The sun., 1893-06-26
WHY DID THEELDERSG0OUT?,
LIKE TIE REPORTERS, PERHAPS,
1HEF MISUNDERSToOD DIR SMITH.
AZ Any Rate. Ue Tells His Congregation
that Whatever the General Assembly
Decided About Dr. BriGTs IL binding.

AZ ANY Rate. TIs Tells His ConGreratior
that Whatever the Grnerni Assembly
Decided About Dr. BriGGs ~ binding.
The Rev. DR.. Wilton Mcrlo Smith. tho pastor
Of tho Central Presbyterian Church In Wost
Tftty.seventh street. OF the congregation OF
which tho President and Mrs. Cleveland were
members when they lived in New York, had
moro to sny In his pulpit yesterday about tho
Briggs case. The statement lie made on Sum
day OF last week created something more than
q amild sensation. II was of such nature that
Elder james Yereancc OF tho Equitable Lie
Assurance Society and Elder W J. Jobbins, n
Wall street chemist, both pillars Of the church.
got up and went out The published reports OF
what DR.. Smith said we're as follows:
wish to make statement OF my position In tho
General Assembly. ] have said nothing since my re
turn the subject because thought 1t beat not to
but ma have been misun ndcrstood and you. as my
people have right to know where stand. The action
of the Assembly in Dr. Briggs WAS most untortu
nate viii not unjust The whole question Is one
Of Hebrew scholarship am no Hebrew scholar and
don't Know anything about IT, The judgment Of the
Assembly can in way settle the matter It must bs
settled at The bar Of the Court OF Final Reso,ttho
court of the worlds scholarship Councils in the days
Of Copernlcus declared that the went around the
earth. but that did not change the fact there
not nve in that Assembly who were competent
10 Judge OF tho matter do not understand that the
decision OF the Assembly in any way changed the in.
eepretation of tho Confession Of Faith for that
under tho constitution. only bs done by the Prcnoy.
teriea man may believe just tho same now as he
did before this decision That was the opinion of au
individual Assembly. not the judgment Of the Church
For myself. cannot sec why there Is not room in
the Church for such men as Dr. Briggs OF
Union and Dr. Hodge Of Princeton.
have determined 10 make this statement. fer you
my people and you have right TO hoar It and to
do with me you will
But must soy lean strongly to the liberal aide.
can and will extend my hand to any man who believes
IN the Lord Jesus Christ.
DR.. Smith was q delegate to the General
Assembly In Washington. He was put down
rs Briggs man. He WAS n guest at the
White House during his stay there and while
there he preached from tho pulpit of tho
church Of which the Rev. DR.. Sunderland is
pastor. The President and Mrs. Cleveland
are m en- bers Of the congregation there. In
TINT serm on he leaned toward the Briggs side.
and DR.. Sunderland took him to task. Mr..
Yereance was also delegate TO The General
Assembly. Mr.. Jobb!ns Ia an old line Presby-
terian and this statement Of Dr. Smith fol-
lowing as 1t did tho Washington incident. is
said to have scandalized the elders very much.
But there is said to have been an other reason
for their feeling hurt about it Early in the
briggs controversy. It Is stated. the session Of
tho church called on Or. Smith to dcnne his
position. and at that time. 1t was agreed that
DR.: smith should not mention the controversy
sonaIly:. This, step it is said. was taken he
church did not believe that tho controversy
was any more matter for pulpit discussion or
party politics has aIwarS Been esrsfuliy neE "I
fected In the pulpit AiitHfonGh the heat Of tile
h,gHs and on o. b when
one side or. the other OF the involved question
formulated l. and sunpor.cl. Or. Smith held
on Sunday Of last week was like q thunder
boltfrom clear sky. just little while before
members of the church session. and had not
said anything about the statement.
n ss wh sSna ts 'sn s SSa 81
AAm2RF ether thnEs It was sid tha. Pr
son of the liev;, Dr. John Hail. And It
va, feid d.Soa thai 1t had been TGpresepted
start in large church to make an overwhelm-
is snte e hc ;ar sssFches IN
on. Elders Yereance and Jobhins maintained
allen So nSK y sny Sp s,.
meaf had been srG,at.J They did hSt say
deny that the statements published we're cor.
rect; but he did say. it i snid; that ho didn't
zee Elders iereance and Jobblns 90 out OF tho
big ont yesterday Elder
impression that DR.. Smith would make some
Generally InoWn There ' Was ose man IN the the
congregation, it is said. who had a duplicate OF
tho origIna! gi statement. and %h9 was to follow
ters got It right this timo. Dr. smith said:
May | odd word to what was said in
Grossly inaeeurate reports Wsch rreSf h"ve benz s
published. I disavow IN toto the sentiments
lieye in the cause Of liberty and toleration. but
rs 20 the personal case OF DR.. Briggs, ! haye
Assembly and tie aseision Ss Should % Se iSyasIIS
accepted. Any further agitation OF It should
s or naa not Rs nnr aS Ss p
intS 1I.p position haze never never n.
IA After the sermon THE SUN reporter said to
"ff The ebfsaos bocsos says that tn. published ae-
missepyysssn,sd # You heard i; Nj: Ysre;
ing" said Elder Yereance. There is The Doe:
1 mS %bss' 'ist set re cory
the other stntement exactly as 1t WAS spoken2'
eoniiasna shs rsnnrt1r rsDes Mr. y0rs,nco
Yeu ana Mr. oStI1s Sfti sS,: NOT up and wen. ont
IN ss?s ask sYns%s tho reporsr sa
any Dr. sms la
SPEAK 70; Td.ssai" Itself wa, the snswSr
MI. lerehnce, is IL . TACT tnnt this state
ment Of to-day was drawn, up by the session
and that Or. Smith b wss1" vas, ,I. w..
rsHchad for bis hat and cane in good deal OF
there no % s."' he "s sa,s ,seHf%sn ft.
matter about which can say nothing at ALL" !
He said this on the way out OF the church. |
These last questions were asked OF Mr.. Yere- |
ance because OF things that wsro heard by tho |
reporter i'm m medinteiy after tho service. One |
p II these things was that DR.. Smith had boen
q s, y,sshtesdpy Another was that the state:
words ITO correct the grossly Inaccurate re- Re-.
Serted BY DR.. Smith. THE Nun reporter srsnt
. p sc2nsideratle ting visiting Gsrsonss who we're
tors statement, Questions as to what partic-
ular part OF the published accounts were
wrong were Tough shy OF, and no specification |
gould be G1btSipsd tain OF tho statement yesterday
Smith himself -" He wishes 1t understood
that Il WAS a voluntary statement" was said.
ship Um bria on July 8. He will be away q |
month and half or two months.