The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-23
PASTORS OF CITY HESITATE ABOUT TALKING FORPR|NT Other Citizens, However, Do Not Hesitate to Express
 Their Views THOSE SEEN STAND
 WITH DIR. EDMONDS Bowie Says Differences With Presby- tery Are Trivial and "Without
 One Atom of Substantial
 Merit

spect to Dr. Henry NJ. Edmonds-but not for publication.
 Other citizens of Birmingham are loath to enter upon a public discussion of the situation. Despite that fact, the sen sation is discussed on every street cor ner. and is the ivest topic with which many months.
 The Rev. I. w. Johnson of tho First Methodist church declared the occurrence to be a very unfortunate occurrence. and stated that always such occurrences are hurtful. However" he added, "I do not think that I should express my views" The Rev Henry P. Atkins of the Chris tian church. when asked for state ment, declared that he would have some thing to say later. but that he preferred to write his remarks himself. With the views of pr. Johnson. the Rev. W. N. Claybrook of St Mary s-on-the-H High lands. the Rev. Robert Echols of tho Eleventh Avenue Methodist church. the Rev. Preston Blake of the Southside Bap- list church, the Rev. A. J. Dickinson of the First Baptist church. the Rev. ]. A. Bryan of the Third Presbyterian church. Rabbie Newfield of Temple Emanu-El, and other ministers coincided.
 Badham Makes Statement
 Henry l.. Badham of the South High lands Presbyterian church made the fol- lowing statement:
 "Dr. Edmonds Is too important to the religious and civic development of Bir- mingham to allow him to leave here. consider the action against him as one in which those opposing him hardly know what they do believe
 .'If Dr. Edmonds had been a great lec- turer and announced that he would like to enter the Presbyterian ministry, but that he held such and such views, the bars would have been let down instantly, and he would have been joyfully well comed. He has done a wonderful work in Birmingham. He has drawn people into the church. He has been a won derful leader for young people. and has drawn them into a religious atmosphere by prevailing upon them to attend church. He has been wonderful help also in the development of civic spirit
 ITO allow him to leave Birmingham would be disaster to the city. and he is not going to be allowed to leave. He will preach to his congregation Sunday, possibly in the Temple Emanu-El. and at the meeting tonight we will formulate plans for his permanent stay in Birming- ham,"
 Bowie Expresses Views
 & J. Bowie gave out the following statement Friday:
 Tt is a matter of supreme regret that the North Alabama presbytery should have adopted a resolution which in one word utterly destroys the usefulness of it's greatest preacher and makes it i'm possible for him to again preach in one of its churches. It Is true that they. have given him a suspended sentence, as 1t were.
 "In other words they have tried him and found him guilty of heresy and sus- pended the Judgment for six months, ac- cording to the practice which has been growing up of recent years in the crim- iral courts The idea that he could preach against a judgment like that is a absurd as to say that. if you tied a hundred-pound weight around mans neck and threw him into the sea, you could expect him to be able to swim ashore.
 ,,No man could carry such a load Dr. Edmonds cannot and, of course, wil, not. attempt to preach against a handicap of that kind; but his services will not be lost to those who love him and who trust him and who believe in him. There are enough big broad minded. strong men ir
 
 and put their arms around him and up- hold him in this crisis. and save him tc this community and to the religion of Jesus Christ which he professes and to which in every essential particular he conforms
 Calls It Technicality
 T am not a theologan. and I cannot state the difference in terms that would suit the theological minds, but l want to say to the laymen, who understand the every day language to which we are ac customed, that the so-called difference upon which they have outiawed him from the church is, to my mind, a mere barren and frivolous technicality without one atom of substantial merit. Notwithstanding the judgment of con. demnation which they have pronounced the presbytery admitted, as the result of a statement of three hours duration 1T which numerous questions were asked that Dr. Edmonds had given hearty adherence to d belief in the deity oi Christ in atonement through Christ alon' | in His life. obedience. sufferngs, deati and resurrection
 ."ro my uniformed mind. the above contains everything of substance in Chris | tian life"
 Differences Hard to State 1 George Rustic said: The situation i l one to lll4 illIlt kiOWinS ohh Oh oiACi SH~ of opinion respecting the doctrinal teach | ings of the Presbyterian church. l hear | some days ago a two hours discussion of the differences and thereafter knev | less than l knew before. However, | l the church has doctrine to which Dr Edmonds cannot conform, he will. 0 course retire And there seems to b 1 little doubt but that the greater portio of his flock win go with him. The situa tlon is entirely natural. All new churche have been formed as result of an iden | tical process
 | W. M. Drennens expression was simia :, to that of Mir. Iusts. If Dr. Edmonds
 he said, cannot conform to the doctrine | of the church. the presbytery had n l other recourse than to take the actlo | that it did take. Dr. Edmonds Is a brill liant preacher. and a wonderfully gifte man.
 Henry C. Selheimer. we'll known att0r ney displayed great interest in the situa ton. but refrained from expressing him self The statement of pr. Edmonds, a printed in The Age-Herald Sunday" said was very frank and manly, and could not be misunderstood"
 Biggest Church in Birmingham According to Eugene l.. Brown. Dl l Edmonds is too big for the pulpit he Ina served.
 -The situation he added, may be
 blessing in disguise. Dr. Edmonds is
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