The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-26
GUILTY OF HERESY.
Rev. DIR. w. ID. Grant Is Suspended
From the Ministry.

Atlantic City, May 26-The Rev. DR..
VIM. D. Grant of Northumberland, Pa,
has been found guilty of heresy by the
commission which heard the charges
made against him. The commission re-
ported it's findings to the Presbyterian
assembly this morning. The commits
sion found that DR.. Grant taught doc
trines contrary to the word Of God in
the Bible and the Presbyterian confess
sion of faith" He is held to be guilty
under the rules of the Presbyterian
book of discipline and the commission
| recommends that DR.. Grant be sus-
pended from exercising the functions Of
minister of the Presbyterian church
until such time as "he can convince his
own Presbytery, that of Northumber-
land, that he has renounced the errors
he has been found to hold and to sat
1sfy the Presbytery of his purpose to no
longer teach them.''
motion to adopt the report and
confirm the judgment of the commits
sion was put to a vote in the assent bly,
and was carried overwhelmingly with
out debate. There were only a few
scattered noes"
In sustaining the charge that DR..
Grant had in writing and sermons dis
credited the deity of Christ the com
mission found that in his teachings
DR.. Grant had failed to ascribe to the
son of God all the attributes owing to
him which could not belong to the
holiest and wisest of men.
Sustaining the charge that DR..
Grant had in writings and sermons
d1scredited the doctrine of Christ's
mediatorial office, the commission
found that he had advanced ideas
tending to weaken and disparage faith
in such doctrine or the need for it.
The commission found that he had at
various time impugned the veracity of
the Bibles teachings and had maze
statements which tended to divest the
words of holy writ of their authority.
After stating that DR.. Grant was un-
doubtedly guilty of an offense undex
the rules of the book of discipline, the
report said:
while the commission does not
question the right of any man to in
terpret the scriptures as he pleases, yet
we do not think he should teach doc
trines contrary to the confession of
faith and yet remain in the Presby-
terian church.
Though the decision was at first q
crushing blow to friends of Dr. Grant
the judgment which leaves it up to his
own presbytery to reinstate him, thai
body having already acquitted him
him, somewhat took the sting out ot
the apparent harshness of the verdict
1t was pointed out by his friends thai
there is nothing to prevent DR.. Grant
ITOm appealing TO MS preSDytery al
it's very next meeting and by making
a statement recanting any views thai
might be taken to attack the basi.
doctrines Of the church be reinstateo
within short time. The word here
sy'' was not used in the report of the
| commission either in the summing uI
or the final judgment.
DR.. Grant was present when the re-
port of the committee was read. Be.
fore a vote was called for his chie1
counsel, Dr. ]. Gray Bolton, of Phila-
delphia. asked to be allowed to read
a statement for DR.. Grant DR.. Bolton
not being a member OF the assembly
his request was declared out of or
der.
The statement. which was in the ma
ture of an affirmation CT faith in the
great doctrine of the church, follows
Few men have suffered as much fol
their beloved church as I have suffer
ed. for the church of my fathers
reverently and lovingly bow to sts de-
cision.- do now affirm as have many
times affirmed during these proceedings
my unqualified faith in my blessed LORD
and Savior Jesus Christ in his diety
virgin BIRTH resurrection and media
torial work and in the Scriptures of the
Old and New 1estaments as the infalli-
BILE rule of faith and life. have neve