Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-06-16
THE PRESBYTERIAN PROBLEM

The Presbyterian Church, having a,
cepted into its membership people
who are neither believers in Chr st no:
IN the tenets CT the Church itself Is
baving the tim, Of its life in contrcl.
inS these fashionable bodies, where
these kind Of people furnish the money
and control. The General Assembly al
its recent session took positive action
In this matter and issued explicit or.
ders to the Presbytery Of New Yorf.
The astounding part Of the whole bust
ness is that the First Presbyterian
Church Of New York has as its pastor.
Rev. DR.. Harry Emerson Fosdick, a
Baptist clergyman, who does not be
lieve In the Virgin birth OF Christ.
He has Increased the membership
of the Church at the expense Of the
fundamental principle of the Presby.
terrain Church and for that reason,
the Church desires to retain him. We
doubt II he ia Baptist in good s6anc
Ing. II he fosters and teaches this doc
trine for the Baptist Church is as radi.
cal upon this subject as any denomina
tion in the world.
The report is more interesting
Here 1t is:
The Presbytery OF New York yester
day licensed to preach two students
OF Union Theological Seminary. In
spite of their refusal to affirm their
belief in the virgin birth of Christ.
This Is one Of the essential doctrin.
es Of the Presbyterian Church and one
or the main issues between DR.. Harry
Emerson FOsdick, special preacher O:
the First Presbyterian Church ana
his critics.
The Doctrine was reaffirmed at the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church held fortnight ago at lnula
napolfs. particularly because of the
Fosdick controversy.
AS for the Fosdick issue itself. the
Presbytery adopted the report of its
special committee, which recommend
ed that the matter be laid over until
the last meeting before the next Gener
al Assembly. which will be held at
Grand Rapids. Michigan next May.
TIE recent General Assembly directed
the Presbytery OF New York to see to
1t that the preaching in the First Pre-,
byterian Church conformed with Pres
byterian standards.
Tie two students who were licensed
yesterday were Henry P. Van Dusen
and Cedric Denton Layman. After a
long and heated discussion votes on
each were taken separately, consid
cradle majoritJ~ voting that both be
licensed. was then conducted by tn.
Rev. DIR. Howard Duffield, Moderator
OF the New York Presbytery.
Immediately the Rev. DR.. Albert
Dale Gantz. pastor of the Williams
bridge Church announced he would
file protest. This he did later, a nun
Der OF others remaining to sign 1t. The
protest read.
In view Of the JRwillingness of Can
didates Henry p. Van Dusen and Cal.
ric ID. Layman.. On examination ~
open presbytery, to affirm belief In
the virgin BIRTH Of our Lord Jesus
Christ, as recently declared essential
by the General Assembly and required
by the Confession of Faith of the Pres
byterian Church in the United States
OF America. respectfully protest is
hereby made against the action of the
Presbytery Of New York in licensing
sad candidates. Henry P. Van Dusen
and Cedric D. Layman to preach the
gospel"
The fight over the licensing of tho
two young candidates took precedence
over DR.. Fosdick's case although thu
chapel Of the First PRESBYTERIAN,
Church where the Presbytery met was
crowded as result of the expectancy
OF bitter discussion of the latter is
sue.
THIS is indeed an age, when some me,;
and women too will not stand sound
dof trine. The idea of applicants for
the ministry refusing to comply with
the fundamental principles of the
Church, with which they are afIiliating
Is a remarkable condition Of affairs.
They should be manly enough to con.
meet themselves with some other de-
nomination, more in keeping with
their ideas or rs n last resort proceed
to set up church of their own, where
free thinking will be their chief asset
and the divine truths of the Scriptures
a secondary consideration