New-York tribune., 1880-09-26
P1NPRESBYTERL1N COUNCIL.


TO SCIENCE AND PHILosoPHY-wHAT WAS DONE
IN THE AFTERNOON AND EvENING-PAPERs BY
DIR. M'cosH, PROFESSOR CALDERwooD AND
oTHrRs
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 25.-The topic dis
cussed in the papers read at todays sessions OF the
Pau Presby eran Council in Horticultural Hall wa
Revealed Religion in its Relation TO Science and Phi
losophy."
After the usual devotional exercises which were con
Quoted by the Rev. DIR. Green OF Princeton College,
president OF the morning sesslon Professor Henry Cal
derwood of Edinburgh read paper on the subject OF
the Relations OF Science and Theology, In which the
speaker briefly reviewed the distinctive antitheologca
uecuiartes OF the writings Of Tynda Dar win, Huxley
and other modern scientists who have sought to conro
vert Bible asse rtons scientific hypOheses Having
described the boundaries respectively OF theology and
science Professor CaderwOod dwe upon the point that
religion has assaulted especially from the ground
of scientific influence and not from science ITSELF The
fact to be faced however, was that there had been
ercey proclaimed antagODism TO the recognition OF the
supernatural and under these circumstances it belongs
to make their appeal to intelligent men
h. clear statement of their position. That theology
has received able support from science was Illustrated
by the speaker. who cited cases In which avowals OF
Christian faith had been made In oil ages by men who
had made scientific research the study OF their lives
He observed that scientific men do not as body partc
nate In assaults made upon the Christian church. and
scientific not denied; but the speaker did deny
that they were engaged IN scientific work.
This paper was followed by one by DR.. McCosh, OF
Princeton College Owing TO the restricted time, DIR.
McCosh able to read only portions Of his paper,
epitomizng III brefest manner possible the great
bulk Of its contents which. according TO the title Of the
paper dealt with the question of How to deal with
Young men trained In science in this OF unsettled
opinion" His advice to deal teDderly with young
men, and prepare them thoroughly with every possible
intellectual equipment; ard he advised especially that
teachers should be cautious of speaking In an authors
tive manner subjects IN regard to which they were
not themselves thoroughly Informed Dr. McCosh gave
an interesting summary Of what he had accomplished
during the sixteen years OF his ministry and the head
OF college In Ireland; together with what has been done
twelve or his presidency at Princeton
On the latter point he remarked that of the l.200 grad
had left the college during his presidency,
only four went away unbelevers; and OF those four
three are now the gospel ministry, and the fourth
stood high In the theological class OF Princeton, having
returned as postgraduate The reading Of these
papers was followed by tho usual discussion Of them
aud Of preceding papers.
The Hon. Horace Maynard presided at the afternoon
session.
Horace Day then moved that the committee to be ap-
pointed have power to pass upon applications for ad
mission to the present Counc IL. He remarked that the
applications OF the Cumberland Presbyterian church had
been rejected although that church represents 130 900
people who strictly Presbyerian in their poity
doctrine except regard to the nine sections relating
to predestnatiOn. Mr.. Day asked how many churches
represented the Council believed In those articles
and added that n the Westminster Catechsm was to
be written tomorrow. he believed majority of the
churches would favor the omission of great deal nov
in 1t. This remark elected chorus OF such as
"Orderl" "Orderl" "No!" Not" ETC. After a
warm discussion Mr.. Days motion was adopteo.
The order OF the day paper OH "Apologetics."
4, rnPD D,rta
gentleman absent and the paper which he had
tlon Committee Professor Flint read paper lag.
nosIeism" Briefly put, his defintOn OF AgnOsticlsm
that spirit Which challenges bu refuses 10 be
yinced by evidence We live said the speaker
ca analytical and numbers apt To adopt Az
views, support hem by what they
lca methods. AgnOsticism could be met by "A sound,
thorough intellectual Biblical scholarship. In concu
SION, Professor Flint said that each individual conld by
the beauties OF sincere. vigorous Christian ie present
AGAINST AguOstcism "A more powerful argument than
could pOss ibly be put into words
A formal greeting nom the Methodist ministers OF
Puliadelph read, and resolution acknOw edging
its receipt adopted by the Council, when then ad-
jOurUed.
Tne delegates to the Council given social re,ep
iUn this by the PresDJ terrain Board of Publica-
tlOn, al the Publication rooms. On raised platform
the largest rcvn under arch formed Of n0wers aud
eyergrrens. pictures Of tue late Row Drs ADAMS
Bcaile ana Boardman.
After u prayer by tue Rev DIR. X. NJ Patterson, of
Pbladrlph t. \. Rollins delivered brief nddrcss of
welcome after which the delegates and their friends
passed the evening IN social enjoy mont.