The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-10-09
FOsdick Resigns

y
Emerson Fosdick, Baptist preacher
in Presbyterian church whose pull
pit for two years has been the center
Of an international controversy be-
tween the Fundamentalists and Mod
ernists, yesterday handed his resigna-
ton to the New York Presbytery.
1t was Rev. DR.. Fosdick's answer to
the judgment of the Presbyterian Cen
eral Assembly that he should forswear
his Baptist membership and become a
Presbyterian by subscribing to the
Confession of Faith, or give up his
associate pastorship of the First Pres
byterian Church of New York.
The issue had been clearly drawn,
both in the dictum of the General As
sembly ard a subsequent communica-
tion formally rendered the minister
by the Presbytery of New York. 1t
was considered reasonably certain the
resignation would be accepted.
That it had been rendered was made
known in statements issued today by
DR.. Edgar Whitaker Work, chairman
of the Special Committee of the local
L
Fosdick case. There was set forth the
text of the decision of the Judicial
Commission of the General Assembly
at Grand Rapids, Mich, last May %; a
formal notification DR.. Work sent Rev.
DR.. Fosdick last September L; and the
pastors reply, dated today
In declining to become Presbyter-
r.. 81
not moved by UNCONVENTIONAL reasons,
for he had no sectarian loyalties. He
was convinced, however, that he would
be guilty of moral surrender" and a
violation of conscience" if he sub
scribed to the Confession of Faith
'after two years of vehement personal
attack from a powerful section of the
Presbyterian Church"
an answer to this proposal" he
wrote, ~ must in all honesty set my
long standing and assured conviction
that creedal subscription to ancient
confessions of faith is a practice dan
gerous to the welfare of the church
and the integrity Of the individual con-
science"
Church for the Presbyterian would
encourage a return of denomination
al closed shop" it would Suggest a
retrograde sectional movement; it
would be ito agree with an attitude
with which 1 radically disagree to fall
in with a denominational spirit which
/ regret and deplore."
l. yAnA a,,1
be a disingenuous and fictitious thing
under the guise of taking solemn vows"
he wrote.
Rev. DR.. Fosdick has been associate
pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church for five years. Not until two
years ago, however, did his voicing Of
liberal modernist views rouse the wide
opposition which began demanding that
the local church GUST him and ended
by proposing him for trial before the
General Assembly on heresy charges.
The Presbytery of Philadelphia,
which forced the ultimate decision of
the Assembly, led those who attacked
Rev. DR.. Fosdick's sermon, "Shall the
Fundamentalists VIM" and his preach
ments questioning the divinity of
Christ and the doctrine Of of Immacu-
late Conception.
Time after time the local church vol.
ed confidence in it's pastor. Other
churches came to his defense; college
students memorialized the General As
sumbly to disregard attacks upon him;
laymen, elders and ministers all over
the country aligned with the two OPP
posing forces; the controversy became
international and called forth opin-
ions from high churchmen across the
sea.
But the pastor continued preaching
his liberal doctrines. On the lecture
platform he called the controversy "a
pitiable affair"
The General Assembly at Indian
apolis in 1923 adopted a resolution of
"censure" directed against him. He
resigned. Whereupon the New York
Presbytery unanimously endorsed his
teachings and preachings and declined
TO accept the resignation. Later a
special committee of the local presby
terry voted Ill to % to exonerate him
Of charges that his utterances border
ed on heresy and Haunted the doc
trines of the church.
While Rev. Dr.. Fosdick was in Eng