New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-07
HERESY CASE IN CANADA.
MErHoDIsM DIVIDED OVER DIR. WORK
MAN,
A SPECIAL, coMMrrrED SITTING IN JUDGMENT
IN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF CHURCH
CONTROVERSY.

CONIfOOfEfS'ts
Toronto May CspeciaD.-For the last few
weeks a heresy case which has made some noise in
the world has been under judgment in the city OF
Belleville a hundred miles from here. There
committee Of the Bay OF Quinte Conference OF the
Methodist Church Of Canada has held series OF
sittings TO receive charges against member or
that Conference The member in question Is DR..
Workman DIR. Workman IL perhaps the leading
Biblical scholar In Canada. He was professor OF
Hebrew and Old Testament Exegesis in Victoria
University; but eight years ago his connection
with that Methodist seat of learning sud-
denly terminated The cause OF his resignation
was lecture delivered at Cobourg before the
Theological Union on the subject OF Messianic
prophecy In some Of the Old Testament propne-
Giles pointing TO a Messiah the person OF Christ
he held, did not stand out boldly. But though he
did not find that precision OF indication IN them
which is usually taught he was satisfied by his
critical study of them that they contained all the
great principles and preparations heraldng Christs
advent
OLD SCHOOL ORTHODOXY STARTLED.
uis theory OF interpretations Of the Messianic
nrophecies thus expounded startled the orthodoxy
OF the Old School. The Board OF Regents OF VIC
toria University at once took cognizance or the
lecture and the upshot was that Dr. workman re-
signed Pressure doubtless brought 10 oe4f
unon him which left him no choice, but IL was not
intended that ne SnOuQ sever hio SohHSNN'O-, 49,
the university Another chair was onered 10 hifn'
,ut az his studies had fitted him for Old testament
exeeesis and as moreover, he felt that 10 De the
vocation 10 which he had been called, ne preierSed
% retire rather than take another place on ,he
tocultv Prudential considerations led TO the other
Mace being offered to him. He was more eminent
.cboIar than any member OF the Board OF Regents
the Methodist Church was proud OF him. ana
summary dismissal might have made him the head
OF a strong protesting movement. AS II was the
affair caused no little agitation
His withdrawal from the university couid haEu'y
bave been the close OF the incident In any case out
m. conduct OF some of his opponents, less discreet
than the BOARD OF Regents, was well calculated 10
breed trouble from IT, The Rev. Dr. Demart' re-
snected but somewhat polemical Methodist olViie'
Nth no nretensions TO Dr. Workmans learning. out
with some influence derived from his long service
as Editor OF the chief organ Of Methodism' wrote
hook against the professors theory OF the Messi-
anic prophecies In this he put the most strained
constructions on Workmans language In order TO
mako II hear a charge OF heterodoxy. Workman de-
r,ad Dr Demart's forced constructions Ills lecture
went to the public. Then another noteworthy eA-
nression OF his views given OUT. Ihis was d."
article in The North American REVIEW III fepy
70 Professor Goodwin Smiths "Guesses at the fiu
Ale of Existence" In time that essay was enlarseu
into a book published by him under the ute' a
vindcation Of the Old Testament. II was Il ue.
fence OF the ancient Scriptures from the point oi
ieu n, the advanced criticism OF the present DAY
The book freely attacked some OF i's cehou'i'-