Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-17
DEFENDED
LocaN Ministers Uphold
West minister Confession
DISCUSS CARTER CASE
STAND OF THE pREsBYrERY OF
NASSAU DIsAPPRovED.
Trouble in Synod Of New York and
General Assembly Considered
q Probability.

Presbyterian ministers of this city have
been manifesting great interest in the re-
cent action of the presbytery of Nassau,
synod of New York. in upholding Rev. DR..
Samuel T. Carter of that presbytery in his
stand against the Westminster Confession,
which embodies the principles of Calvin.sm
upon which this denomination has based It's
teachings and beliefs for years. DR.. Carter
is one of those clergymen who started the
movement which resulted in the adoption
by the general assembly of 1902 of the brief
statement, so-called.
This was in the form Of a broad explana-
ton of the Westminster Confession.
A letter was addressed to the presbytery
of Nassau by DR.. Carter last December, in
which the minister said:
1.-THE great objection to the confession Is
not this statement in it or that, but 1t Is
the whole tone and style of the confession.
To put the matter in word, it is the God
Of the Westminster Confession that is
wrong One presbytery unfortunately sug-
gested that the love of God should be put
in footnote to the confession. 1t is better
to have the love of God In footnote than
not to have 1t at all.
EVERY minister and elder upon entering
his office must still accept the Westminster
confession as being the system Of doctrine
taught In the Scriptures, and every sooner
can still cast up this system against the
Presbyterian Church l am convinced that
there can be no rest or peace till this sys-
tenn Is as fully abandoned by the church as
it is by the brief statement. If Calvin were
living today he would be chairman Of the
revision committee.
II think the presbytery of Nassau Is quite
as much on trial as am before the people.
and the same thing can be said or the
church in general.
There is no such God as the God OF the
Westminster Confession. There Is no such
o. Tlnr
world as the world OF the CONFESSION. liners
Is no such eternity as the eternity of the
confession. 1t Is all rashly exaggerated
and bitterly untrue. II no one else is ready
to say It, say it. The hard. cold, severe
God Of the confession, with the love ieIt
out is not our God
Position of the Liberals.
Dr. Carter believes in having the brief
statement" as the only confession of the
church. With him in this opinion are other
liberal clergymen.
In defense of his position DR.. Carter, who
is the Oldest member of his presbytery. said
in part:
DO not condemn me: do not cast me out
of your ministry; welcome me again to my
place in the presbytery with the beautiful
understanding that there shall be greater
theological freedom in the Presbyterian
Church than has been allowed heretofore.
In the resolution upholding him the pres
bytery laid the letter upon the table lin
favor of the renewed presbyterian emphasis
of the brief statement as the present vital
creed of the Presbyterian Church, and that
this presbytery request our brother to con-
tinue his honored connection with the Pres
byterian communion"
That this action of the presbytery of
Nassau is the beginning of a great change
in the expressed doctrines of Presby terrain
ism is not believed by many clergymen of
the denomination.
Local minister's as far as can be ascer-
tanned are unfavorable to the position taxi
en- by DR.. Carter, and are watching closely
for the developments OF the case, II there
should be any In general they believe in
standing firmly on the present confession;
they are surprised at the action of the Mas
sau Presbyterians, and they wonder
whether or not something more will come of
1t. That the Westminster Confession is
about to be put aside entirely Is not con-
sidered at all probable by the local minis
tiers. but what is to be done with DIR. Carter
and the supporting presbytery is regarded
as serious question.
DR.. Radcliffe's Statement.
Rev DR.. Wallace Radcliffe. pastor of the
New York Avenue Church, this city. an ex-
moderator of the general assembly and one
of the most scholarly men in the denomina-
ton, was asked whether he had seen the
press reports of the action of the presbytery
Of Nassau.
"Yes, said DR. Radcliffe. 'I have read
of the Carter case and the action of the
presbytery of Nassau. If the published ac-
counts are correct the situation is extraor-
binary and may mean accumulated trouble
IN the church If trouble comes the church
Is not to be blamed Our book of discipline
provides quiet process by which Presby-
terrain minister having changed his doc
trinal views can be relieved from RESPONSE
bility in this church and go elsewhere
1.-The process adopted by DR.. Carter chal-
Ienges and even defes the law and con-
science of the church According to his
published statement he is an avowed Uni
versalist he discredits the doctrine of the
Trinity. denies the substitutionary theory
of the atonement and declares that the
Westminster confession Is wrong from it's
base upward This with a good many adj
jectives.;
1.-THE ordination VOW of every Presby-
terrain minister binds him to accept and
teach that same Westminster confession
sas containing the system of doctrine tai1c.It