The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-12
The PRESBYTERYl Is CAUTIOUS
WANTS TO AVOID A TRIAL OF
DIR. CARTER FOR HERESi.
Appoints Committee to 60 and Talk with
Him Concerning His Letter on the West.
minister onfession-Remsrks TO the
Presbytery by the Rev. Dr. Fish.

minister Conf essi0n-Remarks TO the
Presbytery by the Rev. Or. Fish.
OYSTER BAY, L. l Oct. 1.-THE great
question before the Nassau Presbytery
at it's meeting here to-day was what
was to be done with the Rev DR.. Carter
Of New York As has been related in THE
Sun, DR.. Carter few days ago sent a letter
to the members Of the Nassau Presbytery,
with which he has been associated for
over thirty years, in which he deliberately
and emphatically renounced his faith IN
many Of the vital dogmas OF the West
minister Confession. He frankly con-
fessed to views that were rankly heretical
from the Presbyterian point OF view He
put himself in the Presbytery's hands.
Virtually he asked the Presbytery what II
was going to do about 1t.
And what the Presbytery was going to
do about it was precisely what 1t was very
clear the Presbytery did not know, when
the thirty odd clergymen and elders who
compose It got together In DR.. Rnssell's
church hero to-day. The sum total result
OF an all days discussion on the subject
was that to all intents and purposes, the
Presbytery did precisely nothing. Per-
haps without due respect the criticism wac
made that the Presbytery -side-stepped. y
that 1t edged the issue. With DR.. Carter
deliberately expressed views spread out
in all the formality Of cold type before
every member present. the Presbytery.
after a debate which began early in the
morning session and lasted until just before
adjournment late in the afternoon, ap-
pointed q committee to 60 and see DR..
Carter, apparently for the purpose Of asking
him II he really meant it. This committee
consists Of the following ciergymen: Mr..
Calkins, Mr.. Russell, Mr., Hobbs, and Mr..
Ketchum. and OF the following laymen:
Mr.. Prall, Mr.. Denton, DR.. Cooley and DR..
Bchnuok Eight in all. They are to visit
Mr.. Carter at some time not fixed, Ind talk
with him The Rev DR.. Kerr, who made
the motion which created the committee.
said: THE committee is to talk to Or.
Carter and see il there is not some plan
he can adopt by which trial for heresy
may be avoided.
Another member OF the Presbytery said
after the meeting was over:
Either DR. Carter holds the views ex-
pressed In the printed letter or he does
not. II he does, there Is no other alternative
than a trial for hereey, The Synod OF
New York meets in Middletown week
from to-day. II the matter goes TO the
SYNOD, the Synod will order trial for
heresy. This sending committee to DR.. Car
ter only postpones an issue which will have
to be met and which might as well have
been met and settled to-day as to post
pone it until the next meeting OF the Presby:.
tery, which occurs at Jamaica on the second
Tuesday in December.
sThe theological mind is inclined to
avoid graphing with an issue. was the
only comment OF the Rev. DR. Fitch Of Islip,
who had been DR.. Carter's stoutest cham
pion on the floor during the debate.
DR.. Carter. who was seen at his home,
"A East EiRhty-second stfeet, New York.
last evening said that he had received a
telephone communication from member
Of the Presbytery after the close OF the
meeting, requesting him not to comment
on the action taken to-day.
Il shall, OF course, respect the wishes
OF the Presbytery, said Dr. Carter. They
are all my W arm personal friends. l do
not wish to embarrase them In the least.
In sending the letter did l only performed
what seemed to me a conscientious duty.
And there the m after rests.
The Presbytery was by no means a unit
although 1t ultimately voted with practical
unanimity for the side step on avoiding
the issue. There was general depreciation
clearly wished to avoid that. But there
was a contingent who wanted Dr. Carter
shut out OF the Presbytery. They wanted
it done as gently as possible, but they
wanted 1t done.
He introduced a resolution which carried
that result. 1t looked for a time as though
that resolution would pass. DR.. KetchAm
spoke strongly for it. The Rev. DR.. Russell
made speech on the importance OF MAIN
tanning the Presbyterian faith In its purity
which In its tenor favored Dr. Ketcham's
resolutions.
-We owe duty to the dead said DR..
Russell We owe duty to the living.
The entire Presbyterian Church is looking
at US to-day. The question is, Are we
going to keep the old blue banner up or
not?"
DR.. Ketcham's resolution was as follows:
Whereas our brother and fellow presbyter
the Rev. Samuel 7. Carter has addressed
a special communication to the Presbytery
statinR his theological views and calling the
attention OF the Presbytery to the same. and
where's the said views express not only
radical dissent from Presbyterian standards
but from vital doctrines Of evangelical Chris
tiapity "a well, therefore be II
hesoirtd That the presbytery hereby ap-
point a committee OF three, to consist Of the
Moderator, the stated clerk and an elder. to
be selected by the Moderator. whose business
Il shall be to most emphatically express TO
DR.. Carter the Preebytery's anectionate re-
gard for him personally and utmost
and our grateful recollection Of his past thirty