New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-28
CONDEMNS M'GIFFERT's BOOK
PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY SAYS AUTHOR
MUST CHANGE HIS VIEWS
ur ,c-sr MAKE HIS OPINIONS CONFORM WITH
STANDARDS OF THD CHURCH OR REsioN
FROM TIE MINISTRY.
fry TELEGRAPH TO THE TpIBuNEl

FROM TIE MINISTRY
fry TELEGRAPH TO THE TprDuNkI
wlnona Lake Ind May G-Profes'or Mc''ei-
OF the Union Theological Seminary. or sew io'''.
-rust leave the Presbyterian Church stripped oi
rs te-hnicaItes that Is the meaning OF the ac',,"
taken hv the General Assembly this afternoon H'
,,,y raconsider the views termed "questionable as
act forth in HE recent hook. "A History or Chrls
tianltv IN the Apostolic Age. and CONFORM them
70 the standards Of the Church. or he can appeal
10 th. Prcsby,ery Of Eew-York and demand a tria!
Tor his vlndcation. But the first alternative IS
scarcely probable and = he accepts the second
Judging b. the overwhelming vote against his coll
Ioasue Professor Charles \. Briggs. who was sus-
pended by the General Assembly in 1898. and by the
overwhelming vote to-day. there can be bu; ore
issue 70 such trial
The Committee on Bills and Overures. Of which
Or Sheldon Jackson ia chairman and which con-
tanned such a pronounced conservative as DR. W
: L Bryan. o. Chicago. and such an advocate or
liberty "A Professor Francis Brown. ~ New-York
spent thirty hours IN discussing the memorial from
tho PitisburR Presbytery. Tho paper before the
committee read Or. McGirerts book "a fragrant
and ominous scandal" II called tho volume tho
most daring and thoroughgcns attack on tho New
Te-tamcnt that has ever been made by an &C
credited teacher Q, tho Presbyterian Church in
America"
II Was charged IN the memorial that Dr McGifrert
hand 81 the New Testament very irrevcrently. and
thai great distinguished principles Of the Preshy-
torian church. and even fundamental doctrines OF
evanse zeal Christendom. are denied.
Tho General Assembly. IN reply 10 that overture
has ty almost unanimous decision given tho
following anSwer. amended and adopted after
a quiet. calm. but intensely animated. debate:
The Assembly recosnl1e, the zeal Tor pure doctrine
concerned for the maintenance az f,ifh II entoins
upon al ITS ministers m this time OF doubt. and
shSTed ~ lsngish s.cSriy po,sibe trgth rom
4 a
word and interpreted IN the standards OF our
IN or IN sonin 70 fe spoKn
or written word. to present tho positive truth
st.nd It. and be drawn toward H. and especially tho
Srien,eh ana bnysd OK 'I S may may ne
faliblo rule Of faith and practice
DESIRES FULLEST INVESTIGATION
rT sT Asensy ndss+ assTes the fullest and
Is'rrent Tristan students into the foundations
OF ne Christian faith but It deprecates everything
~ expression, needlessly disturbs tho faith Of
The Assembly deplores N. renewal o, cop,ro.
versj occasioned 10y the publication Of this book
al time when our recent divisions were scarcely
That tho % T pr Ms Maf' area 6est
sis'en, MIN ne toIShngs o, Scripture Interpreted
churches.
And tho Assembly stamps with emphasi. d.ap-
prota OF all utteranccs IN the book called 10 lis
attention 10y the Presbytery OF Pi;tsburg moi in
accord with the standard OF our Church But the
church needs pence. the union OF all ia forces
the cooperation OF all It's members: n spirit o;
Brotherhood. ana mutual confidence so that IL NAV
address Itself with intense zeal and no waste OF
ehersy 70 ts great. pressing and practical work OF
saving the souls OF men
The Assembly. therefore. in the sprtt OF kind
ness counses Or. McGlrert TO reconsider the ques-
onabe Views set forth In his book. and II he can
not conform HIS views TO the standard OF our
Church then pcaceably to withdraw from the Pros
byterian ministry.
The debate began with an explanatory statement
from Or Jackson. that he has been suffering from
heavy cold. and was unable 10 occupy the half
hour allotted to him by vote OF the Assembly He
then gave an inside view OF the commi,tees work
The twenty-one men had divided themselves into
three parts ono party favored Or. McGlrert's
book. and at the other extreme there were men IN
the committee who were working for heresy trial
To have accepted either OF these extreme views
would have been unsatisfactory TO the Church IN
fair 10 the New York Prcsbytery and unjust TO Or
McGifert. Dr. Jackson positive In his state
ment that the General Assembly could not AFFORD
TO drive the ploughshare through the New York
Presbyiery at this time or 10 perform another
surgical operation which would injure the body
which had not yet recovered from the per
formed when DR.. Briggs trial for heresy.
OBJECTIONS FROM NEW WORKERS
We cannot afford" said DR.. Jackson. 10 destroy
our church Between the two extremes the ma
jory OF the committee has stood thirteen OF tho
twenty-one agreeing that the book should be con-
demned without condemning the man with the hone
that DR.. McGifrert would either change his views
conforming them 10 those OF the standards OF tho
Church. or quietly follow his former Instructor and
present colleague out OF the Presbyterian ministry
The Commissioners from the New-York Presbytery
had been invited 10 meet the committee but in
stead they had met alone and sent their chairman
to say: "Whatever else YOU do. do not send the
case back TO New-York Find some other way out
of the controversy.
Dr. Bryan followed In behalf Of the minority who
agreed with the majority In condemning the book
but were not willing TO stop there. Or. Bryan
would have the Assembly state facts and without
pronouncing judgment upon the teachings OF the
| book. upon the views OF Its author. direct the
| Presbytery OF New-York to confer with the author
for the relief OF the Church. and take such further
action as the peace and purity Of the Church may
require.
DR.. Bryan said that II his report was adopted
| the Presbytery OF New-York would have a chance
| TO ask DR.. McG.nert to explain a number OF state
| ments ask him TO tell the Church how
| thing could be true in history and not true In
| theology: TO ask him why he had been willing 10
| pour oarboc acid the fresh sore In the Presby.
terrain Church and to ask him further. since his
} rights had been protected in the Assembly. why.