes Stephenson, and expressed sorrow in
offending against the church discipline,
they recommended that he be publicly re-
buked, and that DR.. Reed, who had mar
ried them, receive the censure Of admoni-
ton.
THE DEBATE BEGUN.
Mr.. Barclay had scarcely finished read
ing the report when it was placed before
the body, and DR.. Mclean was on his feet.
He is an old man with long, white hair, and
his form is still straight, though he leaned
on a cane, and sometimes when he wished
to emphasize his remarks he brandished the
stick in the air. He is a forcible speaker,
and he at once assailed the marriage in the
following impressive language:
81 would rather thousand times that
this had never happened. 1t has made my
heart bleed ever since heard it, and if l
had known DR.. Ewing intended to marry
his present wife / would have advised him
strongly against it. But the deed has been
done, and we are here to face it. This is the
most important question that was ever pre-
sented to this Presbytery. The rules of our
faith declare emphatically against such
marriages, and some time since, when re-
vision of this article was attempted before
the General Synod, it was voted down three
to one. The Parliament of England has
always declared against it, though the landed
aristocracy of that country has often tried in
vain to have the law changed.
HE CROSSED THE OCEAN.
$50 it stands there, and recently an En-
glishman who married his sister-in-law had
to go to Canada to legalize the marriage.
The English law will recognize the judicial
acts of other countries, just as We will ac-
but that Englishman lad to cross the At
lantic to have the ceremony performed,
"It is true our State law does not forbid
such alliances. but it draws the line very
closely when it comes to kindred. 1 claim
that death does not dissolve present reIa-
tions among the living. but it applies only
to the dead. If should marry widow
with four children and they learned to call
me father, and then my wife died, would
still be father to them. How ridiculous it
would be to say they were no longer mine.
The church has decided that such marriages
are not lawful, the English law is opposed
to them, and the Bible supports this posi-
tion.
NO ADOPTION FOR HIM.
"There can be no half way business, and 1
now give notice that if this report is adopted
will carry the case to higher court. The
fact remains that law of the church has
been violated, and it continues to be so as
long as the relation continues, or until the
rule is annulled. They can't wink at it
with rebuke, and we may as well face the
issue now frankly. as We will have to do
later on"
The Rev. Mr.. Knox then arose and said:
81 won't vote. never would, never can vote
for the adoption of this report. 1t is most
fearful blunder. will place no stigma on
DIR. Ewing or DR.. Reed, men for whom I
have always had the highest regard and ad-
miration. Their ability, piety and devotion
to duty are unquestioned. They are orna-
ments to the church. Both men feel that
they are right, and the word of God does not
sanction this law of the church.
HIS STIRRING APPEAL.
Then suddenly becoming impass ioned,
Rev. Knox exclaimed: "What crucifed
Christ? The law of the church, not of God.
won't cruelty these men. They have dis
obeyed an article of faith, it is true. but
they have not violated any of Gods ordi-
nances. l repeat again that this report is
fearful blunder, and no such compromise
will be sustained"
Rev. J. T. McCrory then took the floor,
and explained for the committee that diff
ference of opinion prevailed among church.
men on the point in question, but as q
church law had been broken some punish
ment was necessary, and they had decided
that public rebuke would answer the pur-
pose. He felt sure that the public would
sanction this verdict, and the church would
not be compromised. The man vino feels
that he is right and goes ahead in defiance
of human rulings is not to be classed
in the same category with him who wilGulIy
does wrong.
A RIGHT TO CONVICTIONS.
The punishment in each case should be
radically different. He held that a man
had perfect right to his own convictions,
and if the articles of faith were to be the
strict rule of conduct and never subject to
change from subsequent light received, then |
he felt sure that any number of denomina-
tions would be the outcome of such prIn- |
ciple Should a man be condemned for not |