The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-01-09
HERESY TRIAL NEAR At HAND
Prof. McGiffert to Be Given a Hear
ing Before Presbytery.
Rev. George w. f. Birch Causes Heated
Discussion by Taking steps to Pre-
cipitate Matters, but His Ac-
tion Is Sustained.

New York. Jan. Sat the meeting of
the New York Presbytery to-day Rev.
George w. F. Birch, stated clerk, served
notice that he would prefer Cnarges of
heresy against Rev. Arthur c. McGiffert,
professor in Union Theological Seminary
The Presbytery set next Monday after
noon as the time for hearing the charges
This action forces a trial Of Prof. Me-
Gif1ert on the charges which were vir-
tually made against him in the general
assembly of 1898. on an overture from
the Pre5bytery of Pittsburg.
The general assembly of 1889 referred
the whole matter of Dr. MeGifert's al
legged heresies to the Presbytery of New
YORK as having primary constitutional
responsibility, and the PlesDytery one
month ago decided Dy a vote of IS to q
that the interests of the church would
best be subserved by disavowing the
the matter drop.
The action of Rev Dr. Birch to-day.
therefore, resulted in a heated discussion.
the nature of which was not made public
by the stated clerk. It resulted, however
in a victory for him so far as bringing
the charges is concerned.
Dr. Birch tonight declined TO give out a
copy of the charges against DR.. McGif-
fert, or even to indicate what they will
be, but he said that he was not confining
himself to the complaints of the Pitts
burg overture. nor did he follow at all
the specifications made in the resolution
adopted last month.
The Pittsburg Presbytery, in complain
ing to the General Assembly IN 1898 said
In this volume "a history of Christianity
in the apostolic age) the New Testament
is very irreverently handled, no special
supernatural guidance is ascribed TO its
sacred writers, and the genuineness of
more than One-half of the books compos-
ing it is called in question; discordant and
mutually contradictory teachings are de-
ciared to be contained in it, and its au-
thority as a divine rule of faith and prac-
tice is set aside. Further, in said book
great distinguishing principles Of the
Presbyterian Church, and even fundamen-
tai doctrines of evangelical Christendom
are denied.
The said volume by DR.. McGiffert is q
fiagrant and ominOIs scandal, as it treats
with open contempt the obligations by
which the author and all other Presbytc-
rian ministers have bound themselves. I;
Is Ine most OdGllS anu InOTUug0EOl0G at
tack on the New Testament that has ever
been made by an accredited preacher OF
the Presbyterian Church in America"
Among the teachings of Or. McGiffert's
book condemned by the Presbytery last
month were the following:
i. The theory that the sacrament OF
the holy communion was not instituted
by Christ Himself ON the last night OF his
earthly life as a memorial feast
- The theory that the third GOSPEL
and the Book of Acts we're not written nv
ST Luke. the companion Of ST Paul but
were probably the work Of some uilknoWn
writer "A generation after st. PauFS death
''3-The theory that the Apostolic an
thorship Of the fourth gospel Is uncertain
and that il may only 'embodv Chri-f'S
genuine teaching at least TO some extent
1.-THE view that Jesus emphasis of
faith In or acceptance If Himself i
throughout an emphasis not OF his parsor-
aIity. but of Wis message, and thus siTpDiv
a reafirmatiOg OF flial trust In, devotio1
10. and service of God, a. the essential
and sufficient condition OF an eternal life
of blessedness IN heaven"