New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-28


Whose utterances have attracted wide attention
ter OF resignation to the Chicago Presbytery. DR..
Hills, while hesitating TO sever the ties which
were knitted so strongly through several sue
cessful pastorates in Chicago, takes the ground
that he would sacrifice anything rather than stir
I'D any trouble in a Christian church.
DR. Hills talked freely TO a Tribune reporter
al his home. No. % Grace Court, last night He
made it evident that he considers this discussion
in most serious light
ct very much regret the discussion and agi-
tation that has been precipitated by my ser
mon on The Automatic Judgement Seat in
Man" said DIT. Hills The general views that
7 have expressed on the subject Of the penalties
of wrongdoing and the permanence of character
have held for a long time and hold them with
frrnness But do not Ike TO be a source Of
disuuietude to my Presbytery and TO the Pres
byterian Church. one-haf OF which probably
denies the doctrine Of retributiOn for the nom
elect while the other half Of its clergy may,
perhaps, hold and teach the doctrine No nobler,
more sincere, conscientious, scholarly. self-sac-
rif1cng body of men live than the Presbyterian
preachers OF this country: and 7 am panied be
yond measure that my structures upon the chap
ter upon retribution should have been misun-
derstoOd and interpreted mean a criticism
Of the Presbyterian ministers for whom I have
only the highest respect. admiration and affec-
ton
'I have just sent to the proper authorities a
letter saying that i my views were seriously
objected 10 would, in the interest Of peace and
harmony. withdraw" This letter addressed
10 DR. Gray the Editor of The Interior"
Dr. Hills denied that there had been any cor
respondence between himself and the professors
in Mccormick Seminary in regard TO his view
on the doctrine OF the non-eleCt and declared
that their bitter attack came TO him like thun-
derclap out Of clear sky. Two Of the professors,
Dr. Wills G. Craig and Dr. D c. Marquis. were
conservative leaders in the General Assembly
which convicted DR.. Briggs. They firmly be-
lieve and teach each day in their CIassrooms the
doctrine Of retrtbution for the non-elect. In this
fact DR.. Hills a great and serious peril TO
Christianity. as he puts IL;
That a great theological seminary should
have 80 students in its classroom, and that
men should be teaching such doctrines, and
threatening TO expel a former student If he de-
MED them. is a source of peril TO American
Christianity.
MINISTER'S REFUSE TO DISCUSS IT.
i number Of prominent ministers of the Pres
byterian and other denominations in Brooklyn
yesterday refused 70 discuss Dr. HIs's rela-
tons with the Chicago Presbytery. The MEM
bers of his own church have not been moved
by the savage criticism Of their pastor, except,
as one Of them put il. 'to make US love and
revere him all the more"
Thomas G. Sherman. who was one of the ac-
tive forces in getting DR.. Hills to
Plymouth said:
The reason for calling DR., Hills to the pastorate
d5Spie Of Henry ward 8eecher OF course he
Is net oTIbod@X 3e'SrGnE 10 me o Gacas2 , Nc
outh Church believes in the Westminster Con-
eve that at Gad a the Fa6s any 3 a the best Of
fathers will save all of His children. We do not
want him to be Congregationalist
Deacon stephen V. White another of the
oldtimers of Plymouth, expressed himself char
acteristicaIy when he said:
What the devil-excuse the exPresson-has the
HhS no Dr Hills is raac6e no n e 9rIq
in Plymouth Church for the last thirty years-the
that Beecher and Abbott preached before him.
STATEMENT OF PLYMOUTHs PASTOR.
Dr. Hills has prepared a full and complete
statement in regard to the criticisms Of the
Chicago professors. II is in part follows:
As student Tor the ministry IT,. joined the
age There received my academic training:
~ NC " Os1 and arge chnrches Constructed and
came TO love my associates in the Presbytery ana
where love love deeply. Naturally have been
pas; life and as no objection was made the
part Of plymouth o9grch Te bian my member
views however. have been well known in that city.
various journals Some years when the mat
OF d revision of the Confession OF Faith
up, worked in and out Of with
voice and pen and personal Influence 70 bring about
the excision from the Creed Of the very passages
in the Confession 70 which referred in the sermon
OF last Sunday The Automatic Judgment Seat
In Man As a delegate 10 the General Assembly
n 1894 spoke and voted for the retention OF
Professor Henry Smith who expelled from the
Church at that Assembly for his liberal views.
! have. therefore. never concealed ideas and
my dissent from certain sections OF the Greed and
what little J have had has not been hidden under
a hushei
Indeed. because OF my plea for liberation liberty
and charity. ! called 20 succeed DR.. Moves
who defended Professor Swing. when DIR. Patton
tried the latter for heresy. Four years later when
Or Swing died I succeeded him pastor OF the
Central Independent Church in Central Music Hall
When I pulpit went 10 DR.. Gray, Ed
itor Of The Interior. and told him that wished
leave my withdrawal from the fresbytery in mis-
hands: that I feared there might be little
senston over the Presbyterys action in permitting
M me OF PrnfrAsnr HurrK "a