The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-05-08
Foa THE CENTRAL PnFsnrrEnlAN.
Management Of Union Seminary.

3. Some objections to the proposed
transfer viii be now considered.
1t may be propef to say, that the
scheme as presented by the committee
and adopted by the Synod of N. Carolina
avoids the chief difficulty suggested, wher
THE transfer was first proposed. 1t was
objected that the Assembly is an insult
able body for electing Professors, and
that this had been proved in many cases.
where such elections had been the fruit,
full sources of unseemly intrigues and
maneuvres, and sometimes had been car
ried contrary to the acquisitions of truth
and justice, and the best interests of the
church Now, not to say that, to some
minds elections under different and al
legged purer auspices, have been liable
to similar criticisms, and that human ma
ture being much the same everywhere,
we 7cannot-exyoct any plan be entirely
free of defects or unattended with abuse;
it still remains at least questionable,
whether, even admitting the existence OF
the evils named, as good Professors have
not been obtained by the elections of the
Assembly as in any other way; and
whether, considering other advantages OF
the transfer, we might not risk some
thing to obtain them. However, the
plan before us avoids this, by delegating
to the Board to be appointed by the As
sembly, the election of Professors.
Q.) But it is objected, that this trans
fer involves the acknowledgment of "in-
competency" on our part, to the manage
ment Of 0,u o,0n affairs" j"
Now it is not admitted that the proper
training of ministers by men set apart
for the purpose, is specially the ''affair'
of Synod or two of them. True, in the
early time, when the whole matter was
in its beginnings, the Assembly remitted
the duty to Presbyteries. And in most
important sense, to those bodies the right
training of ministers properly pertains.
But experience having developed the ne
cessity of Theological Seminaries, itwas,
as the Importance of the work required,
decided by the Assembly to be best, on
the whole, that for the RIG ght management
of such Institutions, and especially for
securing unity and harmony, the collect
ed wisdom of the whole Church repre-
sented in the Assembly must be called
into action. Besides, the act of transfer
in this case, is no more an acknowledge
ment of ''incompetency" than was that
of the Synod of Virginia in transferring
the Theological Seminary of 1922, to
Hanover Presbytery, or of the latter, in
1885, in transferring it to the Synods Of
North Carolina aud Virginia. But afte,
all, may not merchant doing a very
fair business on his own capital and pat
ronage, take partner with additional
capital and patronage Without exposing
himself to the charge of ''incompetency?''
Truly, in this case of the Seminary, as
in that of the merchant, there may be
competency to a certain erte,t, but incona-
potency for larger business-an incom-
potency, rather arising from the want Of
adequate facilities.
O. But large part of "the members
of the. ASSEMBLY never saaO the Seminary
and never "feh any particular interest
IN it." r.a.G ..as...r
Just so. And it is not likely such in
terest will soon be excited, while it is
kept in corner. 1t will be said, per.
haps, that the good character of the
Seminary. will best make it known. Your
correspondent elsewhere complains of a
defect in management, by reason of fre-
quent changes in the members of the Di-
rectory, end that the Seminary has suf
fered by the lack of interest for it on
account of this defect Might it not be
replied that good school will also cure
all Mats The truth is, that light is moi
to be put under bushel. Not denying
at all the Importance of good school =
an element of success which is indispen.
sable-still all agree that we should avail
ourselves of all proper methods to pub.
lish the fact, as widely as possible, thai
there is such a school. With a good
Seminary, the more it is known, the more
will young men frequent it, and thus
their character and reports act as addi
tional means for yet greater success.
g. The experience Of the Church is
adduced to show that connexions with
the Assembly are not peculiarly auspici
Gus. The case of Princeton, which is the
most conspicuous illustration of the adj
vantages of such connexion, is summa
rily disposed of, by referring its success
to the absence of rivalry and the rare
fortune attending its earlier appoint
ments. All this may be conceded, anc
yet it is just in the case of Princeton
that most of the alleged disadvantages
of such connexion have been developed
But Notwithstanding all, and notwith
standing the rise of Seminaries, managed
on a different, and, as claimed, better
mode, Princeton has suffered no abate
ment of success.
The Assembly in 1853 established
Danville Seminary, and it was fast rising
in character and numbers, when the wal
came on. Columbia never had any rela
tions to the Assembly, and it was, it il
said, mainly by the personal weight O
one man, that it emerged from lons
chronic depression. Union, with it
semi-national Church relation, in sever
years rose from three to fifty students
Had DIR. Rice lived and succeeded in es
tablishing it on the basis proposed, tha
prosperity would no doubt have continu
ed. As to Allegheny. while cheerful,