The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-26
HERESY OF Prof. M'G|BBERT
REPORTS SUBMITTED TO THE
PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.
Majority Advises That DR.. McGifert
Explain His Position OF Retire
From the Ministry.

Winona Lake, Ind, May 25.-The
! much discussed book, "A History OF
( Christianity In the Apostolic Age" by
! Professor A. c. McGirert, D. D., of the
New York Presbytery, was put before
the general assembly of the Presbyter-
ian church today. The case of DR.. Nc
C'inert came before the general assem-
( bly, late this afternoon, on reports from
the committee on bills and overtures.
OF these there were three, the majority
and two minority reports. The first
! advises that the assembly take no ac-
ton, but leaves 1t to President McGif-
feTt to explain his position or retire
frcm the Presbyterian ministry. The
first minority report desires that the
matter be referred TO the. PreSDytery
of New York Tor action and settlement.
The st cond minority report recommends
no acton, but condemns the erroneous
teachings OF the New York professor.
The majority report, which was pre-
scented by Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson
first recites the overture from the Pres
bytery of Pittsburg, calling the atten-
ton of the assembly TO the alleged her
etc teachings contained in Professor
McGiffert's volume of the international
theological library.
IN conclusion, the report says: ."rhe
asse mbiy indeed desires the fullest and
freest investigation and inquiry on the
part of the reverend Christian students
inte the foundations of the Christian
faith, but it deDrecates everything
which, whether in its substance, or in
the form of its expression, needleSSly
disturbs the faith of the Christian peo-
pie. The general assembly deplores the
renewal of the controversy occasio-ed
by the publication of this book at a
time when our recent divisions We're
scarcely healed. 1t sympathizes with
the widespread belief that the utter
anoes of DR.. -McGiffert are inconsistent
with the teachings of the Scriptures. as
interpreted by the Presbyterian church
. and by Evangelical Christendom. This
assembly stamps with its emphatic dis
approval al utterances in the book
called TO its attention by the Presbytery
of Pittsburg not in accord with the
standards OF our church. But the
church needs union OF its forces-co-
operation OF all its members, a spirit of
brotherhood and mutual confidence, so
that it may add itself with intense zeal
and no waste of energy to it's great and
pressing work of saving souls of men.
The assembly also deems it wise not
to take any action at present, in the
hope that DR.. McGiffert may be led to
make a satisfactory explanation of his
position in relation to the standards of
our church, or in default thereof, to
withdraw from the Presbyterian min
istry."
The majority and minority reports
are practically identical, except in the
final paragraph. in which the recon-
,lendations differ as noted above.
The ma jority report was signed by
- members of the committee, the first
minority report by six, and the second
minority report by one member. The
reports were ordered printed. and the
subject was ordered the first business
for Friday afternoon.
Westminster church, Minneapolis,
was chosen as the meeting place for
next years assembly.
The report of the committee on bills
and oVertures in the McGiffert case
came Unexpectedly before the close of
the afternoon session.
The evening session was devoted to
addresses by foreign missionaries.