The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-26
BIG CHURCH ROW
Develops In the Presby terrain
General Assembly
In Session at Minneapolis Over
DIR. McGiffert.
is LEFT TO NEW YORK
Presbytery of the Empire State
to Deal With 1t.
Much Feeling Displayed During
Debate.

Minneapolis, Mimi, May 26.-In the
hands of the Presbytery of New York,
is the fate of the Rev. DR.. Arthur c.
McGiffert, professor of church history
in Union theological seminary, New
York.
The general assembly of the Presby-
terrain church steered clear as it hopes,
of the rocks of another heresy trial,
when it voted, after fierce, earnest,
tumultuous and sometimes personal de-
bate to refer the whole matter to the
Presbytery of New York for such dis
position as in it's judgment the peace
of the church and purity of the doctrine
may require
When the bills and overtures COM
mission report was announced by Vice
Moderator DR.. L Y. Graham, a pro-
found silence held over the assembly
and the packed galleries. DR.. Wallace
Radcl1fe of Washington, chairman of
the committee, took the speakers plat
form and read, first, that part of the
report on which all members of the
committee agreed 1t was a review of
the case and the statement of four fun
damental doctrines of the churches.
which DR.. McGiffert's History of
Christianity in the Apostolic Age" is
held to deny
Next DR.. Radcliffe read the MAORI
tvs report and then it was known at
last, that there were to be two reports.
This report, which was ultimately
ton of the New York Presbytery.
The minority report, read by DR.. Ben
jamin Lewis HObson, of Chicago, made
it mandatory upon the New York Pres
bytery to appoint a committee to con-
fer with DR. McGiffert and if he would
neither modify his views nor peaceably
withdraw from the church to proceed
against him in accordance with the
provisions of the constitution of the
church, and that would have meant a
hereSy trial.
Before taking up the debate the
whole assembly rose as one man and
voted for the preamble on which all
agreed.
For this scene of unanimity, the as
pect of the assembly was soon changed
to one of tumult. The preamble was
frequently spoken of as a magnificent
new confession of faith, a doctrinal de-
liVerance that the Presbyterian church
is still theologically sound to the core.
The preamble says, in part:
THE assembly notes the reputation
by Dr. McGiffert of the Interpretation
placed upon his utterances in said book
as being not in accord with the stand
ards of our church and his assertion
of devotion to the truth and his con-
Germ for the welfare of the church, and
while accepting the same as sincere,
the assembly, nevertheless, reasserts its
deliverance of 1898 condemning the
statements of said book, as being such
as justify the Interpretation so repudf-
ated; and in regard to the fundamental
doctrines of the church involved in this
matter, this assembly solemnly de-
clareS:
''First-It is a fundamental doctrine
of the word of God and the Confession
of Faith that the Holy Spirit did 50
control the inspired writers in their
composition of the Holy Scriptures as
to make their statements absolutely
truthful, i. e., free from error when in
terpretated in their natural and intend
ed sense. All seeming discrepancies and
contradictions in the Bible are to be
referred to the limitations upon human
knowledge. To hold that the Holy
Scriptures are in any respect historical
ly inaccurate is to oppose the teaching
of the Confession, chapter /, section 4,
which declares that the authority of
the Holy Scriptures, for which it ought
to be believed and obeyed, dependent
wholly upon God. the Author thereof;
it is to be received because it is the
Word of God.
DR.. Radcliffe threw back his Shout
ders adjusted his glasses and with all
his well known vigor began the discus
sion for the majority
Have patience wait little while,
"avoid trouble give DR.. McGlffert an
opportunity to depart in peace" are
phrases that were characteristic of the
whole thirty minutes speech.
Give this case to the presbytery to
decide" said DR.. Radcliffe. Put the
responsibility where it belongs; surely
they will attend to it. Let the presby-
terry of New York attend to its own
business in it's own way. Do not order
them to do so and so and make threats
against DR.. McGinert
DR. Benjamin Lewis Hobson replied
to DR.. Radcliffe with a speech which
was a magnificent effort from an argu-
mentative point of view, but vastly in
ferior to DR.. Radcliffe's in effect and
eloquence.
s'In any event" he said, "if DR.. Gift
fert refuses to modify his views or leave
the church there must be heresy trial.
1t would be wiser plainly to say to DR..
McGiffert, You are a scholar; all honor
scholars; but the Presbyterian church
is no place for you Go where you Will
be more at home
ut has been said that to adopt the
minority report would be to run plow-
share through the New York presby
tery If such is the case and DR.. Nc
Giffert is stubborn he said, lit is only
a question of time when that plow-
share would have to do it's work"
The leaders having spoken, five min
uteS each was given to a most OF eager
DR.. w. H. McKibben of Cincinnati
first got the floor. IF there is no JUS
tifcation for judicial process, when
in Gods name will there be JuSt1tca-
tion?" he shouted.
Like a prophet of old, with beetling
brow and hoary hair and beard, DR..
Dunlop Moore of the presbytery of
servatism. f have read this book"
he said. cit is bad; there are worse.
for some books deny the authenticity
Of every one of the gospels. DR.. Nc
Giffert questions only sixteen out OF
twenty-seven. The book" and the old
man shook with feeling, lis an abomin-
alton before God. Someone spoke of
the kind tone of DR.. McGiffert's letter;
it gives me no encouragement. If 1
had DR.. McGiffert here 1 would knock
that nonsense out of his head
This last sentiment was literally ap-
plauded.
ssRe Datient. brothers: wait let a lit
tie whiIe,' pleaded DIR. Hughes Glib
hons. king for the majority: