“Presbytery's Lively Day.” New York Times, December 12, 1899, page 8.

PRESBYTERY'S LIVELY DAY

Warszawiak Case Referred to the General Assembly Again.

MAY BE NO McGIFFERT TRIAL

Dr. Evans Moves Members to Tears and Stops Action on West Presbyterian Church Matters.

The New York Presbytery again discussed the Warszawiak and McGiffert cases yesterday, with other matters of importance. It was admitted by those ministers who are disinclined to secrecy that the meeting was quite as animated as any that has preceded it within the last few months. One member of the Presbytery went so far as to say that the controversial spirit aroused reminded him of a political caucus where two factions were pulling in different directions.

The Presbytery suspended action in the Warszawiak matter, under stress of protest from members of the Fifth Avenue Church Session, and threw the case back into the hands of the General Assembly.

The question of what to do with Prof. McGiffert was long debated on the report of the special committee, and the resolutions of the Rev. Drs. Van Dyke, Brown, and Johnston, and the committee not having time yesterday to reach a conclusion decided to hold an adjourned meeting next Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock.

An attempt to appoint a committee to make further inquiries in regard to the differences in the West Presbyterian Church, which it was reported had long ago been settled and which in effect meant reopening the old troubles of the pastor, the Rev. Anthony H. Evans, provoked a spirited controversy, but in the end Dr. Evans triumphed.

In the Warszawiak case Moderator Duffield at the last meeting was empowered to appoint a commission to consider the matter. But this was not done, as Dr. Duffield could find no one willing to serve on it. The debate yesterday was precipitated by the Rev. Dr. Booth, acting moderator of the Fifth Avenue Church Session, and Elder William Campbell. They appeared in strong protest with the complaint that the action of the Presbytery in authorizing a commission to review the case was a reflection upon the majority of the Session. They declared they would appeal from any action that might be taken to the General Assembly. Dr. Booth strongly resented the criticisms that had been made on his rulings and declared that his name had been brought into the reopened case without warrant. Dr. Booth, it was said, became angry. The result was that the resolution providing for review of the complaint and appeals from the action of the majority of the Church Session was rescinded. Dr. Booth and Mr. Campbell were in a measure mollified.

The case will now go from the Synod to the General Assembly for more adjudication. The Presbytery is relieved of it, but at the same time Mr. Warszawiak's status is a matter of speculation. His counsel, the Rev. Dr. Patterson, says he is a member of the Fifth Avenue Church in good standing. One of the prominent members of the Presbytery gave an opposite view, saying: “Warszawiak is still a suspended member, as he always was.”

The pamphlet giving a comprehensive outline of the McGiffert matter ordered printed for distribution among the members of the Presbytery at the last meeting, was given out yesterday. Its contents include the report of the special committee. The two last clauses of the report show a modification of views in the last few months among the members of the Presbytery. They are as follows:

We express our great regret that Dr. McGiffert refuses to change his views, or withdraw from our communion.

That in view of the fact that this matter is “important, difficult, and of peculiar delicacy,” respecting which the Presbytery is “greatly divided,” and believing that an ecclesiastical trial at this juncture would be a serious detriment to the Church in this city, we overture the next General Assembly, in the exercise of its constitutional authority, to deal directly with this matter as in its judgment may seem best, so as to secure an early and final disposition of it.

From the little that could be learned yesterday, it is believed that in the interests of peace and harmony the whole matter will be dropped.

The resolution to appoint a committee to look “after the affairs of the West Church,” it was said, was offered by the Rev. Dr. Van Dyke. This was supported by the Rev. Dr. J. H. Hoadley, who is reported to have said that he did not like to bear down too hard on a young man, but inasmuch as the West Presbyterian Church had lost many of its powerful members, he thought it was now a matter for the Presbytery to look into. This brought Mr. Smedley of the West Church Session to his feet at once in defense of Mr. Evans. Then the Rev. Mr. Evans spoke in his own behalf. He said he knew not rich or poor in his ministration.

“He made a strong speech,” said a member of the Session afterward, “and I must say that it affected many of us to tears. But the best of all was that the Presbytery voted the resolution down almost unanimously.”

Mr. Evans was seen at his residence last night, but declined to state any of the particulars of the afternoon meeting of the Presbytery.