The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-10
IN THE CHURCH THEY STAY.
Liberal PRESBrTERIANs MEET IN
SECRET AND DEFINE THEIR BELIEF

A Determination TO Remain and TO Broaden
the Denou,inntion-A Plea for Tolerance
OF Opinion Regarding Biblical 1ntcrprc-
tation watch Is Not distinctly Forbidden.
CLEVELAND. Nov GA liberal party in the
Presbyterian Church has been formed here.
and it's declaration prepared. The Presby-
terrain ministers and elders in conference In
Calvary Church adjourned sine die at l $50 yes
terday afternoon. having adopted with slight
notifications the report OF q committee en-
bodying the belief and opinion Of what attitude
may be assumed by liberal Presbyterians on
the basis that they are to remain In the Church.
The meeting had two purposes. The first
was to rally Presbyterian liberals. and to as
cure them that they were still in good stand
ing in tho Presbyterian Church. where they
might remain to fight for their views Tho
other was to organize and announce that
liberal party existed in the Church and could
he represented In Church of1lcia! meetings. A
feeling prevailed that the liberals were in
the ascendancy in tho Presbyterian Church
Not necessarily liberals holding DIR. Briggss
views but liberals in the sense OF permitting
breadth OF view within tho Church. Tho
salient points OF tho address. which is signed
by the Rev. DIR. Hiram {. Haydn. President,
and the Rev. Thomas c. Hall Of Chicago. Sec
Rotary. are:
I'VE. the undersigned ministers and elders
Of tho Presbyterian Church In tho United
States OF America. being seriously concerned
in view OF certain facts and tendencies in our
Church. hereby make the following statement:
"rirst-We believe that tho General Assem-
bly, has no right to impose upon the Church
new doctrinal statements under tho guise OF
Interpretation. whether by deliverance or
Al al, md t1rfh
terpretatlon OF doctrine by the courts OF the
Church ought always to be strictly within the
letter OF the standards and with sacred regard
to the broad and generous terms OF tho re-
Second believe that the most scrupu-
lous care should be used in all trial g for doe
trinal divergences from the standards. es-
Presby{ere ew have we expresss1 after much de-
liberation. their dissatisfaction with our Con-
fession Of Faith as it stands. their desire Tor
it's revision. and, many OF them. their desire
Tor anew creed. We view with grave concern
procedures at such n time conducted to &C.
tatons OF our standards strained beyond their
letter. and far beyond any Just regard Tor the
Trhird"Ns believe that no court OF our
Church has u right BY deliveran5ce. resolution
rehuke otherwise to seek to S Suphreists
sion concerning ANYTHING in the Church which
bers. The right Of petition and remenstrance
denied the bs Of
of one or two phrases in our Book OF Disci-
pine as meaning that presenting commit {, nats
on it's work. Independent Of the court which
appointed It. capable OF Lying on even alter
strained Interpretation. leading logically to
manv ahsurdites and easily possible misc ar.
susceptible Of such Interpretation they ought
to be eliminated from the book
"Fifth-We believe that 1t is no pnrt OF tho
constitutional power OF any court Of the Church
draw themselves from its ministry or eldership
hecauso they cannot accept as binding upon
them interpretations Of doctrine which are
outs de the letter Of tho Confession. and VIII ich
teries in any legal way. This method Of disci.
pline by Withdrawal. enloned BY resolution or
chnrfh not roT IN n tine
"Sixth-We believe that our Church Is
broad enough and strong enough to abide, BY
embrace in it's communion and in it's ministry
ali forms and schools of reverent, scholarship
which accept the essential and necessary
articles Of our common faith, acknowled gng
the Lord Jesus as Divine Master Snd SAVIOUR io
"Seventh-We call upon all PresbyterIans to
OF opinion in the Church and Of the constitu-
ronal rights OF individual members wherever
aSsailed anu we heartily approve OF the pro-
test OF DR.. Herrick Johnson DR.. Nicol s, and
eighty-three others at the last General Assem-
Eighth-We do most urgently counsel our
brethren who may be perpleXed concerning
their duty to abid o in the com munion and SER
vice OF the Church assured that in SO doing
they remain we'll within their constitutional
"Finally-Only profound sense OF the peril
that now besets our Church has led us to ma k Q
this declaration Of what seems to US funda-
mental principles"
The meeting was attended by nearly sixty
clergymen. 1t was called. 1t Is said. because
secession was feared by many leaders in the
Church: The committee which drew up the
declaration Of the session consisted of the Rev.
John p. Ecbert OF St. Paul, tho Rev DR.. Brown
OF New York city. the Roy DR.; A., l. Fiske OF
ithaca. N. Y: the Rev. DR.. i. f.. White of
Columbus. o.: the Rev. DR.. Nelson Willard OF
Rochester. the Rev. DIR. Hiram C. Hayden. and
Dr. Thomas Hall Of Chicago
Among the others said to have been present
were Drs. Klncaid and Moves OF st. Paul. Ray
mond and Eckels Of A. bany. Spaul ding Of SYRIA
cuse Curtiss and Walker of Cincinnati. Evans
Of Youngstown. McGiffert OF Ashtabula Ser
vice OF Detroit, Anderson OF Toledo. Mitchell
OF Findlay. W. II. Parsons Of New York. Alfred
Hand, OF Scranton, Lewis, Lampman OF New;
s. 1. Sprechter OF this city. Most OF the men in
the conference have been known as Briggs
men.
it Is said that no communication will be sent
to the General Assembly next spring. but some
action concerning this conference will I'M
doubtedly be taken 10y that body. IL 1t Is I'M
favorable, another conference will be called