The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-25

ment. ..l.
Mr.. Caldwell was asked if he be-
lleved that the ass actually spoke to
his master. In reply he said that
there was no trouble about the ass
speaking, the only difficulty being in
understanding the language. In this
case, he said, Balaam understood.
Samson, the strong man, and the
accuracy of the Scriptural writings
concerning his movements and pro-
digious feats of strength, was also
asked about.
Mr.. Caldwell's Belief
is practically this: He does not ac-
cept the Mosaic authorship Of the
Pentateuch. He does not believe in
the miraculous element in the Old
Testament. He does not believe in
the historic accuracy of the earlier
chapters of Genesis. Lastly, he be-
lieves that Christ died for man, not
as penal substitute instead of man,
but simply for man.
The questions were well written
and the answers were scholarly. Per-
SONS who are familiar with Presbytc-
rlanlsm can appreciate something Of
the CONSERVATION which was created
III the Presbyterian church when his
beliefs and non-beliefs were announc-
ed.
The hour for recess had arrived
when the reading of the records In
the case had been completed, and a
recess was taken, all the commission
ers being admonished to keep their
opinions on The case to themselves.
The Afternoon Session.
In the afternoon Mr.. C. p. Brid-
well, of Atlanta, representing the
complainant, or the Caldwell side Of
the case, took the stand.
1t will be remembered that the case
is before the assembly on two sepa-
rate grounds, first, whether the pro-
ceedings of the synod were legal !;
second, whether the Judgment of the
synod was mistaken and unjustly Sc
we're.
The first phase of the question was
up for discussion. Mr.. Bridwell, of
Atlanta, stated that the presbytery
had acted altogether within it's rights
and that the synod ha0 ove,stcpped
it's authority in removing Mr. Cald-
wells name from the presbytcry s
roll. He stated that the synod had
beer asked to consider the complaint
Of the presbytery, and that instead
Of dealing with the complaint, it
judged the man, assuming original
jurisdiction. He stated that the ac-
tion Of presbytery in accepting Mr..
Caldwell was final, and that it's ac-
ton in accepting him after an exami-
nation could not be annulled by the
synod.
Mr.. Bridwell made a clear, logical
argument, confning himself strictly
to the legal phase Of the matter. Af-
'er being on the floor about an hour
lie stated that he had finished.
Mr.. McCall's Argument.
Elder j. Y. Mccall, of Texas, then
went, on the platform. He stated that
the ease was unique one in the his
tory of the assembly, and that OH &C,
count of it's far reaching effects the
assembly should consider the cas-,
most carefully. He held the presby
terry to be part Of the assembly, an(
that if part Of the assembly, the,
the assembly had something to dc
with it's decision, else it became al
independent body. II the assembly
would not reverse the action Of thu
presbytery, then, he concluded, tn,
presbytery was an Independent body
without connection with the assem-
bly,.
After long discussion on this line
he began to discuss the merits Of tn.
case, referring especially to
The Book of Deuteronomy.
Pronounced opposition to dis
cussion of this phase Of the case was
developed, but after considerable de
bate, the speaker was allowed to pro
cecd. He said that the book contain
en- an account of the death Of Moses
and that it was not probable that
Moses, wrote it, but that it was not
impossible. He contended that the
fact that Moses was always referred
to in the third person did not prove
that Moses was not its author. He
then turned his attention to