Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-07

HAS WIZ iis VI ADcTdi moQeI
views rouse the wide oppossJ
which began demanding thai
local church GUST him and end.aj
proposing him for trial before
General Assembly on heresy char
The Presbytery of PhiladeS2
which forced the ultimate decS1
of the Assembly, led those who
tackled Rev. DIR. Fosdicks SER
"Shall the Fundamentalists M
and his rreachments question:.
divinity of Christ and the doc,rirI
the immaculate Conception.
, Time after time the local eArl
voted confidence in Its parl
Other churches came to his defsul
college students memoriallred
General Assembly to disregard
tacks upon him; laymen. elder
ministers all over the corl
aligned with the two, oppa
forces: the controversy bed
international and called /,
opinions from high churchmen al
the sea.
But the pastor continued pred
ing his liberal doctrines. On
lecture platform he called the
troversy n pitiable affair"
The General Assembly at Ind
apolis in 1923 adopted a resoh;
OF "censurc" directed against
lie resigned. Whereupon the
York Presbytery unanimously
dorsed his teachings and preach
and declined to accept the resn
ton. Later q special committeI
the local presbytery voted III d
to exonerate him of charges that
utterances bordered on heresy I
Haunted the doctrines Of the chu
While Rev. DIR. Fosdick was
England last May as delegate 4
the Committee on 1nternatid
Friendship Through the Churd
the Presbytery OF Philadelphia u
demanded that the General Assem-
In session at Grand Rapids
action against him. The decisa
the judicial Commission and
RESIGNATION received today wal
result.
The pastors letter to his pred
terry. In part, follows:
'"rhe proposal of the Co
Assembly calls for definite en-
subscription, a solemn assump
of theological vows in terms q
Westminster Confession.
have been two historic attn
toward creedal subscription an
evangelical Christians. Some
welcomed Il others
felt tina. this practice Is perllou
honesty and hnmpering to the
leadership of the spirit.
There are many Creedal
ments which express In the me
formulas of the generations
they were written abiding Chns
experiences and convictions.
all of them: they represent me
o BILE achievements in the oee
ment of Christian thought. by
me to make n Creedal suDscllg
in terms of any one of them
be violation OF conscience
after two years of vensl
personal attack from n poweriu
ton Of the Presbyterian Cnun
face now ar official proposal
calls on me either to man
theological subscription or el~
an influential pulpit. ANY
scription made under s'ich cl
stances would be generally az
think, truly interpreted as mora
render. , -,s
II am entirely willing m
theology should be questioned,
entirely unwilling 10 give any
casion for questioning my eln1
Here Tin the First Church,
an object lesson in the new i'e
with which Christians could
gard UNCONVENTIONAL lines ana
together. l have rejoiced id
aspect. ~.
1.-THE proposal OF the %
Assembly would reverse an
The principle involved IN ms
cision, II logically applied,
certainly tend to discourage ~.
plcyment Of any except PresoI
clergyman in Presbyterian pw
ut may not enact q RUE
suggests a precedent. IL ences
d return to the principle OF
nominationally closed SHOP
represents a retrograde VI
movement. As a convincea
denominationalist. who no.,
Relieve in an exclusive but W
elusive church. must not "
to that decision. =,
ITO concur with II wo,'n
agree with an attitude witn NJ
radically disagree. and 10
with denominational sp'rn
I regret and deplore. As Wv
my reasons for deciinIns
courteous invitation which ~
extended TO me spring n%
conscience. I must not 90 W.
me would be dislngen"or s,,It
fictitious thing. under the M
taking solemn vows. J avn
ia ~