The sun., 1904-04-08
ACQUIHTALF FOR PROF. BOVINE?
RESULT OF ALL NIGHT SESSION
or HIS JUDGES.
The Professor Is Charged by the Rev. Mr.
Cooke with Preaching "RatiOnalisn
in Its Most subtle ana Dangerous
FOrm'-.EtIOrts TO Keep Trial Secret.


The trial OF Prof. Borden P. Bovine of
Boston University for heresy, before a
committee of the New York East Conference
of the Methodist Church, was continued
yesterday at the DeKalb avenue church,
Brooklyn, and resulted, just before o'clock
this morning in verdict said to be favor
able to Prof. BOVINE. The verdict was not
announced to the conference, but will be
made public to-day.
Although the Rev. Mr.. Cooke. the COM
plainant. refused 10 give out any informa-
ton concerning the trial yesterday it was
learned that he had serious rupture with
DR.. James NJ. Buckley, counsel for the
defendant. DIR. Buckley and several MEM
bers of the committee were anxious to bring
the trial to speedy end. but Mr.. Cooke
wanted more time.
Much of Prof. .Bowne's theology is based
on mere assumption, said Mr.. Cooke to the
committee. If / had six hours more for
my argument, as ought to have, l could
show you that it is based on assumption.
assumption, assumption! There is no
science to it, He assumes everything and
expects us to base our beliefs on that
The committee so feared that some
of their deliberations might reach the
outside world that they refused to hire, a
professional stenographer to report the
trial. minister who is a member of the
Conference, formerly stenographer, re-
ported Wednesdays session. he broke
was employed for the purp ose yesterday.
1t was learned yesterday that even II
Prof. Bovine is convicted Of heresy the
conviction will not prevent him from con-
tnuing to teach, although his teaching be
heretical.
"The trial" said DR.. Charles S. Wing.
presiding elder of the Brooklyn North Dis
trict.- will not affect his position in Boston
University, as he is not member OF the
theological faculty. but would affect only
his membership in the council"
motives in his charges against Prof. Bovine
other than his interest in the welfare Of the
Methodist Church. He said: After much
careful study into the writings OF Prof.
Bovine, I am compelled by my interest in
that he teaches rationalism in its most
subtle and dangerous form, and that he
has organized a propaganda within the
Methodist Church for the promotion OF his
views The Methodist Church is strictly
and rigidly orthodox and intensely evan
why should Prot. Bovine remain in, the
fellowship Of a Church whose creed he
does not teach? That is a hard question to
answer. When We are told OF the great in
fuence that Prof Bovine already has Sc
cured within the church the question
naturally comes to mind Is 1t his game to
remain In our Church until he has 80 thor
oughly demoralized officers and crew that
he can make away with the entire denomi-
nation?
siderable care, and / am prepared TO say
that to my knowledge he has never de-
fen ded nor advocated single doctrine
of the Methodist Church. He is against
us and all his influen ce is agair st us:
Mr.. Cooke read the charges az he had
the professors books, At the same time
he put the defen dant through sharp cross
examination.
The first specification was that Prof.
Bowne's teaching about miracles and in
destroy faith in the Bible. All the passages
read were from Prof Bowne's @The Chris
tan Revelation: ffhhesse sope- 2t the.
extracts that We're read
Any one who will use the Scriptures with
the aim Of learning how to think about Sod.
eernins eeG has % us viii have II no dicnty IN discern
ing their great religious value. no wever
much Of mythical and unhistorioal matter
However the pentateuchal question might
fall out, or whatever our view concerning the
hold d1sfsh hs thssan rns vew and ds
and their mutual rflations; and the only
abiding significance OF tho Bible lies In help
ing us to this view. With this view We, can
dispense with everything else, and without
this view it matters little what else We have.
always ruled. popular theological Thought,
and for manifold reasons. formal verbal
statement 1. something sure and steadfast.
1t is convenient and portable also. and when
prefaced by thus saith the Lord, it cannot
fail TO put to fight the armies OF the aliens.
Nevertheless this conception is a mistake.
and a great source of our difficulties in this
teld are due 10 its implicit of explicit presence.
or the remaining three charges, two
We're that Prof, Bovine had taught views
of the Atonement and OF sin, salvation ard
repentance e contrary to those Of the Metho-
dist Church. The final charge was that
he teaches such views Of the future Of souls
as to destroy the force of Christ's teaching
about the future pun ishment of the wicked
and future reward of the righteous In
proof of this, the following extract from
Prof. Bowne's book on "The Atonement'
was quoted:
Now the application of abstract rectoral
and forensic notions to such a life Is as ab-
suri as it would be In the case of the family
Nnnifestly the only possibility OF getting
any conce pton OF the case which viii not
revolt the moral reason lies In replacing the
conception of the divine government by
deepest thoughts. of God be that He Is our
Father then our deepest and truest thoughts
of His dealings with MS must be determined
by this conceptions: and all other concep-
ii ons OF whatever kind that will not harmonize
with this must be cast out.
nrAy tn CONTROJ CITY COJIPTS.