The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-28
M'GlFFERT HIS OWN JUDGE
ASKED TO MODIFY HIS VIEWS OR
WITHDRAW FROM MINISTRY.
Spirited Debate ON Temperance and
Action Taken Indirectly Crit
icising Princeton.



their own interest in refraining from
lengthy debate the business of the assembly
could be finished in six hours tomorrow.
This will put many on their good behavior,
as the general desire here is for that relaXa-
ton that can only be found at home. Each
day the commissioners are leaving for their
homes in increasing numbers, and small
attendance is looked for when the final
business of the assembly is considered.
Both the Princeton Inn matter and the Nc
Giffert hereSy case were disposed of to-day,
the assembly cleverly lodging direct issue
in both instances. In the Princeton case
the assembly adopted both the majority and
minority reports of the committee. The
minority report only mildly handled the sit
uation, without referring to Princeton by
name, and simply indicated that a college
should maintain attitude against intern
perance that would insure friends that it
stood on the right side of the question This
was intended as u hint to Princeton, should
the Princeton Inn scandal arise another
year. there would be more trouble to keep
down the storm of criticism than there was
this time.
The McGiffert case consumed the entire
afternoon, and the result of all the talk on
the subject. as given in nutshell by one OF
the officers of the assembly, puts the seal
of the condemnation of the assembly on DR..
McGifferts book, but fixes the matter so
that the burden of action is on himself and
not on the church. At any rate, it is as
sured that there will be no trial for heresy.
The feature of the speech of Chairman
Sheldon Jackson, representing the majority
report, which was adopted, was the refer
ence to the danger of another heresy trial.
Said he: "One such surgical operation has
been submitted to, and the church is left in
such a weakened condition that | am justi-
fled in saying that it is matter of life and
death to invite another
DR.. Bryan, speaking for the first minority
report. said that his faction in the commit
tee refused to condemn McGiffert unheard,
and, said he: Il will risk my reputation
willingly in thus standing between the con-
demnation of the assembly and an absent
man whose book has been read by scarce
ly man here and uphold him in the pos
session of his vested rights as minister"
FIVE READINGS NECESSARY. =,
Dr. Francis Brown the colleague of DR..
McGiffert at Union Seminary explained pr.
McGiffert's position in writing the book by
the statement embodied in the pamphlet
sent out by DIR. McGiffert, One preacher
had, he said, read the book four times, con-
demning it each time, but the fifth time he
g1asped the meaning of the author and be-
came its warmest advocate. Considering
the Importance of the case, very little de-
bate was INDUCED in. The New York Pres
bytery through DR.. Davies, pleaded to have
it taken from the hands of the New York
Presbytery, saying that the wounds caused
by the Briggs trial were not as yet wholly
healeG- With single change in the word
ing of the final paragraph of the majority
report, 1t was adopted and the matter is
disposed of for a year, at least, with the
before General Assembly.
The Princeton discussion came up as ex-
pected before the assembly this morning in
spite of the efforts of Moderator Radcliffe
and the chairman of the temperance com
mittee, DR. David Wills, of Oswego, N. Y.
The moderator confined the speeches to
three minutes each and what was said was
very much to the point The assembly
adopted the minority report substantially
as printed in the Journal of to-day. The
majority report was presented by DIR. Wills,
who has all along stood out to shield
Princeton from even the imputation Of
wrong in the question of temperance. He
stated that the committee had refused to
take action on the four overtures sent to
the assembly on the temperance matter, two
of which made broad reference to colleges.
He admitted that they referred to Prince
ton University and said that the overtures
were founded on misapprehension and
that Princeton did not deserve it, The
stand taken by Princeton, said he. is as
high as that of any evangelical church. On
the roster of the university trustees, he
said he found the names of four ex-mod-
orators of the General Assembly. while the
other trustees are either ruling elders OF
the church or active church members. IN
his opinion If the morals of Princeton could
not be trusted to that board of trustees
the committee could not presume TO exercise
any influence over the institution. Furtner-
more the assembly could take no action
touching on colleges that would not be mis-
construed a direct blow against Prince
ton which had. he thought. vindicated IL
self Moreover the newspapers OF the coun-
trv were standing eagerly waiting for the
opportunity to send out the tidings that the
assembly had denounced Princeton unoer
| louble-leaded headlines ana paragraphs ~
| faction of the committee. he said, had stood
| out for scoring of the colleges IN gen
| eral way. some of them saying Wltnoul ols.
| cretion ''if the coat fits, let Princeton put
| If on In closing he earnestly asked that
| no action be taken.
| PRINCETON OR ASSEMBLY.
r. M. Stocker, of Pennsylvania, then pre-
| sented the minority report TO considerable
| anplause DR. c. l.. Work, of Cincinnati.
| said the question was not where Princeton
stands but where the assembly stands and
| said that it was not iudicious to ignore the
/ matter. H. p Faris, of Missouri, the father
| of the temperance movement in the as
sembly, added his voice to the elamor for
the adoption of the minority report and
said that the assembly could not afford to
| stand in the position of conCea ling or pro-
| tecting any such thing as is charged against
| Princeton William r. Roe touched the key
| note of the situation when he said that the
| feeling was not one of single institutions,
| but the whole church feeling is against
| the practices in vogue In the larger coll
| leges and one, not even President Pat
| ton. could place himself on record on such
| an issue without being criticised. DR.. w. =.
| Roberts, of New Nork, took up che cause
/ of Princeton as old trustee and said that
such measures had been adopted for the
/ suppression of the liquor sale among the
students that no parent need now feel any
| uneasiness about@sohs intrusted to the care
| of the nstitution. 9
| At ~ Io' clock sharp the vote was taken on
/ the reports The anxiety nf the Princeton
| advocates. headed by the moderator. TO limit
| the debate so that possibly the minority re-
mort might fail of adoption. was never more
apparent than at this moment. Each reso-
| luton of the big report was read and each
| time the vote Of the7 assembly was unani-
| mously In the affirmative, When II came to
| the minority report there was not even a
| pause. but Just strong rang out the aye"
| of approb8ton Thus both reports were
/ adoptedgwith hardly dissenting vote
| One of the features that are expected to
| aid in bringing the assembly To Winona in
| 1900 is that more money has been saved
| at Winona than ever before at any place.
| In the question of mileage alone there Is a
| saving of s65o0.62 over the amount spent at
| that the extra expense that the change to
| Minneapolis next year Will involve will
amount to N,l55. As over that of this year
/ at Winona.
Rev J. G. Reynard, OF Tacoma, WASH.