1 June 1935 A.D. Prof. J. Gresham Machen of Princeton
Seminary—Ecclesiastical Trial
Archivist. “The Ecclesiastical Trial of Dr. J. Gresham
Machen.” This Day in Presbyterian
History.” 1 Jun 2014. http://www.thisday.pcahistory.org/2014/06/june-1-2/. Accessed 1 Jun 2014.
June 1: The Ecclesiastical Trial
of Dr. J. Gresham Machen
What follows is a reproduction of a
news clipping from an unidentified paper, providing a contemporary account of
the ecclesiastical trial of Dr. J. Gresham Machen in 1935. The photograph is
from an earlier date, perhaps March 1, 1935:
PRESBYTERIANS TO DISCIPLINE ACTING
ELDER
Assembly Orders Synod To Act Against J.E. Bennett, Of
N.Y.
REFUSED TO QUIT INDEPENDENT BOARD
Dr. Machen’s Group Loses New Move; Church Rift Widened
[By the Associated Press]
Syracuse, N.Y., June 1 — The one hundred and
forty-eighth assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. ordered
disciplinary action today against a New York city acting elder for his
participation on the Independent Board of Foreign Missions, a fundamentalist
group. The assembly instructed the Synod of New York to instigate action
against James E. Bennett, New York lawyer, for his refusal to resign from the
independent organization. Previously the Presbytery of New York had refused to
act.
Formed by Dr. Machen
Formation of the independent board in 1924 by the Rev. Dr. J. Gresham Machen, of Philadelphia, rivaling the officially recognized group, precipitated a fight between fundamentalists and modernists. Dr. Machen and several associates already have been tried on charges of refusing to resign from the board, decisions in which are expected to be handed down by the judicial committee either tomorrow or Wednesday.
Formation of the independent board in 1924 by the Rev. Dr. J. Gresham Machen, of Philadelphia, rivaling the officially recognized group, precipitated a fight between fundamentalists and modernists. Dr. Machen and several associates already have been tried on charges of refusing to resign from the board, decisions in which are expected to be handed down by the judicial committee either tomorrow or Wednesday.
Told To Quit Quarreling
The 1,000 clergymen and laymen attending the assembly heard an appeal today to quit “quarreling about how you interpret the Bible and make God known to the children.” Offered in the form of a floor motion, the appeal came form David Bogue, of Portage, Wis., an elder, after several hours discussion on various subjects, participated in by fundamentalists and modernists.
The 1,000 clergymen and laymen attending the assembly heard an appeal today to quit “quarreling about how you interpret the Bible and make God known to the children.” Offered in the form of a floor motion, the appeal came form David Bogue, of Portage, Wis., an elder, after several hours discussion on various subjects, participated in by fundamentalists and modernists.
Wild Applause Given
The assembly broke into wild applause. The motion was referred to the general council for consideration. Only a few moments before the assembly heard the Rev. Robert L. Vining, of Mifflinburg, Pa., criticize the Board of Christian Education for distributing literature “saturated with modernism and typical of much of the literature published by the Board of Christian Education.” The Rev. Mr. Vining mentioned these booklets specifically. They were titled “Christian Beliefs” and “A Survey of New Testament History,” by Eliot Porter, widely used in Presbyterian conferences, and a primary teachers’ pamphlet. The Pennsylvania minister attempted to amend the board’s program for the coming year to eliminate “such expressions of modernism,” but the assembly voted to refer the motion to committee.
The assembly broke into wild applause. The motion was referred to the general council for consideration. Only a few moments before the assembly heard the Rev. Robert L. Vining, of Mifflinburg, Pa., criticize the Board of Christian Education for distributing literature “saturated with modernism and typical of much of the literature published by the Board of Christian Education.” The Rev. Mr. Vining mentioned these booklets specifically. They were titled “Christian Beliefs” and “A Survey of New Testament History,” by Eliot Porter, widely used in Presbyterian conferences, and a primary teachers’ pamphlet. The Pennsylvania minister attempted to amend the board’s program for the coming year to eliminate “such expressions of modernism,” but the assembly voted to refer the motion to committee.
