The times., 1898-02-14
ANOTHER HEREsY TRIAL
Prof. McGiffert May Have to
Answer Charges.
THE CAUSE OF HIS 0FFENSE
Passages in His Book "a History
of christianity in the Apostolic
Age" Severely Condemned by M em-
hers of the -DeinRnds
That He Be Retired.

New York, Feb. 13.-A movement to
bring about another heresy trial may
be begun at the meeting Of the New
York Presbytery tomorrow afternoon.
The trial will probably soon take place
in any event. Letters from every sec
ton of the country are coming To mem
bers of the New York Presbytery urg-
ing the step. The man to be tried is a
professor of Union Theological Semina-
ry, who wrote recently and published
"A History of Christianity in the
Apostolic Age" and is understood to
have said that he expected trial for
heresy as a consequence. The author
of the book is the Rev. DR.. Arthur c..
McGiffert. of New York Presbytery.
and Washburn professor of church his
tory in Union Seminary. The book so
strongly condemned is one in a series
of which the Rev. DR.. Charles A.
Briggs is co-editor. the other editor be-
ing Prof. Salmond, OF Aberdeen.
Prof. McGiffert although not much
over forty years old, is recognized as
the ablest authority in the Presbyte-
rian Church in his special field. He was
graduated at Adelbert College, and
went soon after TO Lane Seminary, at
Cincinnati. from which the Rev. Dr.
Henry Preserved Smith was elected for
heresy. While there he wrote a book
which attracted much attention to its
author and obtained for him a call to
Union Seminary in 1899.
The letters demanding the trial for
heresy do not, 1t is said, come from
the conservative party in the church.
They come. so it is said, in quite as
great numbers from the liberal party.
or that which heretofore has backed
Union.
The argument now made is the same
as was made in the case of the Briggs
and Smith controversies namely. that
a man whose views have undergone n
change ought to retire from the church
or at least that he ought to cease to
teach students who will eventually fill
the Presbyterian pulpits.
Many parts of the book "A History
of Christianity in the Apostolic Age"
are attacked. but the sections that are
urged upon which to base trial for
heresy are found on pages 69 and 10.
These passages. it would seem, are di-
rectly in conflict with the larger cate
chism. They refer to the Lords Sup
per and its authority and affirm that
il has. and was, intended by Christ TO
have no paschal significance whatev-
er; that it was a mere social meal on
the night on which Christ was betray-
ed. and that the remarks there made
were intended to point the disciples to
an approaching event which was TO ap-
pear to be disastrous, but which was
in reality to rebound to their benefit.
A member of the New York Pres
bytery spoke to-day of the McGiffert
book:
Il have seen at least a hundred let
terS,' he said, mentioning not alone
the quotation from the McGiffert book,
wherein it is denied that Jesus Christ
that there is any memorial or spiritual
significance to the Eucharist, but half
a dozen other parts of the same book.
Il fear the New York Presbytery
Will be plunged into another heresy
trial. 1t may not be, for you can, never
tell what presbytery will do and es-
pecfally the New York Presbytery. but
/ do not see how else this storm of
indignant letters from every part of the
country, and from liberals as well as
conservatives, can be answered. 1t is
not the old division over the Briggs
and Smith matter. This denial of the
Westminster Catechism affects as deep
ly the so-called progressive party in
the Presbyterian Church as it does the
old Scottish covenanters. The church
so far as l can hear is unanimous
against an institution whose president
has just subscribed at his installation
to the Westminster Catechism, contin-
uing to permit of it's most prominent
professors to teach vital point strict
ly contradictory to that catechiSm''