The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-05-25
.HERESY CHARGES
Causes Sensation in Gen.
eraI Assembly.
SOME STARTLING EVIDENCE
Rev. W. D. Grant Alleged to Have
Denied Truth of Temptation OF
Christ as Related in the
New Testament.
SOME STARTLING EVIDENCE

Atlantic City, May 23.-That 1t was
a physical impossibility for Christ To
have stood ON the pinnacle OF the
temple al Jerusalem and been tempted
by Satan, as related In the New Tesla
ment. was one of the most startling
remarks attributed to Rev William
ID. Grant. OF Northumberland. who Is
accused of heresy.
This and many other startling
charges against DR. Grant became pub
lie at the session of the permanent
judicial commission Of the l2Sd gen
eral assembly of the Presbyterian
church AT the Hotel Chalfonte
According to the narrative OF the
New Testament. Satan. while seeking
to tempt Christ during his long fast
before his crucifxion. took Jesus to
a high mountain and showed him the
kingdom OF the world waiting for him
to claim 1t if he would. Satan also
tried TO induce Christ to make stones
into bread and break his fast, and, as
last resort, took Christ TO the top
most pinnacle Of the temple and tried
TO persuade him to cast himself down
SAYING that God would not let him be
hurt.
DIR. Grant is charged with having
said the topmost pinnacle Of the tenn
pie was entirely too small for any one
10 stand on.
In commenting upon the death oil
Uzziah. who. as told in the Old Tesla
ment was struck dead for daring TO
pat his hand ON the Ark OF the Cove
nant while that previous relic was be
Ing taken from the threshing floor OF
Hebron to the temple at Jerusalem,
nr Grant is alleged to have said.
This man Uzziah must have had
an aneurism OF the heart or have
burst a blood vessel In his head. II Is
not reasonable 10 suppose that God
struck him dead under such circum-
stances. All Uzziah was trying 10 do
was To prevent the sacred ark from
slipping from the wagon or sledge on
which It was being carried. Evidently
the weight OF the ark was too much Of
a strain and the man dropped dead. "
DR.. Grant was also accused Of hay
ing told member OF his church that
he intended TO cast the devil out oi
the Bible" by preaching a certain ser
mon.
Another witness had said that she
had heard such sermons at Dr.
Grants church that she went right
home and cried They were awful
and attacked the Bible
Views Of Mediator"
In addressing his Sunday school on
one occasion Dr. Grant is alleged to
have said: Now, children. 1t is well
for you to know that your Father in
Heaven is so kind and forgiving that
YOU can 90 to him without any media
tor" This remark caused a sensation.
as 1t was taken to mean that Or.
Grant did not believe literally the
words OF Christ to the effect that he
was to be the particular mediator for
the little children
In one Of his adult Bible classes,
according to another witness, Dr.
Grant "inexpressibly shocked us all
BY saying while commenting In the
evening spent together by Mary. Mar
tina, Christ and Lazarus after the lat
ter's resurrection, as told in the New
Testament, that the whole party
played games and danced around
little"
This last remark appeared to come
as an awful blow to friends Of DR..
Grant, who. indeed. are beginning to
wonder how he can possibly explain
all the astonishing statements which
he is alleged to have made.
The witness who gave this testi-
mony declared that "it was too much
for me and | just could not listen to
DR.. Grants sermons any more" She
added that she found some relief in
the Methodist church"
Some Of the remarkable statements
credited to DR.. Grant by his accusers
follow. He Is said to have said.
Moses had the blues when be wrote
some of his poems"
There is no personal Devil"
Eve found sin in her own heart and
was not tempted by Satan"
Christ was crucified in perfectly
Iv ruDh nf fanatic
Jews and did not plan his own cruci-
ixion."
Such remarks as these are against
every basic doctrine OF the church, and
Indicate, say his prosecutors, that DR..
Grant does not believe in the divine In
spiration OF the Scriptures.
These statements. alleged to have
been made by Dr. Grant in sermons
and writings, are contained in the tes-
tlmony against him, this testimony
filling a book Of more than 300 pages.
Among other startling theories said
to have been advanced by the ac-
cused minister is positive denial that
there ever was such a man as Jonah,
and that neither Christ nor any one
else acts as a mediator between God
and man.
Dr. Grant is a firm believer in the
doctrine of personal responsibility and
does not think, IT is asserted. that any
intercession is made for any one. II
they repent, they are all right. but II
their fail 10 mend their ways their re-.
pantance IL of little avail