Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-15
BAPTISTS IN
JUDGMENT ON
PROF. FOSTER
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PROFESS
SoR WHO HAS AROUSED IRE OF
BROTHER MINISTERS GIVEN
CHURCH TRIAL.

Chicago, June 14.--Behind closed
doors the Baptist minister's con-
ference today took UP the question OF
whether Prof. George Burman Foster
of the University of Chicago should be
expelled from the conference and his
ordination papers cancelled because of
unorthodox statements in his recent
writings.
DR.. Foster States Position.
When asked what his position was
in reference to.the attempt on the part
of the Baptist ministers to GUST him
from the conference, Dr.. Foster ex-
pressed his Indignation at their at
titude toward him.
He admitted he would resign as a
member of the conference if he was
forced to do so. His expulsion, he
said, would reflect certain discredit
upon him as a Baptist minister, but
it would be q greater reflection upon
the members of the conference them
selves.
! His position as he defined it was
similar to that of a member Of any
organized club. If the club objected to
the member on account of something
he had done they had perfect right
to compel him to cease to be mem
Der of the organization.
The conference, he said, was a club
organized by Baptist ministers, and II
they objected to the views he expires
sed of the Baptist religion, they were
not exceeding their power in expelline
him from the club.
AZ student of theology, science
! and religion he said he was unable tc
explain the bitter attitude of some o
4 the ministers who oppose him. The
/ religious principles. he has expoundet
! in his aew book, SThe Science of Re
ligion," he claims, are essential,
Bajtist in conservative form and free
dom of thought and conscience.
Freedom of belief forms the basic
! principles of the Baptist religion, il
his opinion, and the attitude Of his fel
low ministers who are Baptists he can
not reconcile to the teachings of the
church.
DR.. Matthews chief shot during thu
day was the preparation of a list o
ten reasons in support of his conten
tion that Prof. Foster should leave tht
Baptist church. which are to be uset
| in today's meeting.
4 | en- BLOWS fnaiVflCC at FTOIcSSoT.
I. Because he openly violates tina
part of the Baptist church covenan
which he vowed to maintain, namely
that he would "sustain the worship
ordinances, discipline, and doctrine o
the Baptist church."
2. Because the great majority o
Baptists the world over want him I
quit.
i 8. Because the Unitarians approx
of his views and stand ready to Civ,
him the RIGHT hand of fellowship.
4. Because he repudiates the author
lity of the scripture which the Baptist
hold to be supreme and final as
court Of authority.
S. Because the Baptists accept an
preach the Bible plan of redemptio:
Prof. Foster does neither.
6. Because Baptists believe in tn
deity of Christ. He denies it.
4 7. Because his presence as teache
at the University of Chicago ha
paralyzed the growth of the divin't
4 school.
. 8. Because he holds membership i
4 the Baptist church and yet acts a
regular minister in a Unitarian church
9. Because he makes sport of tn
doctrine w ch the Baptists hold to
true while he draws $500 a yea
salary from a Baptist treasury.
10. Because he wants to change tn
religious liberty of the Bantists int
the personal liberty" of the brewer.