The evening world., 1904-04-06
Court Of Fifteen Judges to Be
Appointed to Consider the
Charges Against the Boston
University Instructor.
PROCEEDINGS WILL BE
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
Acrimonious Contest Is Ex-
pected, and, So Far as Pos
sIbIe, the Details viii Be
= Kept from the Public.

When the name of Prof Borden p.
.Bowne, OF Boston University. was read
Vim the list Of ministers at the New
York East Conference of tho Methodist
Episcopal Church. at the Simpson
Church. on Clermont avenue. in Brook
lyn, to-day, the friends of Prof. Bovine
lined UP on one side and those who
charge him with heresy In his many
published writings on religious subjects
lined up on the other. Then there was
an animated discussion, which promised
become bitter, but the swapping OF
tn. whip of discipline curbed the pent-
up feelings OF both sides, and the con-
ference unanimously decided that the
charges were a matter for formal trial
under church rules and not for public
discussion.
Prof. Bovine is to be tried by a court
" fifteen judges. with four advocates
or the church. bent on his conviction.
md only one counsel for himself. 1t Is
be a secret trial. for the conference
lgreed that 1t would be a very bitter
ne and apt to develop sensations which
would be undesirable to let the world
It large know anything about.
The conference opened to-day, under
me direction of Presiding Elder c. s.
Wing, OF the North Brooklyn district
Or. Wing read the ministerial roll. ask
nE after each name whether there was
anything against the man. He followed
the reading of Prof. Bowne's name with
the customary query, and then, before
any one could make response. he men
toned the charges OF heresy which had
peen filed.
At this Il number of friends of Prof.
Bovine rose and asked for some dehni-
ION OF hercsy. Some Of the other side
attempted to answer them and the
discussion was growing lively. when DR..
Wing brought 1t to an end by declaring
hat the whole matter was one for
.hurch court to decide. He did not read
he charges against Prof. Bovine be-
lause. he said, they were long, and were
Inown already to the conference. 1t
MAS then moved that the conference
lake up the matter. and this was car
Judges Not Yet Chosen.
After a brief discussion 1T was de-
sided to have the body Of presiding
elders select fifteen ministers to act as
trial judges. The fifteen will not be
named until later. Meantime Rev. A.
9. Sanford and Rev. w. H. Burgin were
appointed secretaries Of the court. Revs.
A W.. Burke. A. C. Eggleston, d. A.
Gordon and George A. Cook were ap-
pointed counsel for the Church. and
Rev. ]. NJ. Buckley. editor Of the Chris
1ian Advocate, was appointed counsel
dor Prof. Bovine.
4, 1t was then decided that the trial
should be secret and that the seal OF
honor should be put on every officer OF
The court. The date OF the trial win
not be fixed until the fifteen trial judges
have been appointed.
AL OF the specifications Of the
lharges against Professor Bovine are
'ased on extracts from his works de-
Z, dared to be Inconsistent with the teach
nss and doctrines of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
The Rev. George A.. Cook. of West
Medford. Mass. Is Prof. Bowne's ac-
Duser. and In addition to the charges
,ecited he alleges that the defendants
hews "on' divine government the fu-
lure Of souls, the subject OF sin, saliva
zion, repentance, Justification and re-
generation tend to destroy the force OF
Christs teaching and do not represent
the views of the Methodist Church."