New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-12
DR.. CARRIERS DEFENCE TODAY.
Preacher Who Astonished Presbyterians by
His Views to Appear at Jamaica

Tn. Rev DR. samuel T Carter, whose letter adj
dressed to the Presbyery of Nassau attracted wide
attention and who declined 10 defend himself in
detail before the committee sent to him by the
nrosbvterv will to-day appear personally before
the Presbytery of Nassau in the First Presbyterian
Church of Jamaica. Long Island, TO make per-
sonaI plea in defence of the stand he has taken.
Meetings of the presbytery are usually attended
only by the clergymen and elders sent from the
various churches within its boundaries but to-
days meeting Will he attended not only by many
Presbyterians who are interested in Dr. Carriers
views but by representatives of other denomna-
tions who are IN sympathy with his ideas Some
predict a warm meeting similar to that held in
Oyster Bay On October II, when DR.. Carter was
attacked with severity by the Rev. Dr.. Kneeland
p Ketcham. a lifelong apd boyhood friend. and
others
Dr. Ketcham has held that heresy trial must
result from DR.. Carriers stand unless the latter
has some plan to relieve the presbytery of SOME
of the difficulty arising from statements contained
the letter written by DR.. Carter. DR.. Carter de-
clines to make known the nature Of his defence.
but has stated that he retracts not word of
the letter, which the expression of many years
of thought.
Dr. Carter believes scholastic theology is wrong
from the base upward" and hopes for "doctrinal
interpretations that the plainest and humhlest
can understand and which the clergy can believe
well as receive
On September Is the Rev. DR. Carter sent a letter
to each member Of the Presbytery Of Nassau, OF
"hlch ne Is the oldest member. having been en-
rolled for thirty-four years which he astonished
all who read IT by attacking of the funda
mentels of esbyteranism. and Yet asking that he
he retained in the Presbyterian Church. He said
in part substantially:
The world is not a lost world nor under a curse
out most beautiful and God filed world
Inc doctrine Of the Trinity has never brought TO
ne one ray Of light. and when ] think of how II
mas divided thristendom and cut off from general
church fellowship many Of the most beautiful souls
l oevouty wish il had never been formulated
AS cannot accept the basis of scholastic theol-
ogy in the fail Of Adam. so I cannot accept OF
lts chlef results. the endless punishment of the
wicked can in no wise make that fit in with the
love OF God. So long as I keep my reason and my
trust IN the infinite love OF God the dogma of
endless torment is the most impossible of all things
10 be believed
Ny denals pertain to ecclesiastical theology and
not 10 the New Testament Gospel That I accept
with my whole heart, and cordially as any man.
DR.. Carter is sixty-four years old
The Rev. Aze Hull Fish who was DR.. Carriers
Warmest supporter at the Oyster Bay meeting
preashed a sermon on DR.. Carter and his beliefs
the sunday following the meeting and as a result
Or carter was invited by the elders Of the TsliD
presbyterian Church TO occupy the pulpit the next
SUNDAY. This he did.
II IS understood that DR. Carter will to-day an
sWer Dr. ketcham'S reference 10 him on the floor
~ the Oyster Bay meeting. where he chara Cterfzed
d. Carter as a ''rationastic Unitarian