Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-09

the benefit of Unitarian chapel TO be
erected in memory Of Mary Price Collier.
wife OF the Rev. Laird Collier one OF
the loviliest woman that ever lived. and
close friend of his family. Swing al
luded to Patton's sacrilege. as he called
it in these lines:
= pom thy grave adorned with flowers sweet,
Whose leaves are bursting In the verIai ar.
The stranger comes and drags inhuman feet
Across the tears and lilies mingled here.
The heart that molders in that lowly bed
Shames the rude mortal on the clay above:
She followed only where her Savior led
Her life no Earring discord, but love.
Presbytery Rejected Charges.
Swing was also charged with having
spoken disparagingiy Of the special mi
raculOus call Of men to the Christian min
istry by saying that ministers have no
monopoly Of calls. 1t would be interest,"
ing to know what DIR. Patton thinks on
that subject today in the light OF his
experience. Swing was also charged with
intimating that it would be more toler-
a bic for Socrates, Plato and Penelope in
the day of judgment than for Catherine
Ii OF Russia
1t seems almost incredible that a man
of DR.. Patton's ability should have ever
descended to such trivial and contempt-
bic accusations against a character and
a life SO pure and noble and useful
that OF Prof. Swing. The presbytery
promptly and Indignantly rejected the
charges, as the public had done almost
unanimously long before.
The Rev. DIR. Powers, pastor OF ono of
the Episcopal churches of Chicago, said:
1T is just absurd tocriticise Prot. Swing
for not writing In the Pattonian vein
to complain of a meadow lark for not
being a hand organ, or Of a clear, free
streamlet singing among ferns and
mosses for not sounding like a coffee
mill"
Some year1 later: when DIR. Patton
! had modified his theological severity.
and the Presbyterian Church had re-
vised it's creed Prof. Swing exclaimed:
AT last Socrates, Plato and dear
Penelope have permission to assemble
at the gates Of heaven and listen to
some good music. Happy the man who
revised his creed years ago."
Although Swing was acquitted OF
heresy by the presbytery, Patton APP
pealed to the synod and renewed his
attacks with even greater virulence.
Swing fOresaw that not only his own
peace, but the peace of the church
would be destroyed, and he was willing
to make personal sacrifice to pre-
serve 1t. Hence he resigned from the
presbytery in a letter in which he
said: What the church needs now is
peace; that 1t may think in some hours,
and work for the Master in all hours.
In this act ! hope I do not withdraw
a strife forced upon you and me- to
our deep regret To termi-
nate relations which confer power upon
another to arraign me from time to
time on some dead dogma or other,
upon the middle of sentence or over
some Sabellian or Mohammedan word"
While Swing came out of the trial
refined and strengthened in his faith
and love and confidence, the experience
saddened his life. and, being followed
shortly after by the death of Mrs.
Swing. beautiful woman. an ideal
wife and sympathetic compa MON, he
never recovered the joyous tempera-
ment which lightened his labors and
friend.
Mr.. Newton describes the organize
ton, and gives the history OF the Gem
trail Church, which was founded for
Swing under the management of the
late George 3. Carpenter. and where
from 1880 to 1894 he stood. serene.
radiant modest, his character lighting
up like an altar lamp the teaching OF
his words, a gracious figure In the
midst of a scene of his own enchant-
ment.'
Those who had the inestimable priv
ilege of knowing Prof. Swing appre-
ciate the delicacy and are grateful for
the loyalty and ability with which Mr..
Newton has performed duty of love.
And those who did not know the man
may get from the book clear idea OF
the character of one who taught with
a heavenly light the doctrine of broth
erly love and obliterated all creeds In
his comprehensive faith in the promise
Of his Redemer.