Swing's Sermons [pp. 512-532]

SWING'S SERMONS.
had only fragmentary newspaper and hearsay reports. We con fine ourselves to the authentic record his own published volumes
afford. We now express, therefore. no judgment about the trial,
or the conduct of the various parties to it. Indeed, all parties
concerned in it are of no further account to the church at large
than as they represent principles whichl are liable to be incorporated into her future life. And, in regardcl to these, we will only
say-1. That our church will not add a plank to her acknowledged doctrinal platform which will hold such theology as these
volumes promulgate, and that every attempt to wedge in such a
plank will be resisted to the last. 2. The same church is opposed to and will discountenance needless and litigious prosecutions, which are not necessary to preserve her fundamental
principles, or are persisted in beyond the necessity of the case
for securing this indispensable result. And she will hold those
called in Providence to this work where made necessary to a
reasonable, but not an unreasonable, responsibility for any rashness or other unwisdom of procedure which needlessly jeopards
the cause of truth. As to the application of these principles.
which, in the long run, cannot but prevail, it must, for the pres.
ent, be left to the Christian conscience and judgment of the various persons and courts called to act in the premises.
Since the foregoing went to press, the following editorial leader has appeared in the New York Evangelist of July 2. It bears so many marks
of expressing the deliberate judgment of that important portion of the
Church whose opinions are likely to find responsible and representative expression in this way, that we copy it entire.
THE CHICAGO TRIAL.
"During the progress of the trial of Professor Swing by the Chicago Presbytery,
we abstained from much comment on the case, preferring to wait until the whole
matter was before the public. And now we see no occasion for entering into the
controversy, though it may be well to sum up the results so as, if possible, to allay
the unhappy strife. There is no necessity for embroiling the whole Church with
what, in some of its aspects, is local and personal.
1 We suppose that there is a general acquiescence in the decision of the Presbytery, acquitting Professor Swing on the charges as presented. Many impartial
persons, aloof from the excitement, on reading the charges and the evidence, were
convinced from the first that this would probably be the result. For the Presbytery was sitting as a court, and was restricted to the evidence. To convict a man
of heresy, and of ministerial unfaithfulness, ought to require unequivocal testimony. If such indubitable testimony be not always demanded there will be no end
of the stirring up of strife. The charges against Professor Swing were definite;
530
[JulV.r