as a personal Savior, which alone is of religious value, and which the Confession emphasizes.

Now, moderator and gentlemen of the court, I respectfully submit the case to your judgment. The evidence shows that I admit a bias in the inspired writers sometimes affecting their statements of fact. Your committee have failed to show that this is contrary to the Scriptures or the Confession of Faith.

Your committee have failed to show that I deny the infallibility of the Scriptures as the rule of faith and life.

Your committee has failed to show that my doctrine of inspiration is in any way contrary to that affirmed in the Scriptures and the Confession.

Your committee has failed to show that I advocate anything out of harmony with the facts of Scripture or with the statements of Scripture rightly interpreted.

Your committee has failed to show that I have in any way impugned the essential and necessary articles of the Westminster system.

On these grounds I respectfully ask, that in accordance with the law and the evidence, and with my own plea, I may be found not guilty of the charges brought by your committee.

[Transcript from the Records of the Presbytery of Cincinnati of action taken at a meeting held in the First Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, Tuesday, December 13, 1892.]

JUDGMENT.

IN THE CASE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AGAINST THE REV. HENRY PRESERVED SMITH, D.D.

Presbytery, after careful deliberation upon the charges, specifications, and testimony, has arrived at the following conclusions:

1. Charge I, and the two specifications under it, are not sustained. Dr. Smith is, therefore, declared not guilty of this charge, and is hereby fully acquitted.

2. Charge II is sustained. All the specifications under this charge are also sustained, except the VIIIth, which is not sustained.

3. Charge III is sustained. All the specifications under this charge are sustained.

Charges II and III have thus been proved, and Dr. Smith is found guilty of both these charges.

Therefore, the judgment of the Presbytery, sitting as a court, is, that the Rev. Henry Preserved Smith, D.D., be, and hereby is, suspended from the ministry of the Presbyterian Church until such time as he shall make manifest, to

the satisfaction of Presbytery, his renunciation of the errors he has been found to hold, and his solemn purpose no longer to teach or propagate them.

At the same time, Presbytery expresses the kindest feelings toward Prof. Smith, and it makes this disposition of the case only because the interests of truth imperatively demand it.

This certifies that the foregoing is a true copy of the Judgment of the Presbytery of Cincinnati in the judicial case of The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America against the Rev. Henry Preserved Smith, D.D.

Attest:

EDWARD T. SWIGGETT,

Stated Clerk of Presbytery of Cincinnati.

CHARGES AND SPECIFICATIONS

SUBMITTED TO THE PRESBYTERY OF CINCINNATI, OCTOBER 17, 1892, AND AMENDED NOVEMBER 29, 1892.

CHARGE I.

The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America charges the Rev. Henry Preserved Smith, D.D., a minister in said Church, and a member of the Presbytery of Cincinnati, with teaching (in two articles in the New York Evangelist, dated respectively March 10, 1892, and April 7, 1892) "contrary to the regulations and practice of the Church. founded" on the Holy Scriptures, and set forth in the Constitution of said Church, that a minister in said Church may abandon the essential features of the system of doctrine held by said Church, and which he received and adopted at his ordination, and rightfully retain his position as a minister in said Church.

SPECIFICATION 1.

He teaches erroneously in the New York Evangelist, March 10, 1892, that a doctrinal qualification is only required in the officers of the Church at the time of ordination.

SPECIFICATION 2.

He teaches erroneously in the New York Evangelist, March 10, 1892, and April 7, 1892, that whether in any individual case the Church requires continued adherence to the doctrinal standard received and adopted at ordination, is only to be made known by judicial process.

(370)

CHARGE II.

The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America charges the Rev. Henry Preserved Smith, D.D., being a minister in said Church and a member of the Presbytery of Cincinnati, with teaching, in a pamphlet entitled "Biblical Scholarship and Inspiration," contrary to a fundamental doctrine of the Word of God and the Confession of Faith, that the Holy Spirit did not so control the inspired writers in their composition of the Holy Scriptures as to make their utterances absolutely truthful; i. e., free from error when interpreted in their natural and intended sense.

SPECIFICATION 1.

In a pamphlet entitled "Biblical Scholarship and Inspiration," published by the said Rev. Henry Preserved Smith, D.D., in different editions in the year 1891, which pamphlet has been extensively circulated with his knowledge and approval, he teaches that the inspired author of Chronicles has asserted sundry errors of historic fact.-Pages 92, 100, 101 and 102.

SPECIFICATION 2.

In the pamphlet referred to in Specification 1, he teaches that the inspired author of Chronicles has suppressed sundry historic truths, owing to inability or unwillingness to believe them.-Pages 104, 105, 107, 109.

SPECIFICATION 3.

In the pamphlet referred to in Specification 1, he teaches that the inspired author of Chronicles incorporated into his narrative and indorsed by his authority material drawn from unreliable sources. -Pages 101, 103.