The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-03
HILLS DEFIANT.
The Famous Pastor Loves the
Members Of His Church
But Harshly Condemns the
Doctrines 0hampiOned.
REVISE THE CREED.
Says PredestinatiOn "a Libel on
Christ's Gospel"
Considers 1t a Peril to Ameri-
can Christianity"
That Such ''a Greed Should Now
Be Taught.
Says PredestinatiOn "a Libel on
Christ's Gospel"

sn view of the prominence OF the
Hills matter given in the evening
plpers of Monday and last week. and
She duplication of the facts in the Cap
ital and other morning papers of to-
DAY. the following from the New York
Telegram Of March 2S will more fully
explain the situation:
BY the decree of That a great theo-
God, for the maul-i logical m n d
fa<tstion of fIisI should have l5p stu
glory some men and. dents i'm ITS class
angels are predes-l rooms and that men
tined unto everlast- should be teaching
ing death such "A doctrine is a
These angels and source of peril to
men. thus predes-I American CHRISTIAN
tined and foreor- fty and. so lOng
dained. are particu-i as ] live. 1 shall con-
larly and unchange-i unue to make my
ably designed; and protest against TINS
their number is so doctrine that llbelS
certain and definite the gospel OF Jesus
that it can NOT be Christ-From reply
either increased or. by Dr. Hills. pastor
diminished. - Chap of Plymouth church,
ter Ill. Section III to his critics in Chi
Of the Westminster CagO PreSbytery.
Confession.
Dr Newell Dwight Hills. pastor of
Plymouth church is in no wise discon-
certed by the criticisms showered upon
him for his arraignment of the Presby
terian creed in his sermon in Brooklyn
Sunday night nor by the added threat
that he may be called upon to defend
himself from the charge of heresy. DR..
Hills. while declaring his willingness
10 withdraw from Chicago Presbytery,
if its members SO desire. Will withdraw
nothing of his public condemnation of
Presbyterian doctrine.
When seen today at his resi-
dence, No. % Grace Court. Brooklyn. Dr.
ftilus ampllfed his views in manner
which must be construed as indicating
his willingness to throw down the gaunt-
let to the Presbyterian church. He said
Yes. 1 have read the Chicago dis
patches In the morning papers. L need
not say that they have caused me no
little surprise and pain. I0r Herrick
Johnson. of the Mccormick Theological
Seminary. is an old and dear friend.
AS student for the ministry l Joined
tho Prcsbytery Of Chicago at twenty
years of age. The1 / received my acad-
emic training there j pursued my pro-
fessional studies; in those pastorates I
mad the pleasure of seeing two new ana
large churches constructed and I came
to love my associates in the Presbyterv
with a great affection, and where 1 love
] love deeply.
HIS LIBERAL VIEWS NEVER CON
CEALED.
Naturally have been somewhat un-
willing to sever all relations with my
past life and as no objection was made
ON the part Of Plymouth church l re-
tained my membership in the Presbytery
of Chicago. My liberal views however
have been we'll known in that city Fol
years my sermons have been published
ir fun in the various journals. Some
years ego when the matter of a revision
Cf the Confession OF Faith was up
worked in season and out of season with
voice and pen and personal influence
to bring about the eXcision from lht
creed of the very passages in the Con
fession to which ] referred in the ser.
mon last Sunday on The Automa i,
Judgment Seat in Man
AS delegate to the general assem-
retention Of Professor Henry Smith " h,
was expelled from the church at tina
assembly, for his liberal views / have
therefore. never concealed l,v ideas an,
my dissent from certain sections in tn
Creed, and what little light 1 have hat
has not been hidden under a busheI.
Indeed, because of my plea for tol
Grafton, liberty and charity I was calfe,
TO succeed Dr Noyes who defended Pro
tessor Swing when Dr Patton tried tn
latter for heresy. Four Years later
when Porfessor Swing died. / succeede,
him as pastor of the Central TndaDa7
dent church. IN Central Music Ha1-
When l entered that pulpit [ went f.
I)r Gray. editor of the Interior. and toll
him that 1 wished to leave my with
drawal from the F'resbvterv in hi
hands, that I feared there might II
some little dissensiOn over the Presbv
terys action in permitting me to asstIm
the pastorate of Professor Swing.
churcn; that ! did not wish to be =
occasion of disturbance or dissensior
and that 1 desired him. in the event r
my membership being the cause of an
noyan"e to any member, to present M
Withdrawal from the Presbytery wher
ever he thought it wise
FORMER REBUFFS FROM SEM
MARY
1T is only fair to DR.. johnson and HI
associates in the Theological Seninar r
to say that for years they have obiecte
20 my position. Four years ago n
students Of the Mccormick Seminar
asked me TO give my lecture on Joh
Itusk.n and his message totheT Twentfet
Century, but the faculty vetoed their ~.
quest after had accepted the Student
invitation. They feared my liberalisl
would fall like a heavy frost on the ter
der theological plants. The next ves
another committee OF students brOIe1
second invitation, and again the r
quest was vetoed by the committee
charge. on the Sd of October two st.
dents waited upon me with a like inv
tatton. and l declined lest there be ne
embarrassment.
The attitude of my old friends in Il
tneclpglcal faculty is, therefore. n
new. DR.. Johnson is a grand old pm
tan, q great teacher. unyieldine
granite ia his convictions. and not on
admire and revere. but love him Al
now that he has taken this positi,
against me, L recognize with great 60
row AMI pain that he viii never rece
nor withdraw. But his harsh crificis
of his old pupil. and his statement ~
he finds nothing but evil in the infiuen
of my present views and reachfno
shall not blind me to the great go,
In him
II had hoped that the time had co,
when differences in regard to doctrf
Of retribution were to be tolerated
the Presbytery Of Chicago. The diffe