Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-04
HERESY CHARGE
CLASSED AS JOKE
Or. IngIis Says Atlanta Utter
ance Was So Considered by
Presbyterian Assembly.

The Rev. DR.. Robert Scott 1nglis.
pastor of the Third Presbyterian
Church. has returned from the Pres
byterian assembly at Atlanta and re-
CARDS as a joke the charge of being
a hereto" made against him on the
assembly floor by the Rev. James g.
Mason, of Metuchen.
"The assembly was a very conser-
vative one," DR.. Inglis told a Star
reporter today, "and consequently
very dull, there being no argument
on any of the suggestions made.
"Dr. Mason who is very good
friend of mine, probably thought he
would put some life in the session
with his little joke. A great outburst
of laughter followed his charge and
he was laughed off the floor, the mod
orator ruling him out of order.
1.-THE whole thing was regarded as a
joke on the floor of the assembly be-
cause of my wellknown position on
all theological questions, and particu-
larly on account of my relation to the
Princeton Seminary
DIR. Inglis is a trustee of the Prince
ton Seminary and chairman of the
committee to select new head fol-
the institution, which is known as the
bulwark of the Presbyterian faith.
II was fighting for the elimination
of the heretical principles in the
graded lessons when DR.. Mason made
his sensational charge" the pastor
continued. "He was ruled off the
floor and the assembly accepted the
report of the committee of which
was q member and the spokesman as
1t was presented.
THE report of the committee being
accepted, as it was, without change,
was very gratifying to me in view OF
the stand 1 had so long taken pub
licly on the matter The lessons will
be revised and republished.
Following the conference I was
waited upon by several represent
atives of the Southern Methodist
Episcopal and Baptist conferences,
who told me that the revised lessons
would be used by their denomina-
tions.
On his return to this city DR.. Inglis
Immediately learned of the statement
that had been made that he was
preaching to empty pews, and that
many of the pew holders, though they
still paid for their pews, went to
service in other churches.
He took this matter up with u. B.
Brewster, president of the board of
trustees of the Third Church, and he
conducted a careful investigation of
the charges.
According to the statement of Mr..
Brewster, he inspected the roll Of
pew-holders and found that only one
of the number paid for a pew and did
not attend service regularly.
Rev. Mr. Inglis, in commenting OF
the attendance at the Third Church
said 1t was remarkable that so few OF
his communicates had strayed away
in view of the decided changes that
are being made in the policy of the
church and the proposed change OF
| location. -.4 4s
There have been many tears shed
over the changes and many hearts
pricked, but bitter feelings have beer
unknown" he said.
$50 far as I know I have never
| been criticised for the character OF
any utterances l have made from the
pulpit of my church. On my return
from a previous assembly when
took the same position that did IL
this one, 1 received a vote of thank!
not only from the congregation of m,
church, but from the whole Newark
presbytery, on the stand 1 had takeI
| ID tho convention
Asked II he thought that DR.. Ma
son had any intentions of hurting his
regulating in making the charge:
against him Dr. Inglis replied that he
did not think he had.
The reporter then asked him hov
DR. Mason could get after him" al
the Metuchen pastor predicted he't
| do.
That's beyond me-" DR.. Inglis re
piled. He said q lot of things tha'
nobody paid any attention to excep
as a joke. I really am glad 1t ha!
happened because 1t gave the assem-
bly's action on the graded lesson
nationwide publicity which it would
not have otherwise received.