New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-21

-. ,,ear I'm which Presbyterians throughout the
''! ,r,, were Interested, and not Presbyterians
Tho religious world three continents
aO" ,,5 anxously the decision in the hercsy case of
a@s,r briggs Of Union Seminary. After trial
r. several days a verdict of guilty was found
s ~ Briggs was suspended from the ministry
~ ao, ~, ewes OF ChrlstendOm are turned toward
,tn village because here within the next ten Gays
,her decision on similar charges is to be made
80 who have sat in both Assemblies expect
-, reeu,, The Judicial Committee having the
SIM a., Tho case of Professor Henry Preserved
80 in hand will make a report tomorrow morn
49, and then the order of procedure VIII be out
mns5 II the papers are found to be In order the
ost,on will be decided whether the appeal or Dr
s,,h shall be entertained If 1t is entertained the
trial will proceed
THE MAN CHARGED WITH HEREsY
nv Smith was born in Troy Ohio. October g.
,s1 In ISs his parents removed to Dayton. Ohio
IA he vas graduated at the Dayton High School
:" 1854 AT Amherst College in 1869. and at Lane
a ~ Seminary in 1872 He also spent some
-. IN studying at Leipsic Since he returned. in
'S-- no had the whole charge Of the Old Testament
.art in Lane Seminary until last summer
Tns last General Assembly censured the Lane
seminary Board for retaining Professor smith IN
81 ,rofessorzhip after ecclesiastical censure The
- .bersupon directed him to cease teaching until
~ ose sbouM be finally decided. Dr. Smith felt
~. 10 cou,d not remain professor without work,
~ offered his resignation, which was accepted IN
NV In October his appeal was heard by the SYNOD
- Ohio The Committee of Prosecution resisted 1t
- .ba ground that the General Assembly mad prac-
Lily decided The principle involved in the case. and
W.. .,a synod could not disregard that precedent.
Ths synod therefore declined to sustain the ap-
80, nv a vote Of 81 to IS. and he appealed to the
r.asanhlv 4 friend says that DR.. Smith has no
-,ons further than TO appear and argue the appeal
Il allowed
TIE CAUSE OF THE TRIAL.
Tho charges ana specifications upon which Dr.
Smith was found guilty by the Presbytery OF Cin-
cinnat are given herewith:
charge 1.-THE Presbyterian Church In the Dnlted
c.os ~ America charges the Rev. Henry preserved
SSratb ID D. being a minister in said Church anu
member Of the Presbytery OF CinSnnau YIN avaSh i
nrs 1nsniraon contrary TO fundamental doctrine
o. the Word of God and the Confession OF rain RAIN;
"a ~ UoI, Shirt did not control the inspired
u IN their composition Of the Holy scriptures
ss To make their utterances absolutely uuthIu i;
{ e. free from error When interpreted III '"'"
natural and intended sense
The following are the specifications:
He teaches that the inspired author Of Chroni-
ess In tha pamphlet referred in Specitcaon l.
~ tescbes That the inspired author OF Chronicles
, nas Ssyp or unv.i;ingness to believe them
He teaches that the inspired author OF enron,
ices Incorporated into his narrauVe ana I,l i,h
By his authority material drawn from urre''aoe
IIa teaches that the historical unrelaDllty OF
the inspired author Of Chronicles was so great that
The truth of history therein contained can only be
discovered BY such investgat3n M b r attn
in histories by uninspred and faTio.e men. .
He teaches the historic unreliabiiy OF the an
..;Se ruth ~ events cannot be ascertained from
what he actually asserts. but from what ne I'M
V GHe teaches the historical unFsa9iy ,n of
the inspired author Of chroncleS eXTendrI 10 o''er
HE teaches that the historic unreliabllity
charged by him upon the nspred hs'ofca, %rers
less degree, upon the inspired writer's of the GA
s~He teaches that the assertions made by the
INSPIRED authors Of the Psalms are not TO De
relied upon as ABSOLUTELY true. .o.,.,svsr chan
tiers Of the Book Of Isaiah are not correctly as
'i m~He Specifically affirms the impossibiy Of
the Cd Testament Scriptures being free from al
error Of fact.
THE QUESTION OF INSPIRATION.
Charge III The Presbyterian Church in the
United States Of America charges the Rev henry
Preserved Smith. d. D., minister In said Cnurch'
member Of the Presbytery of Cincinnati, IN
pamphlet entitled. biblical Scholarship and In
spraton" while alleging that the Holy Scriptures
are inspired and an infaiib rule or ram ana
practice with denying IN fact theT mssirS'o" IN
Holy Scriptures by the Holy Scriptures themselves
and by the Confession Of Faith
The Specifications as follows:
HE teaches that the inspiration OF the Holy
Scriptures IS cOns'sten; with the unprohiab.eness
Of portions Of the sacred writings
2-He teaches that the inspiration Of the Holy
Scriptures is consistent with error OF fact IN ther
aflrmatlons
-2-He teaches that the inspiration OF The Holy
Scriptures is consistent with such unrehabilty IN
their utterances that the truth Of events cannot be
ascerained from their utterances themselves
4-He teaches that the inspiration OF the hoy
Scriptures is consistent with bias IN the INSPIRED
writer's. rendering them incapable OF recording the
truth Of events because Incapable Of believing It,
THE vrpurCr or THE pPEgRYTFRY
The following was the judgment Of the Presby-
terry: Charges II and III have been proved. and
DR.. Smith is found guilty Of both these charges
therefore.
The judgment Of the Presbytery sitting as a
court. is. that the Rev. Henry Preserved Smith.
stry Of the Presbyterian Church. until such time
as he shall make manifest, TO the satisfaction OF
Presbytery. his renuncaton OF the errors he has
been found 10 hold, and his solemn purpose no
longer to teach or Bropag,ate them -, ,,uooo.
feelings toward Professor Smith. and IT makes this
disposition Of the only because the interests Of
truth imperatvely demand IT, Adopted; Yeas 81;
THE APPEAL TO THE ASSEMBLY.
DR.. Smiths appeal to the Assembly is substan-
TALLY follows
To the General Assembly OF the Presbyterian
Church in the United States Of America: /, the
case hereby appeal 10 your venerable body against
NE decision and final judgment of the Synod OF
OhlO rendered october IL, lsB, as shown IN the
records OF the Synod. follows:
NO one of the specifications of error having been
sustained and TO error having been found in the
record. the Moderator declared the judgment OF
me Inferior OBLIGATORY 10 be affirmed" minutes Of
tne Synod Of Ohio. 1893. D. 49,
In pursuance Of this appeal beg leave 10 submit
me following statements:
IN March 1891, at the request OF the Presbyterian
MINISTERIAL Association | read before the Associa-
gon paper the subject OF the Inspiration Of the
Scriptures
owing 10 the general interest in the subject. this
paper was afterward published. together with Il
PAPER written by the late Professor Ilewellyn J.
hVans, and also read before the Ministerial Assoc
caation The two together making a pamphlet en-
uLled Biblical Scholarship and Inspiration
On September n. 1899. the F'resbytery adopted the