Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-26
smith HERESY CASBI
Still Occupying the Attention Of the
General Assembly.
THE ARGUMENTS NOT FINISHED.
A Night Session Was Not Held
Because the Members Were
Weary-The Discussion VIII
be Continued in Short Speeches.
To-day-The Most Effective
Speech Was That Of Elder Nc
Dougall, of Cincinnati.

Speech Was That OF Elder NC
Dougall, of Cincinnati.
SARATOGA, n. Y, May 25.-The hrst
hour in the Presbyterian General AS
sembly was set apart for the reception
Of delegates from the Baptist universl-
ties now in session in this place. Then
the Assembly was constituted for the
hearing of the Smith case and addressed
by Elder Daniel II. Shields, member
OF the Cincinnati prosecuting commit
tee, who was introduced as apIaln man
and a farmer. II was announced that
about three quarters of an hour re-
mained for the appellee. Mr.. Shields
argument traversed the twelve grounds
of appeal put forward by Prof. Smith.
and was read from manuscript. In the
course OF his remarks Mr.. Shields said
that the committee did not for mo-
ment doubt the outcome OF the matter
In the present Assembly. He then pro-
ceeded TO read few extracts from Prof.
Smiths writings.
At the close OF Mr.. Shields speech
the assent oly applauded, but the hand
clapplug was suddenly stopped by the
moderator's gavel and vigorous hiss
ing. The prosecuting committee rested
at few minutes before IL O'Clock,
though they still had six minutes TO
spare out of their four hours.
After the assembly had "shaken
itself" at the moderatof's suggestion,
Prof. Smith began
HIS ARGUMENT IN REPLY.
He regretted that the committee had
sought to impress the assembly with the
belief that he did not value the bible
highly. On the contrary he has always
endeavored to love the book. Prof.
Smith then proceeded to discuss briefly
the objections which he had made, but
which he had not thought fi3
to discuss till they had been
taken up by the prosecuting
committee. They related to the sitting
memb of the lower court who had
printed exUressions concerning the guilt
of the accused In the newspapers, the
refusal to receive a whole book in tes-
timony when a part had been intro
duced by the prosecution, and the re-
ception OF vote in mem ber's a6-
sence.
1t was admitted that the address on
which the original charges were based
contaiLed statements which are not 10
accord with the doctrine as stated by
the prosecution. He went on TO say,
hewever, that he has not denied any
thing about the original autographs,
because be has no evidence upon the
subject. The Bible as we have il Is
evidenced to US by the testimony by the
Spirit. But In the present shape IL con-
tains admitted errors which, however,
do not discredit the book as given
BY INSPIRATION OF GOD.
The matter Of inerrancy of Scripture
was next discussed and the opposite in
ference drawn from the fact that the
ordinances Of early Scripture were abro-
gated by the later Scriptures Such
inerrancy was declared to be new doc
trlne and quite unknown to the reform
ers. 1t was added that If the Assembly
will restore the accused TO the ministry
till the original Scriptures are dis
covered, he will spend the rest OF his
days without fear.
At 10 o'clock Prof. Smith closed his
argument and the programme an
nounced yesterday as agreed upon by
the Synod of Ohio was begun. DR..
Townsend, Of Cleveland, opened with
seven minutes to his credit. DR.. Town
sends argument consisted in presen-
tation OF the fundamental question
whether inerrancy is unquivocally
taught in the bible and confessions OF
faith. DR.. Geo. l.. Kolb, OF Bsllefon-
taine followed. He expressed the hope
that The Assembly may have grace
enough given them to enable them TO
restore the
APPELLANT TO HIS MINISTRY.
His argument was based upon the con-
tention that neither the bible nor the
confession OF faith contains definite
theory of inspiration and upon the as
sertiOn that the accused held strongly TO
the doctrine OF scriptures as formulated
in the doctrinal standard Of the Church.
The most effective speech was that OF
Elder McDougal, of Cincinnati, whose
main contention was that to support the
appeal was to approve the teachings OF
Dr. Briggs, and he exclaimed, Don't
reverse the Briggs verdict" He called
attention to the difference between
judges and jurymen and likened mem
berS of the Assembly to'the judges.
Expressions Of opinion by them do not
indicate prejudice. He insisted that
! the present was not 8 personal
question, but one OF principles,
because it was the faith Of the
/ church that was on trial. Prof.
Smith was declared to hold that the de-
I cisions Of the Portland aud Washington
assemblies were wrong and should be
reversed. He was declared TO have
gone further than DR.. Briggs in his
views, holding not only that errors may
NAV have been containeQ "a the original
/ Scriptures, but even specifying them.
He was also accused Of throwing dis:
credit not only upon the books Of the
Bible, but also upon the author OF the
same. who, he claimed, was alleged by
the confession 30 be God himself. he
closed by saying that il Prof. Smith
will retract his errors the Presbytery oi
Cincinnati will make haste TO receive
him again into full connection
One Of the other representatives. oi
the Synod OF Ohio. DR.. Ludlow, oi
Cleveland, besought the Assembly to re
member that the Church has always
contained two parties, and that its pres