Vote Is Delayed
The fundamentalist minority suffered a further setback when the assembly refused an immediate vote on its proposal to restrict members of the Board of Christian Education “to only such members who are faithful to the doctrinal standards.” The proposal, drafted by the fundamentalists headed by the Rev. Dr. Machen, was referred to the committee on policy.
The fundamentalist minority suffered a further setback when the assembly refused an immediate vote on its proposal to restrict members of the Board of Christian Education “to only such members who are faithful to the doctrinal standards.” The proposal, drafted by the fundamentalists headed by the Rev. Dr. Machen, was referred to the committee on policy.
Long Delay Seen
This action, it was pointed out, generally means a deferment of consideration for at least another year, or may “pigeon hole” the measure for all time. The fundamentalists sought to instruct the Board of Christian Education “that no one who denies the absolute necessity of such loyalty to the Bible, to the confession of faith, shall serve on its staff.” The assembly’s action further widened the breach between the fundamentalists and modernists, marked within the last twenty-four hours by another attack by Dr. Machen upon modernist doctrines.
This action, it was pointed out, generally means a deferment of consideration for at least another year, or may “pigeon hole” the measure for all time. The fundamentalists sought to instruct the Board of Christian Education “that no one who denies the absolute necessity of such loyalty to the Bible, to the confession of faith, shall serve on its staff.” The assembly’s action further widened the breach between the fundamentalists and modernists, marked within the last twenty-four hours by another attack by Dr. Machen upon modernist doctrines.
Developments Listed
These were the rapid-fire developments as the one hundred and forty-eighth assembly moved into its fifth day:
1. Dr. Machen, fundamentalist leader, reiterated that the Judicial Commission decisions last week against his faction “renders inevitable a division in the church,” and charged that the present organization is “dominated by a modernism which is profoundly opposed to the Christian religion.”
2. Announcement of a meeting tomorrow night of Machen followers to discuss preliminary plans for creation of a separate church, preparatory to the Philadelphia convention late this month of the Constitutional Covenant Union.
3. Fundamentalists protested what they termed modernistic policies by the Board of Foreign Missions in China, and prepared to demand a reorganization of the Board of Christian Education “so as to assure the teaching of our doctrines.”
These were the rapid-fire developments as the one hundred and forty-eighth assembly moved into its fifth day:
1. Dr. Machen, fundamentalist leader, reiterated that the Judicial Commission decisions last week against his faction “renders inevitable a division in the church,” and charged that the present organization is “dominated by a modernism which is profoundly opposed to the Christian religion.”
2. Announcement of a meeting tomorrow night of Machen followers to discuss preliminary plans for creation of a separate church, preparatory to the Philadelphia convention late this month of the Constitutional Covenant Union.
3. Fundamentalists protested what they termed modernistic policies by the Board of Foreign Missions in China, and prepared to demand a reorganization of the Board of Christian Education “so as to assure the teaching of our doctrines.”
Preaches Sermon
Dr. Machen’s latest attack upon the modernist doctrines was made in a Sunday sermon in which he criticized what he termed the church’s demand that “we ministers submit our consciences to a living and shifting human authority.” “To that demand, he declared, “we must say very simply that ‘we ought to obey God rather than men.’ We cannot agree to take the Bible from our pulpits and put the last minutes of the General Assembly in its place.
Dr. Machen’s latest attack upon the modernist doctrines was made in a Sunday sermon in which he criticized what he termed the church’s demand that “we ministers submit our consciences to a living and shifting human authority.” “To that demand, he declared, “we must say very simply that ‘we ought to obey God rather than men.’ We cannot agree to take the Bible from our pulpits and put the last minutes of the General Assembly in its place.
[article transcribed from page 3 of an as yet
unidentified newspaper]
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