New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-28
DISMISS HEREsY CHARGE
New York Synod Freed from
Blame in Backing Presbytery.
VERDICT is mot PROVEN
Presbyterian General Assembly
Accepts Commissions Find
ings with Delight.
-SBy Telegraph TO The Tribune. /,

unanimous vote decided to-day that DR..
John Fox. DR.. F. E. Shearer DR. W. D.
Buchanan and the other compliments from
the New York Presbytery. whom they rep
resented had failed 10 make out a case.
and their complaint against the Synod OF
New York was. therefore. not sustained.
Every member of the assembly and all
the visitors in attendance upon It's meet
ings were present IN the Music Hall when
the preliminary judgment Of the perma-
nent judicial commission was read by the
Rev. Dr. John W. Dinsmore, of San Jose
Cal The three conlpiainants sat at
table In front Of the moderator awaiting
the verdict with the same intense interest
which was manifest on the face Of every
person in the great hall.
When Dr. Dinsmore said that the COM
plainants were right In attaching the
greatest Importance TO such wide depart
ures from the faith. as they alleged the
faces of the three men lighted up, and
their eyes kinded as the chairman con-
tinued that If such departures were al
lowed they would dissolve the foundation
of the Presbyterian Church and destroy
historic Christianity.
The report Of the commission was care
fully prepared. It won the heart and the
judgment Of every commissioner. as the
chairman said that the Church stood to-
day 1t always had, for the inspiration,
integrity and authority of the Bible. The
word was small. but the import was large.
Concern followed citation. They had not
won and they knew it, and so did the
thousand and more present
One could feel the release of the tension
which had held the audience. As a mem
Der Of the commission said afterward:
What we meant to say was this: II you
had been caught with the goods on we
should have convicted you. but-and so we
didn't convict you.
One Grain of Comfort.
After announcing that the complaint
against the synod should not be sustained
DR.. Dinsmore helped to dispel the clouds
gathering about that part Of the room
where the compliments sat by suggesting
that a public deliverance should be given
by the assembly enjoinins the Presbyteri-
ans TO use great care In licensing men and
urging them to place those whose views
were unsettled Or immature under presby-
terrain oversight for a time. This sugges-
ton seemed to satisfy every one. Later
DR.. Roberts the stated clerk. said to a
friend: ''Deliverances always unity; trials
always separate"
What do you wish 10 say concerning the
verdict" DR.. Fox was asked after the
assembly had without q dissenting voice
affirmed the Judgment
When a man is beaten the less he says
the better" said DR. Fox, with a smile.
i have fought for one thing said Dr.
Buchanan, ito keep Christ in the pulpit.
and we have won that point
Nothing to say" said DR.. Shearer.
1T was the finest judgment that I ever
heard. absolutely impartial and entirely
satisfactory" said DR.. Frederick A Booth
an elder in the University Place Presby-
terrain Church. of New York
The general impression was that the f,l-
dicfal commission and the assembly had
found an easy way out OF what threatened
TO be serious problem Mr.. Black may
continue his patsorate in New York, Mr..
Fitch may go on with his missionary work
in China and Mr.. Steen may now be Or
daine6. even though he be not called to
the church in Orange. n. j.. In which he
would have been Installed as pastor If he
had passed the examination satisfactorily
In New York q year ago.
The permanent judicial commission. to
which the complaint against the synod of
follows:
action of the synod of New York in sus-
tanning the action of the presbytery of
New York in licensing three candidates to
preach the Gospel and subsequently or
daining two of them to the Gospel min
istry. It Is alleged On the one hand that
the examination of said candidates dis
doubt, concerning important doctrines of
the Church, while on the other hand this
allegation is explicitly and positively de-
MED
Contents Of the Complaint.
It is averred in the complaints that
they refused to affirm their faith in the in
sp;ration and supreme authority of the
Holy Scriptures. in the virgin birth of our
Lord. in the truth of st. Johns account
of raising Lazarus from the dead and In
the actual bodily resurrection Of Christ
The respondents deny these allegations
1idates avowed their full faith in the
inspiration and authority of the Holy
Scriptures. and that they sincerely profess
Faith as containing the system Of doctrine
taught in the Scriptures.
That In fact they do not deny the virgin
birth of our Lord. but were not prepared
to affirm IL with the same positfveness as
some other doctrines; that their hesfta ton
upon the doctrine indicated an unfinished
consideration of the subject rather than
ary positive disbelief. Such were the is
The Compartments are right in attaching
the greatest Importance to such wide de-
partiIres from the faith as they allege-
departures which If allowed not only
would dissolve the foundations Of the
Presbyterian Church but equally would
destroy historic Christianity In all the
Protestant Evangelical churches through
out the world.
respect TO such radical departures from
acknowledged standards had been proved
in this case the commission must have
reversed the action of the synod and have
censured the presbytery.
But II has not been proved that the can
dtdetes named in the complaint have in
doctrines The examinations in the pres
hvtery In April, 1909. were largely oral.
based mainly upon a brief paper or state
ment of belief written by each candidate
The first examination was unsatisfac-
tory and was not sustained by the pres
hvtery A bout two months thereafter
second examination was had, which was
ulboIiy oral and this examination was sus
tatned The compiatnants contend that the
answers were insufficient; the respondents
ahat they were sufficient Thus the issue
is Joined and proof Is wanting SO far as
rTnon the record presented we are unable
IN saw that the synod erred in declining
70 sustain the complaint against the pres
bytery-
+ha nresbytery of New York in ordaning
tuyo of the three candidates against the
strong protest of so considerable a minor
itv OF the presbytery was unyise and not
~ the fact that the questions under dis
,,,,e were by complaint on their way to
Re review by a higher judicatory.
,,,ses that the complaints against the
SYNOD be not sustained
N-I.