The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-26
Thirty-Four Speeches in Favor of Up
holding the Synod's Verdict and Only
Eleven for the Suspended Professor.
ELDER MD0UGALL BITTER
Commissioners Warned Not to
Reverse the Briggs Verdict"
The Sadie Means Case Voted OH by South
ern Presbyterians-Liberal Relig-
ious Societies Organized.

SARATOGA, May 2.--The proceedings in
the Smith case. which is an appeal against
the heresy proceedings at Cincinnati, to-
day reached the last order. and the men,
bers began 10 give expression of their in
dividual views the roll was called.
Fofty-fiye three-minute speeches were de-
hvered. and the trend OF opinion was
shown by the fact that only eleven OF them
were in favor OF sustaining the appeal.
A comical feature of the proceedings con-
sisted in the abrup. closing of many Of
these efforts occasioned by the fall of the
moderators gavel. The proceedings con-
Guided with a speech made by a member
of the prosecuting committee, who in
troduced as "a plain man and a farmer"
Professor Smith replied in the hour given
him, and then the Synod of Ohio. as the
body appealed from. occupied sixty-six
minutes. The calling of the roll OF the as
sembly to give opportunity TO be heard was
then begun and continued until adjourn
ment.
The first hour of the session was
set apart for the reception of delegates
from the Baptist anniversaries, now in
session in this place. The delegates were
DR.. A. NJ. Strong. president of Rochester
Theological Seminary; DR.. G. w. North
rup. dean Of the Divinity School of the
University of Chicago; DIR. Alvah Hovey,
OF Newton Theological Institution; Hon
c. W. Kingsley, OF Massachusetts; and
DR.. H. L. Moorehouse, field secretary of
the American Baptist Home Missionary
Society. The assembly was addressed by
Drs. Strong and Northrup, and response
was made by the moderator.
Then the assembly was constituted a
trial court for the hearing of the Smith
case and addressed by Elder Daniel II.
Shields. member of the Cincinnati prose-
cutting committee. who was introduced
a plain man and a farmer. 1t was an
nounced that about three-quarters of an
hour remained 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 Elder Shields
said that the committee did not for a
moment doubt the outcome of the matter
in the present assembly. He then pro-
ceeded 10 read few extracts from Prof.
Smiths writings At the close OF Mr..
Shields's speech the assembly applauded,
but the hand clapping suddenly stopped
by the moderator's gavel and vigorous
hissing- The prosecuting committee. rested
at few minutes before IL O'clock though
II still had six minutes to spare out of its
four hours.
After the assembly had shaken ITSELF at
the moderator's suggestion, Professor
Smith began his argument in reply. He
regretted that the committee had sought
10 impress the assembly with the belief
that he did not value the Bible highly
On the contrary. he had always endeav-
ored to live by that book.
Professor Smith then proceeded to dis
cuss briefly the objections which he had
made, but which lac had not thought fit
TO discuss till they had been taken up by
the prosecuting committee. They related to
the sitting Of members OF the lower court
who had printed expressions concerning the
guilt OF the accused in the newspapers, the
refusal to receive a whole book in testi-
mony when part had been introduced by
the prosecution and the reception of a vote
In members absence. II was admitted
that the address on which the original
charges were based contained statements
which are not in accord with the doctrine
as stated by the prosecution. He went
10 say. however, that he has not denied
anything about the original autographs
because he has no evidence upon the sub
ject- The Bible. have IT, is evidence
TO US by the testimony of the Holy Spirit
But in its present shape il contains adj
mitted errors, which, however, do not dis
God. - - - -i9i''' : 10" u
The matter of inerrancy of Scripture was
next discussed by the Professor, and the
opposite inference drawn from the fact
that the ordinances of early Scripture were
rancy was declared TO be new doctrine and
quite unknown 10 the reformers. IL was
added that II the assembly will restore the
the Scriptures Is discovered he will spend
the rest OF his days without fear.
argument, and the programme announced
yesterday. as agreed upon by the Synod
or Ohio. was begun: DR.. Townsend. of
Cleveland. opened with seven minutes to
his credit. DIR. Townsend's argument con-
sisted In q presentation of the fundamental
question whether inerraney is unequivocal-
IN Of
Faith. -
DIR; George L. Kolb. of Bellefontaine. fol-
owed: He expressed the hope that the as
sembly may have grace enough given them
&c enable them to restore the appellant to
MS ministry. His argument was based upon
the contention that neither the Bible nor
the Confession of Faith contains a def
mite theory OF inspiration and upon the as
the doctrine OF Scriptures as formniateJ
IN the doctrinal standard of the church.
The most effective speech was that of
main contention was that the purport of
the appeal was TO prove the teachings of
verse the Briggs verdict" He called ar
tention 10 the difference between Judge and
Juryman, and Hkened members of the
assembly to judges Expressions OF opin-
ion by them do not Indicate prejudice. He
insisted that the present was not per-
sonal question, but one of principles be-
cause * was the faith of the church that
was on trial Professor Smith was de-
elaret TO hold that the decisions of the
Portland and Washington assemblies were
wrong and should be reversed. He was de-
clared TO have gone further than DR.
Briggs in his views holding not only that
errors may have been contained I'm the
original Scriptures, but even specifying
them He was also accused OF throwing
discredit not only on the books of the
Bible, but also upon the author of the
same who. he claimed, was alleged by the
Confession TO be God Himself. He closed
BY saying that II Professor Smith would
retroct his errors the Presbytery OF Gin
cinnati would make haste 10 receive him
again into the full connection.
One OF the other representatives of the
Synod OF Ohio. DIR. Ludlow of Cleveland
besought the assembly to remember that
the church has always contained two par