The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-15
pRESBYTERY LIBERALS WIN
.rI THREE BARRED THEOLOGS
IrrEPTED-TALK OF PROTEST.

ALL
ACCEPTED-TALk or PROTEST.
yo,e Two TO One In Their Favor-Proceed.
,nss secret-One Side Reports. the
Other Denies, That tho Young Men
From Union Modined Their Stand
The New York Presbytery at a meet
ing in the First Presbyterian Church,
twelfth street and Fifth avenue. yes
terday voted licenses to preach to the
three members Of the Union Theological
Seminary graduating class who were
barred two months ago because Of their
beliefe. The votes yesterday varied 70,
the three men. but on the average the
presbytery declared itself about two ia
one for accepting them.
The examination OF the candidates
RS conducted behind closed doors. and
after 1t was ver you could get decidedly
different opinions from the radical and
the conservative sides as to what had
really happened. The liberals, includ-
inr Of course the Union men and their
followers, were positive that the three
young men had not altered their beliefs
a any material points since the first ex-
animation two months ago. The con
srvatives, or members Of the old school
Of Presbyterianism, wore just as certain.
90 the other hand that the three oandi-
dates had recanted and declared that
this sudden change in their opinions and
beliefs was the very - that made
the conservatives still vote, yesterday
aesinst their admission.
II is hardly likely, however. that yester-
days action Of the Presbytery will close
these cases. Considerable feeling was
stirred up between the progressives and
conservatives at the meeting. and the
latter were talking last night Of protest.
Ing it to the Synod. The Synod. Il was
! said, might rescind the action OF the
IPresbytery and refer the . back to
IL for further examination. Tho o n
servatives sought to have the action Of
all three cases postponed for six months
to give the young men, as they said,
time to learn their own minds better.
but a motion to that effect was voted
down.
The three young men who were before
the ~Presbytery were Archibald Black. a
brother OF the Rev. DR.. Hugh Black, the
eminent preacher; John E. Steen and
George j. Fitch. The advanced belief
which they expressed before the Freshly
tery upon their first examination brought
tears to the eyes Of some OF the old school.
SOME OF the conservatives said after that
first examination that the candidates had
denied the deity of Christ, had expressed
doubt about some Of the miracles and
about Christ having risen from the dead
in the same body and had denied that man
was created sinless. The liberals re-
fused, however,. to admit that the young
men questioned the divinity Or deity Of
Christ.
The result OF the frat examination
was that a committee was appointed to
confer with the candidates and to report
back to the Presbytery. That committee
vas composed Of the Rev. DR.. David @.
Wylie, pastor OF the Scotch Presbyterian
Church; the Rev. DR.. j. Ross Stevenson.
pastor Of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian
Church; the Rev. DR.. William r. Richards.
pastor OF the Brick Presbyterian Church.
and Elders Henry g.. Hodge and Henry l..
Smith. The committee reported yester-
as follows:
We have held two meetings with all
the members OF the committee present.
At the f1rrt meeting. on May 8. 1909. 1t
was agreed that the work assigned to US
was simply to confer with the three
students mentioned in the resolution
and later on I o examine them in the sacra-
ments and theology. It was deemed
wise also that 1t would be well for the
members Of the committee to make care
ful preparation in order 70 ~interrogate
tho young men on such subjects as sacra-
nents, the authority Of Holy Scripture.
miracles. the resurrection Of Jesus
Christ. the deity Of Christ. the Virgin
birth and esohatology. The committee
thsu agreed to invite the young students
to appear on May II. 1909. at 1850 p. M.
AT that time the committee met and
the three students were examined sepa-
1tely from 1850 to $50 P. NJ. on the sub
jects already indicated. This examina-
ton was careful and searching and at its
conclusion tie following was adopted:
Your committee would report that
N compliance with the instructions Of
tho Presbytery We have conferred with
Meesrs. Steen. Black and Fitch and on
Nay II. 1909. spent the whole afternoon
from 1880 to $50 | n examining them sop
srately as to their knowledge Of theology
and the sacramento. This examination
convinced the committee that these young
men can now give to the Presbytery q more
complete AID satisfaotoy statement OF
their knowledge Of theology and The sac
rsmsnts than they did at the April npsst-
ing, and We believe that they are entitled
10 q reexamination on these subjects.
We therefore recommend this reexami-
nation and that it take place at tho next
meeting Of the Preebytery.'
"A further word: The meetings OF your
committee were attended BY all the men,
bers, who manifested a deep interest In
the examination and in Ito final outcome.
1t was our endeavor to be kind, con-
siderate, courteous and Christian. and We
are pleased to say that Messrs. Black.
Steen and Fitch met US in the same spirit.
Our examination OF the students COM
mitted TO our care was frank, fair and
full. and in view Of all the facts wo now
recommend the Presbytery TO proceed to
ree1amine separately these young gem