Show or OH FOSDICK IS UNDER CENSURE Complain Complain Com Corn Sixteen Ministers- Ministers plain in Lengthy Indictment Indictment Indictment Indict Indict- ment Against Alleged Heretical Utterances NEW r YORK Feb 16 A A. A complaint complaInt com corn plaint to the he general general- assembly of the Presbyterian church against tHe te recent a action of the Presbytery of New York exonerating the Rev Dr Harry Emerson FosdIck Baptist of ot charges that he made heretical ut utterances utterances utterances ut- ut and flaunted Presbyterian doctrines while occupying the pulpIt pulpit pulpit pul pul- pit of the First Presbyterian church was made public It is signed by 16 ministers and and six elders eiders Dr Fosdick's name Is not mentioned men men- in the complaint the protest being made made agal against st his sermon Shall the Fundamentalists Win upon which there were heresy charges against him The complaint complaint com corn plaint sets forth that the action of the presbytery was contrary to the mandate of the general assembly di directing directing dl- dl It Jt t to take action aswill aswill as aswill will require the preaching and teaching in the tho First Presbyterian church of ot New York to conform to the system of doctrines taught Inthe inthe in inthe the confessions conCessions of faith The presbytery committee report Adopted by the presbytery oh on February February ebru ary 4 by a vote of to 22 held that Dr Fosdick's conformed conformed conformed con con- formed to the doctrines of ot the church Dr W. W D. D Buchanan pastor pastor pastor pas pas- tor of the Broadway PresbyterIan Presbyter- Presbyter Ian church and an acknowledged leader Jeader of New York fundamentalists fundamental fundamental- lists protested against this action and decision of the tho presbytery and notified the body that the complaint which Is made public today would be filed PEACE IN COMMUNITY The complaints say they believe the controversy aroused by the sermOn sermon ser ser- mon men caused the division in the church upon which the general as assembly assembly assembly as- as based Its 1923 action resultIng resulting resulting result- result Ing In the Issuing of the mandate to the New York presbytery The general assembly Is asked to determine determine determine deter deter- mine the Important matters Involved In the controversy so as to se secure secure secure se- se cure tho peace and unity of the church at the earliest possible day The complaint sets forth among other things that The action of Ithe the pres presbytery suggests a doctrinal standard for ministers of other denominations teaching In Presbyterian pulpits and the taking of ot voluntary vows different from those taken In the ordination of ministers of or our own denomination This Is dangerous proceeding as s It effects two standards standards standards stand stand- ards for ministers in the church HIGHLY INJURIOUS We believe the action of ot the presbytery is highly injurious to the best interests of religion and minimizes minimizes min mm- the historic witnessing of the Presbyterian church to the I evangelical doctrines of bt ChristianItY Christian Christian- ity I The action of the presbytery falls fails to disclaim dangerous errors in the sermon Shall the Win Vin and similar teachings of the pulpit of the First PresbYterian Presbyterian Presby PresbY- terian terlan church of New York The session and pastor of ot said church by means of ot their and obligations must be le assumed to be he bein bein hein in agreement with the standards of the Presbyterian church yet it is la regrettable that they allowed a sermon sermon sermon ser ser- mon to be circulated that Impugns the very doctrines that they profess to uphold ANSWER IS FEARED The answer of the presbytery of New York to the of the general assembly will have the effect of encouraging dissemination of such views and will further increase increase in increase in- in crease the present disquietude in inthe inthe inthe the said Presbyterian church and practically set at nought the de de- de of ot the assemblies of 1910 and the positive of 1916 and the reaffirmation of 1923 The action of the presbytery of New York puts the stamp of approval apprOval approval ap ap- ap- ap by one of our presbyteries upon teaching and preaching of ot doctrInes doctrines doc doe trines trifles judged by many to be contrary contrary con con- tracy to the doctrines of the confession Confession confession con con- of ta faith th of ot the Presbyterian church but also to those of historIc historic historic his his- and arid evangelical Christianity repudiates the glorious history ory of scriptural testimony by the Presbyterian Presbyterian Pres Pres- church in all its history |