New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-13
DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH.
law pREsBYTERIANS WILL MEET IN
SARATOGA THIS WEEK

rpN AND SOUTHERN BRANCHES
OF THE CHURCH in THE
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE
NEGRO - THE NEXT
MODERATOR.
s.,o,o~a. " Y. May l2.-During the heresy trial
nrotessor Charles 4. Briggs at Washington last
y. Professor Smith. OF Lane Seminary. sat with
90 Rr,ggss family and intimate friends IN the
w taking careful note of every argument. and
sa-.rentlv preparing for a similar ordeal this
,, He was then under suspension in the
Sn.bv,erv OF Cincinnati. and the Ohio Synod con-
s.,,sd that Judgment. Next week he comes be-
n . the General Assembly OF the Presbyterian
u..n at its session here. and will renew his
- before the highest court of the Presbyterian
Church
.s.r.teIy liberal school to The Tribune CORE,
"..Daent Il would do this would so 10 Saratoga,
~ a brief statement-a very brief one-and then
-. ,ha General Assembly do what it pleased. 1
- ,ot sure what course Or. Smith will take, but
o. t., not naturally a fighter. The very arguments
-, vere brought out prominently against DR..
~rs 10 the effect that he was pugnacious.
III ali fall fat now. for Dr. Smith is of an ex-
lonely gentle spirit and is in sense fighter.
w., that makes no difference, / fear
saratoga Springs. with a population of 1900.
~ finely appointed hotels and numerous ex-
~, boarding houses, can comfortably entertain
1890 visitors or more This fact, added TO its
Sa.I,h-givng waters. its dry air and beautiful sur
,or,d,ngs makes it the favorite convention resort
=, the country. Already twelve large gatherings
have ENGAGED quarters for this summer Previous
:. ,So the only buildings were two log huts. In
cha, year Gideon Putnam. who had a prophetic
.ma for the future of the place. cleared the heavy
.-,hsr where Congress Hall and the Grand Union
noo, stand. and in the next year he erected Union
r.r a three-story house. for the accommodation
q, visitors 10 the springs. When the frame was
,.,sed people came from twenty miles away TO
s,.ra at what they called "Putnams folly" BY
1904 there were forty or fifty houses In the village
with school population Of lN children between
the ages Of five and sixteen years.
Next THURSDAY morning az II o'clock the first
session Of the lc5th General Assembly will be held
A, that hour the retiring Moderator. DR.. Willis
n Craig professor in the Mccormick Theological
seminary. OF Chicago will preach the annual ser
non Dr. Craig's sermons and speeches. especially
his address 70 President and Mrs. Cleveland at the
,scention Of the Assembly in Washington last year,
are so well known to the thousands who listened
IN them there and his record as a preacher ana
church worker in the West IS prominent. that ali
who assemble in the First Church on the morning OF
May II are assured of a splendid treat
CONSERVATIVES IN TIL LEAD AbAi-N
Following the sermon. which will undoubtedly
take up some line Of current thought, Will come
the election Of the Moderator. 10 serve during the
ten days of the Assembly Judging from the expe-
snces OF the last three or four years. and especially
IN Wow ~ the decisive vote against Or. Briggs at
Detroit Portland and Washington in the three sue
cessiye years It Is not Likely that the new Moder-
ator will be less liberal than DR.. Green Dr.
Young or Dr. Craig. Last year Chicago sent
one or two conservative delegates 10 Washington
this year 1t is said that only one or two liberals
are among the number. Four years ago. when the
Assembly met IN Saratoga, the conservatives stood
on the lawn and listened 70 the speeches through
the windows; that was as near they got TO the
platform-even Dr. John Hall. the pastor or the
most influential church, received too small a vote
TO allow him to serve.
At Detroit the New-York delegation was nearly
evenly divided. but Portland and Washington
the liberals stood little show. This year the con-
servatives elected solid delegation, not evea an
alternate being chosen who was not known 10 be
conservative OF the conservatves-at least this
is the opinion of those who were not elected
Again DR.. John Hall of the non-elect.
For fou- years the meetings Of the Assembly
have been unusually exciting. Revision claimed the
floor in 1890 In Saratoga; DR.. Briggs's appointment
as professor TO a new chair In Union Theological
Seminary was the exciting topic at Detroit, Judge
OF his speech; at Portland and at Washington the
beresy trial of Dr. Briggs occupied more time
than the work Of ell the Presbyteries for the
previous twelve months: this year another hereey
trial is on the docket-that Of Henry Preserved
Smith. professor at Lane Theological Sem'n'~y.
one Of DR.. Briggs's defendants at Detroit and an
earnest advocate Of the principles for which DR..
Briggs suspended last year.
THE SMITH HEREsY CASE Up TO DATE
The utterances which were the occasion Of the
recent he.esy trial at Cincinnati were called out
by the Inaugural Address Of Dr. Briggs. on the
first reports Of that address, and before It's full
text had appeared, resolutions were offered In the
Cincinnati Presbytery. overturing the General AS
sernbly 10 veto his election professor OF BIBLICAL
theology. Professor Smith opposed the resolutions
on the ground hat the full text Of the inaugural
haG not appeared and that the resolutions virtually
pronounced on the sOundness OF a minister not IN
der the Jurisdiction OF the Cincinnati Presbytery.
The resolutions were opposed on similar grounds
by Professor l.. J. Evans. who had been member
OF the Presbytery for thirty years and the most OF
that time a professor In Lane Seminary The re-
suit was 10 postpone the resolutions TO later date
But a fierce attack was made the professors in
Lane Seminary In the next mornings commercial
Gazette" Al the same time Professor Smith was
invited &c read a paper before the Presbyterian
Ministers Association on the subject OF lnspira-
ton" In view Of the attack publicly mace on the
two professors they agreed TO ask that both might
be heard before the association. The result was
two papers entitled Biblical Scholarship" and In
spiration." afterward published
Professor Evans received a call to Bala. Wales
the same summer and accepted II. being largely
moved by the hope that his health. which had been
precarious for some years might be benefited. Ar
ter ne was dismissed. committee was appointed
to bring chargeg against Professor Smith in these
ne was accused Of denying that the Holy Spirit so
controlled the inspired writers Of the Scriptures In
their compositions OF the Sacred Writings as to
make their utterances absolutely truthful e. free
from error when interpreted In their natural and
Intended sense He was further accused of deny
Ing the doctrine OF Inspiration contained In the
Presbyterian Confession. On these two charges, he
was found guilty. ard was suspended from the min
htry until such time he should make mani
rest 70 the satisfaction OF the Presbytery his re-
nuncation Of the he had been found TO hold.
sd his solemn purpose no longer TO teach or prop
agate them"
UBLlGED GIVE HIS PROFESSIONALLY.