The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-25
THE CALDWELL HEREsY TRIAL
"A case OF Intense Religious Interest
-Arsument Heard Pro, and Con,
When Assembly Adjourned
for Day Discussion Had
Not Ended.

assembly Of the Presbyterian church
on Tuesday became judicial in
stead of Il legislative body, and when
the Caldwell heresy ease came up for
trial, and when Moderator Hall ad-
monished the commissioners not to
discuss the merits of the ease when
not i'll the assembly, the scene pre-
sented reminded one strikingly of a
regular jury trial in a civil or crimi-
nal court.
AS was reported Monday in the
News and Courier, the judicial COM
mitt"e, to, which was referred all the
papers in the case, submitted re-
port, which was docketed. The case
in brief is as follows:
Statement of the Case.
In 1904 the Rev. William Caldwell
was invited to- become the stated sup
ply at the First Presbyterian church
of Fort Worth, Texas. He accepted
the call and, after he had been receiv-
ed into the Fort Worth Presbytery
from the Baltimore presbytery, COM
plant was made by another minister
in the presbytery that Mr.. Caldwell
was not orthordox in some of his be-
liefs. Caldwell, who had already
been examined by the Fort Worth
presbytcry, and installed as pastor,
appealed to the Fort Worth Presby-
terry, and the presbytery sustained
him. The synod then overruled the
action of the presbytery and declared
Mr.. Caldwell to be no longer a mem.
Der of the presbytery, and he was re.
fused seat in that body, whereupon
he and his church complained to the
general assembly, the highest court i'll
the Presbyterian church.
The Rev. w. S: Red, Of Texas,
moved that the report of the judicial
committee dealing with the Caldwell
case be taken from the docket, and
that the case come up .at once for
trial.
How The Case is Argued.
DR.. Josephus Johnson, Of Texas,
then arose and asked permission to
make statement. The judicial COM
mittce had recommended that the
complainant and respondent be heard
through representatives, and had
named the representatives. DIR.
Johnson pointed out that these rep
resentatives were not members OF the
general assembly, and that they had
no constitutional right to appear be-
fore the body. The representatives
referred to were w. H. Leavell and
C. p. Bridwell. A long discussion as
to the eligibility of the representa-
tives ensued, and DR.. Johnson's mo-
ton was lost by large majority.
When DR.. Johnson's motion was
lost he stated that he wished to give
notice of protest. AS the assembly
is the highest court In the Presbyte-
| rian church his protest will probably
have no effect.
The Moderator's Charge.
Moderator Allan G. Hall then
charged the assembly with respect to
the case. He stated that the assem-
bly was the highest court in the Pres
byterian church, and that it was not
civil court but court OF Christ,
grounded OH the Scriptures.
He urged the commissioners to con-
sider the case calmly and with delib-
Grafton, and to elimin3e all personal
feelings from the matter. After very
ably charging the assembly, which
was no longer an assembly, but ju.
dicial court for the trial Of judi
cial case he asked the Rev. DR.. f. M.
Green, of Danville, KY, to lead in
prayer for Divine guidance.
After the prayer had been offered
Moderator Hall stated that commits
sioners who had absentel themselves
from the court during the progress Of
the trial would forfeit their right to
vote, and he admonished them against
discussing the case with outsiders.
Reading The Records.
Then came the reading of the rec
ords in the case. The reading Of va
rious complaints and records consum-
ed some two hours.
A list of the questions which had
been propounded by the examiners to
Mr.. Caldwell was read, together with
the answers. These questions dealt
with theology, natural and revealed;
the creation of the world, the six days
of creation and numerous other
points. Mr.. Caldwell, in his replies,
stated that the six DAYS Of creation