The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-26
TRIAL AVOIDED
DIR. MGIFFERT WILL NOT BE AR
RAIGNED By THE ASSEMBLY.
Case of the Alleged Heretic Referred
TO New York Presbytery for Con-
sideration and Final Action.
TWO REPORTS SUBMITTED
TEXT or THE MAJORITY AND NIL
NORITY RECOMMENDATIONS.
Former Adopted After n Debate That
Was mt Times Fierce, Earnest. Per-
.onaI and Acrimonious.
REV. DR.. RADCLIFFE'S APPEAL
AND DIR. HOBsON's DEMAND FOR
TRIAL OF THE "HERETIC."
Wfnona Defeated, and st. Louis to BE
Next Meeting Place of Northern Pres
hwS..s.ns-nfher ReIinfoux Rodfea
Former Adopted After n Debate That
Was mt Times Fierce, Earnest, Per-
sOnal and Acrimonious.
REV. DIR. RADCLIFFE'S APPEAL
AND DIR. HOBsON's DEMAND FOR
TRIAL OF THE "HERETIC."
Winona Defeated, and st. Louis to BE
byterians-Other Religious Bodies.


MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.. May 25.-In the
hands Of the Presbytery of New York is
the fate of Rev. DR.. Arthur c. McGifert,
professor Of church history in Union Theo-
logical Seminary. New York. The General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
steered clear, as it hopes, of the rocks of
another heresy trial when it voted this aft
ernoon after a fierce, earnest, tumultuous
and sometimes personal debate to refer the
whole matter to the Presbytery of New
York "for such disposition as in its judg-
ment the peace of church and the purity of
tke doctrine may require"
When the bills and overtures committee
report was announced this afternoon by
Vice Moderator DR.. l.. Y. Graham a pro-
found silence held over the assembly and
the packed galleries. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe,
of Washington, chairman of the commit
tee. took the speakers platform and read
first that part OF the report on which all
members OF the committee agreed. 1t was
a doctrine of the churches which DIR. Nc
Giffert's History of Christianity in the
Apostolic Age is held to deny. Next DR..
Radcliffe read the majority's report and then
1t was known at last that there were to be
two reports. This report, which was ulti-
mately adopted left the matter to the dis
cretion of the New York Presbytery. The
minority report, read by DR.. Benz. l.. Hob
son, of Chicago, made ii mandatory upon
the New York Presbytery to appoint COM
mittee TO confer with DIR. McGiffert and
II he would neither modify his views nor
peaceably withdraw from the church, pro-
ceed against him in accordance with the
provisions of the constitution of the
churches. 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. From
this scene of unanimity the aspect of the
assembly was soon changed to one of
tumult. The preamble was frequently spok-
en- Of especially as a magnificent new con-
fession of faith, doctrinal deliverance that
the Presbyterian Church is still theological
ly sound TO the core.
TEXT OF THE PREAMBLE.
The preamble follows in full:
I'm reference TO overtures Nos. 1s1 to 139,
inclusive, and overture No. 223, respecting
the teachings of the Rev. A. G. McGiffert,
u d., and also in reference to communica-
aon No; %c';s n9; being the the reply Of the Rsv
assembly or 1SyS the committee on bills
and overtures would report as follows:
1905, in the spirit OF kindness, no less than
I'm devotion to the truth, counseled Dr.
McGiffert to reconsider questionable views
Christianity IN the Apostolic Age and in
the event OF his failure TO conform his
views to the standards of our church to
peaceably withdraw from the Presbyterian
ministry; and. inasmuch as the General As
sembly OF 1899 has received communica-
ton from the Rev. A. c. McGiffert. ID. D.,
as well as the Overtures from the Presby-
terry OF Pittsburg. upon which the action
was based. make it evident that many of
my positions. together with the spirit and
purpose OF my book as a whole, have been
so closely misapprehended. Such misappre-
to emphaticaily repudiate the false construc-
tions that have been placed upon my book I'm
many quarters. So far as my views are
concerned, they have been and remain as
I believe in accord with the faith of the
Presbyterian Church and evangelical
ehristendom in all vital and essential mat
ters
DR.. McGiffert Of the Interpretation placed
upon his utterances In said book as being
not in accord with the standards of our
church. and his assertion OF devotion to
the truth and his concern for the welfare
OF the church, and while accepting the same
as sincere, the assembly. nevertheless. re-
asserts It's deliverance OF 1S9S condemning
the statements of said book as being such
alton. And in regard to fundamental doc
trines OF our churches involved in this mat
ter, the assembly solemnly declares:
the word os God and the conSession of
Faith. that the Holy Spirit did so control
the inspired writers in their composition of
the holy Scripture as 10 make their state
ments absolutely truthful, 1. e.. free from
error when interpreted in their natural and
intended sense. All seeming discrepancies
and contradictions III the Bible are TO be re-
ferred TO the limitations upon human
knowledge. To hold that the holy Scriptures
are in any respect historically inaccurate
d ha
(Chapter l, Section ID. which declares that
The authority of the holy Scripture for
which IL ought TO be believed and obeyed
dependenth wholly upon God. the author
thereof and therefore 1t is to be received
because i Is he word of God
"Second-It Is fundamental doctrine of
the word OF God and the Confession of
Faith that 'Tha son OF God. the second per-
son in the trinity. being very and eternal
God OF one substance and equal to the
Father, did, when the fullness OF time was
come. take upon Him mans nature with
all the essential properties and common in
nrmitieS thereof, yet without sin. So that
two whole. perfect and distinct natures the
God head and the manhood, were insepa-
rably joined together I'm one person without
also a fundamental doctrine that The Lord
Jesus. In His human nature thus united to
the divine was sanctified and anointed with
the holy spirit above measure: having in
Him AL the treasures OF wisdom and knowl-
edge: In whom IL pleased the Father that
all fullness should dwell confession,
trines OF the confession forbid any teach
Ing respecting the Lord Jesus which would
attribute to Him. in any particular. liability
to error.
''Third-It Is also fundamental doctrine OF
the word OF God and the Confession of
Faith that Our Lord Jesus. I'm the night
wherein He was betrayed Instituted the sac
rament Of His body and blood called the
Lords supper. TO be observed in His church
unto the end OF the world. and further that
TIE Lord Jesus hath. I'm this ordinance ap-
pointed His minister's TO declare His word
bless the elements OF bread and wine. etc.
No teaching which declares that the Lord a
supper was instituted I'm any other manner
than by the direct personal act Of the Lord