Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-13
HEREsY HUNTERS.
Preacher Said TO Have Expressed
Doubts Upon Inspiration Of Bible.


TEXARKANA, Ark, July Ia
What will probably become one of
the most notable heresy trials that
the Presbyterian church has known
in years will be commenced today by
the ouachita Presbytery, with the
Rev. F. e. Maddox, pastor of the
First Presbyterian church of Tex
arkana, as the defendant. Dr. Mad
dox is alleged to have cast doubts
upon the inspiration OF the bible and
his views OF salvation are declared
to be heretical. Presbyterians
throughout the country will watch
the trial with interest, as 1t will cover
practically the same points as have
already been decided by the northern
church but which have not yet been
brought to a final issue in the south
ern branch of the denomination.
DR.. Maddox holds that salvation
Is an evolution from within and not
an importation from without, that II
is a development of a divinity inn
planted gift and not a new gift d.
vinely planted. He holds that men
are saved from sin by the grace as
the child Is saved from ignorance by
education. As to the Scriptures, he
holds that they are inspired, but that
they are not inerrant The authors
Of them were neither reminiscent nor
infallible, and there is no proof that
they were made so by the inspira-
ton. The thought OF the bible came
from God, but men expressed 1t as
they understood II and in language
most ineligible to them and their
contemporaries, Scientific and his
torical errors and defective concep-
ton of morality are due to the defec-
tive knowledge of the writer's and
may be accounted by the date when
the book was written and the ele-
mentary training of the author.
The trial of David Swing of Chica-
go for heresy thirty years ago was
based on almost identically the same
points which appear In the indictment
against DR.. Maddox. In those days
Bushnell, Beecher and Swing were
pioneers In transition that had Just
begun, but which has since swept al
most all over the world 1t Is urged
here by DR.. Maddox's defenders that
II he is to be prosecuted for the same
things for which Swing and Beecher
were years ago by the Northern
Presbyterian church, which has since
revised Its creed. 1t would seem that
the Southern church has not made
any progress in the last thirty years,
and that the diflculty Is not with
DR.. Maddox. but with the Westmin-
ater confession OF faith.
This trial OF DR. Maddox will make
the fourth case In which some OF the
younger men in his church have had
trouble. They have been dealt with
either by the local congregation or
the higher church courts. and two or
three OF them had to leave the de-
nomination.
The present defendant Is a very
able and scholarly man, aged about
40 years. who has built a magnificent
church, drawn around him large
following of some of the most cultur-
ed people of Texarkana and section.
whose congregation are with him
heart and soul.
The charges are based on utterano-
es in series Of sermons which DR..
Maddox delivered In his church In
Texarkana, and which attracted
widespread interest In all Southwest
Arkansas and Northeast Texas.
Large audiences have heard the SER
mons and seemed to approve the
sentiments expressed therein. Some
members of his congregation com
planned that their pastor was not or
thodox, and when the matter was
brought to his attention he asked for
an expression from the church, which
all but unanimously upheld him In
his theology.
Among the numerous members,
many OF whom are the most wealthy
and influential families in the city.
only one vote was east against Or.
Maddox. The charges made by the
directors are In reference to DR.. Mad
dox's views OF salvation and the in
spiration OF the scriptures.
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