The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-25
PROF. SMITHS PLEA
CINCINNATI HEREsY CASE BEFORE
NORTHERN PREsBYTERIANs.
The Suspended Divine Speaks I'm His
Own Behalf-Sadie Means Case BE-
fore the Southern Assembly.


Presbyterian General Assembly to-day. The
interest in the case was early manifested
this morning. and during the devotional
services the gallery was unusually full. The
only vacant seats at the opening of the
Presbyterian General Assembly. at half past
9 o'clock. were two reserved for the family
of Professor Smith. They remained vacant
until the appeal case was read, and then
Mrs. Smith entered, accompanied by Mrs.
Briggs of New York. DR.. Henry NJ. Field.
mother and brother.
After the assembly had been transformed
into a court the records in the case were
read. The papers contained the record or
the synod, the notice of appeal and the
appeal of Professor Smith. After the read
ing of these papers the assembly. without
opposition, decided 10 entertain the appeal
of Professor Smith, and at half past 10
o'clock the argument on the appeal was be-
gun by Dr. Smith, The reading of the full
records was waived, except so far as they
were to be used in the argument. Professor
Smith stated that he proposed only to ar
que six of the grounds of appeal, instead
Of twelve. The argument at the start con-
cerned the existence of prejudice in the
melnDefS Oh the preSDylery WHICH OTlSlldhs
tried him. Professor Smith sought to show
that the records of the original trial proved
that the judicatory was prejudced in not
allowing members of the body to sit in the
case who had published opinions touching
the guilt of the accused. 1t was further
shown that the regular order. prescribed
for judicial process by the constitution of
the church, had not been complied with in
<I,x. 1fx.xfx, oto hnf ho aeyfn
ming of actual trial. The third point argued
had reference to the form in which the
charges were cast. and here it was argued
that those charges were fatally defective
in that they did not formulate the doctrine
against which offense was alleged. 1t was
expressly said that the doctrine of inspira-
ton mentioned in the charges was one "im-
piled" in the confession Of Faith.
whereas the constitutional law demanded of
the church that the doctrine offended
against shall be fundamental" That which
is fundamental will never be left to infer
ence. The doctrine Of the inspiration al
legged in the charges was contended to be
one not taught in Scripture or in the Con-
fession, and, in fact, to be contrary to the
doctrine of the Confession of Faith of the
church. The inerrancy of the original au-
tographs OF Scripture was claimed to be en-
tirely outside of the doctrine OF inspiration
and independent of 1t. 1t was further shown
that the doctrine of inerrancy had theo-
logical origin, not a biblical origin, and that
the Confession as II stands gives no support
to the position of the prosecution.
Prof. Smith then went on TO argue that
the implication of the charge contained a
contradiction of true Presbyterian doctrine.
AT this point the speaker said: And now
we have reached the point where we may
examine the utterances of the last General
Assembly. / do not mean, of course, that
1t is the duty of this assembly to review
or revise any particular decision of the
assembly of 1893, with the idea Of setting
1t aside. The Confession of Faith says thar
that their decisions sf must be aV examined ana
Prof. Smith went on to show that the
Washington assembly evaded the issue
in falling to declare that the Scriptures
not only ARE" the word of God. but ARE
inerr ran To say that the original auto
sary to say that the holy Scriptures were
the word of God. But, on the contrary
the doctrine set forth by the Confession
tanned In "the present Hebrew and Greeh
copies as the present arbiter of presenl
Controversies The next objection had
reference to the identity Of the two charges
upon which he was found guilty, and the
lack of defniteneSS in their allegations
At the close Of this section Of the defense
the assembly took recess.
The stated clerk read the following tele-
gram from the General Assembly of the
Southern Presbyterian Church: 1.-The bless
in its separate existence and work, the
General Assembly Of the Presbyteri N
Church in the United States. in session in
Nashville, with affectionate fraternal greet
ings to the General Assembly of the Pres
byterian Church in the United States Of
ing if godspsed in e a Wogd a ap WoSk
regards IL as unwise to reopen the question
of organic union"
AT the afternoon session Prof. Smith con
tinued his argument, contending that by IL
that the accused had Committed the erin,
charged, but that the evidence adduceC
had failed TO support the accusation. Tho
Professor then went on TO speak of the
occasion of the address on which tn,
charges of heresy were based and the cir
cumstances of the church at the time, Il
being then In the midst of the contro
versy over the revision of the Confession
for the verbal theory OF inspiration. whic.
was no longer tenable. The inspiration in
sisted upon by the prosecution laid the
Bible open to dangers which threateneS
its complete rejection. To meet this dan
ger the address was delivered at the cal
of duty. The. appellant maintained tina
the verdict of guilty implied that he de
MED inspiration in the sense implied or ex
pressed by the Scriptures themselves, bu
tain no definitions he claimed that it is no
crime against Presbyterian law to decline
TO say what the Confession does not say
OF. to decline to say that God must mak
all He does perfect according 10 our idei
of perfection. 1t is not an offense to al
firm the facts which a careful examina
| The argument was concluded by the CLAIM
that IL cannot be a crime to assert tina
| Gods work is more effectually done by hi
| permitting the human error to show itsel
| in His instruments. This fact has Away
| been recognized in the office of the preach
err and why not elsewhere? The who'll
| argument briefly summarized. and al
appeal made for careful consideration AM
| the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.
DR.. McKibben, of Cincinnati, chairman
| of the committee of prosecution, presente
| the case of the appellee. He defined in
| spiration a divine influence which Oh
Grated to make the bearers of the reveal
ton and their record infallible in all thei
| parts and utterances. This doctrine wa
| declared TO be a matter of faith to be ac
cepted, because contained in the Bible
| The Bible was declared TO contain one doc
| trine of inspiration-not many. The argu
ment of the afternoon closed with quota
lions by professors connected with the ncy
| school branch of the church to show thei
accord with the prosecution. The evening
| session was taken up by DR. McKibben'
| argument. He read extensively from Prof
| Smiths book on inspiration, from letter
and other records, and frequently in
! terrCpted with cries Of Go on" '.Rea
| further" etc.
Southern General Assembly.
| NASHVILLE, Tenn, May A.-The Gen
| eral Assembly 90 the Southern Presbyterian