The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-29
T.B. VRO0MAN, HERETO
A Former Topeka Young Man
in Trouble
With the Presbyterian Synod Of
Illinois.
Mr.. Vrooman Does Net Believe In
Eternal Punishment for Sin
Which is Unorthodoz

Rev. Frank VrOomans who useo 70
live in Topeka and who taught schooI
in this county is in a fair way to be
declared a hereto by the Presbyterian
synod Of Illinois He is now pastor OF
the Kenwood Presbyterian church OF
Chicago and has been saying some
things that do not meet with the ap-
provaI of the elders and pastors of
other churches. Now they are attack
ing his admission to the presbytery as
VroOman has been a Congregational
minister and was only recently &C
knOWledged a Pres byterian.
The following account of the trouble
with Rev. Mr.. WrOOman appears in the
Chicago Times Herald;
The charges of heresy against Rev.
Frank B. WrOOman of the kenWood
Presbyterian church, were laid before
the presbytery of Chicago yesterday,
and the issue viii be tried before the
synod of Illinois, which viii meet IN
October. The charges are signed by
Is active pastors, four professors IN
Mccormick Theological seminary, five
other ministers and II elders. making
SO in all. They are in the nature of a
complaint to the synod against the ac-
ton Of the presbytery in sustaining
the examination of Mr.. VrOOman and
enrolling him as a member
The complaint was read at he
meeting of the presbytery yesterday,
and that body took steps to defend it.
self Rev. John p. Hale and Professor
Andrew c. ZenO We're authorized to
select a committee of three to take
charge of the case for the presbytery
in the hearing before the synod Tech
nically the action is against the pres
bytery, but in effect the hearing be-
fore the synod will be trial of Mr.
Vrooman on charges Of heresy- The
presbytery also directed Elder Dewey,
Of the KenWOod church, to act as mod
orator of the session in place Of the
pastor pending the decision Of the syn
Cd
The presbytery spent nearly three
hours in the discussion of several
questions raised by MIR. VrOOman's case
but neither of them was of vital con-
sequence and there was only one test
vote. When the clerk read the min
utes of preceding meetings 1t was
found he had spread Mr.. VrOOman's
carefully prepared statement Of his be
lief on the records Rev. Charles A
Lippiucott of theSecond Presbyterian
church. insisted that the clerk had been
directed to file the paper. and after
some discussion it was stricken from
the record
animation of Mr.. VroOnan shows the
nature OF his advanced stand.
Extract from examination-Que
Do you believe in the possible eternity
of sin2
Answer. do not believe in the
eternity of sin. 7 do not know but what
it might be eternal
O. Do you believe that any are cease
lessly and endlessly punished?
A. No, sir, I do not.
O. Do you believe in the future re-
pentanee and restoration Of the wicked
after death2
A. cannot say that I do. sir. If
there is anything which relieves my
mind OF the possibility of everlasting
and endless torment, it would be that
death is simply death.
@. Annihilation2
A. cannot even say I believe in
that I do not know what I believe in
in that regard.
In his examination before the pres
bytery, ia answer to the question
whether Christ was a sacrifice for our
sins before God, he replied, inter ALA.
His. Offering was vicarious. but in no
sense has He taken the punishment. be-
cause we bear the punishment today