The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-17
DR.. EDMONDS MAKES
STATEMENT AS TO
HIS READM|SS|ON
into PRESBYTERY
of Admission Into
Presbytery Explained by
DIR. Edmonds and Also
His Position on Westmin-
ster Confession of Faith

ster Confession of Faith
DR.. Henry M. Edmonds, pas
tor of the Independent Presby-
terrain church, at the morning
service yesterday in Temple
Emanuel and last night at the
Lyric theatre, made a state
ment of wide interest in Ala
bama church circles concerning
his admission last Wednesday
into the Presbytery of North
Alabama.
In anticipation OF the forthcoming
statement, setting forth his attitude.
large congregations were present at
both the temple and theatre services.
Numbered among those who heard him
were members of other denominations,
church circles generally in Birming-
ham being intensely interested in the
situation.
At Temple Emanuel the congrega-
ton assembled early, filling the galle-
ries, and while the edifice was not
it was seated to comfortable
capacity.
His statement came Immediately
after the offertory. The moment he
arose the stiffness in the edifice was
such that a whisper might be heard
across the building.
Men and women leaned slightly for
ward to catch his every uttcrance. In
deed the situation verged upon the
dramatic.
DIR. Edmond's voice was clear and
contained and he spoke without
tremor. His enunciation was SO per-
feet that every word could be heard
with distinctness in any part of the
temple. DR.. Edmons said:
WISE AND CHRISTIAN
MY action of last Wednesday came
after several months consideration.
During that time l talked with a num-
Der of our people, and on last Monday
called together our trustees officers,
and those, who. under our system OF
rotation, have been officers. There
were SO present. Every one expressed
himself and every one thought the ac-
tian. SO l went down on Wednesday
morning and was received by the Pres
bytery Wednesday afternoon.
"The attitude of the Presbytery
was absolutely fair and consider
ate of your feelings and of mine.
There was no mention of apology
or of recantntion.
II used the word regret In my
own statement but 1t was on my
motion, not theirs.
81 snid 1 had regretted the separn-
ton and 1 meant every word of II.
regretted the inevitable bitter
ness---though there was little OF II
the misunderstanding of my
views, the separation of families.
the division of the church OF
Christ.
81 have found some of you who have
objected to the statement in the papers
that I applied for admission. Surely
applied for admission for there Is no
other way to get into presbytery. III
the greatest preacher on earth went
into the North Alabama Presbytery II
would be written of him that he APP
piled for admission.
This would not be charged no mat
ter how many times he had been IN
vited to make his application.
Individual members of the Prespy-
tery and of other Presbyteries nave
often invited me back into the church.
CHERISHED NO ANGER
at was upon assurances firm these
men that the way was open thal ap-
piled. This is not to our honor only
however, or chiefly, but to theirs. ihey
cherished no anger,
"Arain, some have been SUR
nr,sed That T nm written NJ accept
inr the system Of doctrine taught
in the Westminster confession OF
faith. when few weeks neo said
in my pulpit that l couid not ne
cent That statement OF fnith with
out qualification.
az was entirely frank with the
examining committee concerning
those qualifications. for 1 wanted
10 he honest and WINS under mo
campuIsion to go bnck. The COM
mitt~e considered that my excep-
ttons did not concern the body OF
IN, aoctrine, but touched only upon
nOn-esScntinls.
az tola them that I believed in the
divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. in
the divine inspiration or the scrip
lures. in the election OF grace, and In
10 sacrificial life ana death of Jesus
~ riet as the ground of our salvation.
they were satisfied and the Presby-
tcrv did not mean to stu1tify me in
a,,v way whatever when It wrote that
| 7 accepted the system of doctrine
| Taught in the Westminster confession
or faith. That is exactly what we did
when we first established our church.
IT is so written in our constitution and
the exceptions are clearly named.
BEGINNING OF LARGER LIFE
lastly. some misunderstood the
statement that I was given permission
to labor outside the bounds of the
nresbytery foS six months, thinking
that after that some other arrange
ment must be made. That is merely
the custom of presbytery to give such
permission from presbytery to pres
bvtery They are six months apart.
that plan has been followed with the
Independent Presbyterian church In
savannah for scores of years. This is
not the end of our church. but the be-
ginning of its larger life.
Snow, in closing, you have
raiaed many victories in the past.
The secret Of your power has been
| YOUR Christ-like spirit. II you
| gain other victories. the Secret
| must remain the same. This IL
| not the time to be claiming ad-
| vantage for ourselves or for pres
bytery Let ms claim the advant-
/ age for our Lord and savior and
! Por His lorger church.