The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-08
DENIES PRESBYTERIAN CREED.
mn CARTER FRANKLY REJECTS
WESTMINSTER CONFESSION.
Explains His Action in writing TO the
Nassau Presbytery-Likeiy TO He
Tried for Heresy-Balks at Beiief
in Eternal Punishment for One Thing.

Tried for Heresy-Balks at Heller
IN Eternal Punishment for One Thins'
The most important business to come
hsfore the Nassau Presbytery, at its meet
inc in Northport, L. l., next Tuesday VIII
No the case of the Rev. DR.. 5. I. Carter OF
AZ West Eighty-second street.
DIR. carter was for thrty-three years
minister of the Presbyterian Church and
ali that time was under the jurisdiction oil
tho Nassau Presbytery. On Friday last he
startled his friends by attacking the West
Minister confession of Faith making the
deGrite statement that he could no longer
rerein silent when by such silence he in
ferentially must be regarded as indorsing
that which he did not believe.
Dr. Carter was ct his summer home in
tho Adirondacks when he addressed this
communication to the Nassau Presbytery,
virtually challenging that body either to
dismiss him from its communion or, by
retaining him, to confess that his action
did not in the least affect his standing as
Presbyterian minister
Or. Carter returned to the city yesterday
and found awaiting him a great bundle OF
lstters. Every one OF them heartily in
dorsed him in the course he had taken.
1T was on no sudden impulse, said DR..
Carter, Yesterday. that l wrote the letter
Of last Friday to the Nassau Presbytery.
Nv action was the result Of much thought
on the subiect covering several years.
believe that have but put into words what
very many Presbyterians, clergymen and
laymen. have felt in their own hearts.
Il do not, of course, know what the Mas
sau Presbvtery will do. It is entirely
within the power Of that body to bring me
TO trial for heresy. What course l would
take in such an event cannot yet say.
THE Nassau Presbytery covers the mid
die of Long Island. from Brooklyn eastward
as far as lslip. There are in it thirty clergy
men and Thirty laymen. l suppose the
Presbytery, next Tuesday, will convene with
about fifty members"
In anticipation of being asked for some
further explanation, Dr.. Carter, when COM
ing from the Adirondacks, yesterday, made
notes for a supplemental statement, which
he dictated to SUN repoI ter yesterday as
follows:
have long thought that. should do what
by Tey ON Of Nassau. The Presbyterian Church
Is very great and noble church, but 1t is
my conviction that it has very much worse
that the Westminster Confession Is still the
creed of the Presbyterian Church. A few
notifications have been made in 1t by the late
The Confession implied that there. are
infants IN hell because the makers OF IT BE be-
Confession taught that men were damned
b,fore they were born by the unacceptable
The. revision corrected both Of these
dreadful teachings, and it did vel; II a
BY Gods decree before they were born, IT
would be Kissed of the continent, as it ought
deductions from the fall in Adam.
The Confession was TO US in our day bias
but 0fbSs the Breaks afysS Re
It is better to be Illogical than to be bias
But the Westminster Confession still re-
mains the creed Of the Presbyterian Church;
aoe hsrs wosa II
shs eppos;d, i, tss ley ssS'ieh w SSG
S BE teaching s that for the single sin Of Adam
the whole race Of man-remember. millions
dsmned by God to eternal torment. and that
He interviewed by bis election to save certain
that that this his is a true statement Of the facts.
think that men in general do not believe
h I'll T. Unless q has
screwed up to it or down to it by a stin theo-
logical training. ,,o. .h,. !.
ii any man Hic thht thio "
the tr,ie statement Of Gods management
q the human 19cs SHOULD ,Sse my M raId II
CHRIST h ever hnts at any such terrible fact
this as the very foundation teaching OF
. should like also to say a word OF the doc
trlne OF endless torment. | was brought up
to believe that all the heather, and, in fact
eratons, were conslaned to a literal he'll OF
Are and birthstone and that forever and ever
believe that and have another happy moment
fail to see If the consciousness that he
had escaped himself would be any consolation,
sddon 'e to The Ssppness Of to
o es Whe ago a aed o am tsanR to say
met him or any one Just Ee ,o live
pfo Sag gHsaD am glad to live today be
cause our children are not taught this fire
and birthstone teaching, The relief Is In
But We are practically, held in the Presby-
dropped out II we are allowed q the Pres
byterNn Church TO hold conditional i'm
lion S3@ Of the or endless s" torment theory then
as vet, and fear the man would find himself
tory to say it myself. and know have taken :,
my ecclesiastical life in my hands In doing y,
IN Nne, we nave tine most grand Uehu'Hui'
sublime and divine gospel in the New Testa-
ment. in the lie and teachings Of Jesus Christ
our Lord; and why in the name Of all that
Is good do we want to wander away into
these mnnstrosities?
A preThyteran minister told me that some ;t,,,
daughter catechism. She came running
70 her father and flung the hook upon the
fcoE crying; Il hate this wicked book
Why, Susie you don't hate the catechism?
Yes. do Hear what 1t says: What
are YOU by nature? ] am an enemy OF God.
lie"
Fortunately the minister was q man before
he WINS n minister, so he folded bis daughter
In his arms and said; No. my daughter,
YOU are not that" My letter was written
In the faith that Susie was right-that the
treat heart 81 humanity smoke through her
lips, j. should be enthusiastically condemned,
then appeal to the plain common sense. Of
me plain. common people. To them the
Doctrines have controverted are impossible
70 amount Of authority could ever make
the'n credible because they really believe
In good Cod
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