The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-24
Presbyterian Clergyman Ac-
cuSed OF HereSy
DEFENDS HIS POSITION
Quotes From the Authorities--Says He
Has Never Knowingly Violated
His Ordination
Vow. ysIhi

Atlantic City, N. j., May "a Rev.
William ID. Grant Of Northumberland,
Pa who is accused of heresy, yesterday
appeared before the judicial commission
of the Presbyterian general assembly
and was given a change to speak.
He denied that it is unorthodox in
his views and attempted TO justify his
broad conception of God, Christ and
the miracles by quoting from sermons
preached by Rev Charles Little Of
Wabash, Ind, moderator of last
years assembly.
He also gave quotations from SER
mons of Rev DR. Jowett. the minis
ter who was brought here form Eng
land TO fill the pulpit of the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian church, New
York
According to Doctor Grant, both
these clergymen in sermons during
the present session Of the assembly re-
ferred to a broader conception Of the
ology that was prevalent nowadays,
which was giving the people better
and clearer understanding Of the
deity.
Doctor Grnt said in part:
THE appellee would state without
reservation that his purpose and
method has ever been, as it is now,
to confirm men in the truth as it is
in Jesus and as presented in the doc.
trinal standards of the Presbyterian
church.
$50 far as he is aware, the appellee
has never kowingly violated his or.
dlnation VOWS or depared from Holy
Scripture as the infallible rule for
faith and life
"The church is certainly broad
cough to permit diversity Of opinion
on matters not essential to salvation"
That 1t was a physical impossihility
for Christ TO have stood on the pin
nacle of the temple at Jerusalem and
been tempted by Satan as related in
the New Testament, was one OF the
startling statements attributed TO DR.
Grant at the heresy trial before the
permanent judicial committee. DR..
Grant is charged with having said the
topInost pinnacle was entirely too small |
for anyone to stand upon it. In com
menting on the death Of Uzziah, who, |
as told in the Old Testament. was
struck dead for daring to put his hand |
on the Ark Of the Covenant while that !
precious relic was being taken from |
the threshing floor Of Hebron to the
temple of Jerusalem. DR.. Grant is al I
legged to have said: This man uzziah
must have had an aneurism of the I
heart or have burst a blood vessel in
his head II VS. not reasonable to sup
pose that God struck him dead under
such circumstances All Uzziah was
trying to do was to prevent the sacred
ark from slipping from the wagon or
sledge on which it was being carried I
Evidently the weight if the ark was too
much Of strain and the man dropped
dead" DIR. Grant was also accused OF /
having told a member of his church that /
he intended 'to cast the devil out OF 4
the Bible by preaching certain SER
mon
There is much interest in the heresy 4
trial Some Of the remarkable state.
ments credited to Or Grant follow:
Moses had the blues when he wrote
some Of his poems"
There Is no personal devil III
Eve found sin in her own heart and
was not tempted by Satan"
Christ was crucifed in perfectly
natural manner by mob of fanatic
Jews, and did not plan his own cruel
ixion
Such remarks as these are against
very basic doctrine of the church and
Indicate say his prosecutors, that DR.
irant does not believe in the divine in
,piration of the scriptures
These statements alleged to have been
made by DR. Grant in sermons and
writings are contained in the testimony
against him. This testimony fills a
look Of more than 300 pages. Among
,ther startling theories said to have
been advanced by the accused clergy
nan Is positive denial that there ever
vas such a man as Jonah. and that
neither Christ nor any one alse acts as
Mediator between God and man.