Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-06-03
Assembly Adopted Verdict
in Heresy Case.
PREACHER IS SUSPENDED
Judicial Commission Urged Deposed
Man to Recant Before His
:. Own Presbytery and be
Reinstated.

Atlantic City, May II. - Rev. Ut
William ID. Grant, of Northumberland,
Pa, has been found guilty of heresy
by the commission which heard the
charges made against him. The com
EMISSION reported its findings to the
Presbyterian general assembly.
The commission held that DIR. Grant
was guilty of an offense, under the
rules of the Presbyterian Book OF Dis
rcipline and recommended that he be
suspended from exercising the func
rtions of a minister until such time as
he could convince his own presby
terry, that of Northumberland, that
he has renounced the errors he has
been found to hold and to satisfy the
presbyterS of his purpose to no longer
teach them"
A motion to adopt the report and
confirm the judgment of the commits.
sion was put to vote without de
bate. 1t was carried overwhelmingly,
only a few scattered noes" coming
from widely separated sections of the
assembly hall on the steel pier.
Though this adverse decision was
at first crushing blow to friends OF
DR. Grant, the judgment which leaves
1T up to his own presbytery to rein
state him, that body having already
acquitted him once and being obvious
ly favorable to him, somewhat took
the sting out of the verdict.
1t was pointed out that there was
nothing to prevent DR.. Grant from ap.
pealing to his presbytery at its next
meeting and by making statement
recanting any views that might be
taken to attack the basic doctrines of
the church and promising never to Of
fend again to be reinstated within a
short time. When it became clear that
the judicial commission had decided
against DR.. Grant, his friends feared
an indefinite suspension and the final
verdict was somewhat of relief
Curiously enough the word "heresy'
was never used in the report of the
commission, either In the summing up
or the final judgment.
DR.. Grant was present when the re-
port of the commission was read. Be-
fore a vote was called for, his chief
counsel, DR.. J. Gray Bolton, of Phila-
delphia, asked to be allowed to read
Q statement for Dr. Grant. The state
ment, which was in the nature of an
trines of the church, follows:
Few men have suffered as much
for their beloved church as have suf-
fered for the church of my fathers.
reverently and lovingly bow to It's de-
cision. do now affirm, as have many
times affirmed during these proceed
tngs, my unqualified faith In my bles-
sed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
tn his deity, virgin birth, resurrection
and mediatorial work, and in the scrip
lures of the Old and New Testaments,
~ the infallible rule of faith and life.
I have never knowingly taught any
thing contrary to the above declara-
tons.
During this meeting of the assem-
bly, l have met some of the most con-
spicuous young workers and speakers
in the church, who are not ordained
ministers, one of whom said In my
hearing that he had left the seminary
and refused ordination for fear of such
a day as | am now experiencing. Some
of the statements | have made in my
articles, | can now see, are subject to
misconstruction, but If l cannot preach
the great doctrines of grace, as given
us in the New Testament, In the Pres
byterian church, l ought to leave her
ministry; but I trust 1t shall be my
privilege and joy to continue to pro-
claim those doctrines as long as God
shall give me strength to do So"
DR.. Grant. severely shaken but COM
posed in bearing. left for his home.
He refused to make any further state
ment, but appeared to have found COM
fort in the way his friends stuck to
him and their assurances that it would
be only few months before he was
restored to full standing as a min
safar