New-York tribune., 1899-06-13
MAY TRY DR.. MGIFFERT.
PREBYTERY NAMES A COMMISSION TO
LOOK INTO HIS BOOKS.
wARszAwIAK CASE UP AGAIN-CoMMITTEE
TO EXERCISE OVERSIGHT OF WEST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

!
TO EXERCISE OVERSIGHT OF WEST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Professor McGinert OF Union Theological Semi
nary, whose books on higher criticism have caused
such discussion among Presbyterians because Of
! his differences OF opinion with the Confession OF
Faith touching the inspiration OF the Bible the
divinity OF Christ and the Lords Supper. will prob
ably be tried by the Presbytery unless he with
draws from the Church. II those among the men,
bers OF the Presbytery who know It's inner work
ngs predict Alright The Presbytery at Its meet
ing yesterday afternoon received the message from
the General Assembly and appointed commits
sion which is said to be strongly conservative, TO
look into DR.. McGifert's books and report not
later than next November on their orthodoxy.
The Presbytery met at o'clock and was in ses-
sion til evening. but did not even then finish It's
business and adjourned to meet on Monday, June
rs. 10 finish up the business left over The Presby-
terry, before 1t adjourned. dissolved the relations
between DR.. Buchanan and the Thirteenth Street
Presbyterian Church, approved the union OF the
Madison Avenue and the Phillips churches, had a
long debate a phase of the Warszawiak case
and resolved expunge from the records all re-
erence to 1t. and appointed a committee to repre-
sent the Presbytery in exercising episcopal over
sight over the West Presbyterian Church.
The McGifert case came up through the message
from the General Assembly. which was read by
the stated clerk, DR.. Birch. of Bethany Church.
In this message the General Assembly accepted DR..
McGinert's explanation OF his beliefs as sincere.
but still considered HIS books contrary TO the
Confession OF Faith, and then went on and deliv-
cred itself In regard TO the inspiration OF the Bible,
the Divinity OF Christ and the Lords Supper.
Finally II sent the case back TO the Presbytery
with instructions to deal with It In Its wisdom.
After discussion the Presbytery adopted the
following resolution:
Whereas, The General Assembly. having commit:
the Of Or. McGifrert
mission Of which the Moderator Of the General
Assembly shall be chairman, which commission
snail report not later than the November meeting
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION
The commission named made up of DR.. r. F.
Sample Moderator of the General Assembly. chair
man: Dr. Robert r. Booth ex-director of Union
Theological Seminary; DR.. John Balcom Shaw.
director in Union Seminary; DR. Erskine n. White
and Elders william E. Magic. Of the Washington
Heights Church; Oscar E. Boyd. Of the First
Church. and Titus B. Megs Of the Madison
Avenue Church.
THE committee is made up to settle DR.. McGh-
fert" said a leading conservative, in speaking
about IT, Others agreed that unless DR.. McGf-
fert resigns quietly he will be tried for heresy.
DR.. John Bacom Shaw is doing his best TO get Dr.
McGifert to resign as to avoid heresy trial
The Warszawiak case came up In a novel way.
II was on a complaint Of three anu-Warszawiak
members Of the Fifth Avenue Church Session
against the Session for ordering Silas B. Brownel
to read before the congregation Of the church last
Sunday the communications OF the Synod and the
General Assembly the Warszawiak case Mr.
Brownell is clerk OF the Session. 1t was he who
read in open congregation the decree of the Ses-
sion accommodating Warszawiak after DR.. John
Hail. TO avoid reading II or being present when It
was read, had remained away from his pulpit and
secured a substitute 70 breach for him.
The shoe was on the other foot in the present
case however. The Fifth Avenue Church Session,
at a meeting held early last week. by a majority
ordered the communications read in open session
as a matter OF fairness to Warszawiak Mr.
Brownell 1t is said. at first said he would not read
them, and declared he would remain away from
church, as DR.. Hall had done. When he was in
formed that Mr.. Irwin OF the Session. would read
them in his stead. he informed the Session that ne
would consent 10 read them. but that he would an
nounce that there were three dissenting votes
against the announcement. He had argued that the
in the hands OF the Synod. on the order
from the General Assembly to retry the case, and
had protested that the Session had nothing to do
Some OF the others reminded him that the vote
TO excommunicate Warszawiak had been close, and
he had not taken the trouble to announce the vote
on that occasion. but had insisted on accompany
ing the reading with the announcement.
Although there were persons present at the
church TO hear this announcement on Sunday Mr..
day he had got two other members Of the Session.
and they had signed complaint TO the Presby-
him to do the reading The Presbyterian Book OF
Discipline provides for such a complaint and says
that It shall act as stay OF proceedings TIL the
Presbytery decides on the point
After long argument the Rev. David G. Wylie.
hold special meeting on Monday next to consider
the Warszawak case, and as judicial body the
although 1t had previously voted that when It ad;
hs Special Se a in ord
Before the close OF the meeting, however the point
had been out OF order. and the Presbytery decided
to rescind it's action and to strike everything relat
ing to the complaint from the records.
WEST CHURCH ELDERS EXPLAIN
A committee Of ex-elders from the West Presby-
terian Church waited on the Presbytery TO make an
explanation as to why they had resigned elders
in that church They said 1t was because they had
acted in concert with the trustees in the recent con-
troversy between them and DR.. Evans. and that
when the trustees had failed to be reelected by
the congregation they considered the congregation
had virtually passed a vote Of want of confidence
in them also. and so they resigned !
They also included in the communication they
tor not having consulted with his Session. that the
church was in bad shape financially and in pre-
that the Presbytery exercise episcopal oversight
SVef SS 10 'fs S Church and see If the Presbyey
interfere for the betterment Of the churchs condi
There was a considerable discussion. the details
of which could not be learned but committee was
this committee withheld by DR.. Birch. as was
all information except the bare statement that |
the committee had been named, because OF the re-
quest Of the committee that nothing be made public
about the matter.
The application OF DR.. Buchanan for a dissou- |
ton Of his pastoral bonds with the Thirteenth
Street Presbyterian Church was granted, and DR.. |
J. F. Forbes made temporary moderator OF
the Session.
The Presbytery heard the application Of Calvary |
Presbyterian Church 10 be allowed 10 sell It's prop |
erty in One-hundred ed-and-sxteenth-st Nothing |
given out by the stated clerk, but II under
stood from unofficial source that the approval
was given for the sale
THE CROPS OF EUROPE.