Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-27
Saturdays Session Of the Pan-Presbyte-
rians-. Religion VS. Science--Hon. Horace
Day Causes Commotion-Prof Flint on
Agnosticism.

rians-- Religion VS. Science--Hon. Horace
Day Causes aCommotion-Prof. Flint on
Agnosticism.
PHILADELPHIA, September 25.-Re-
veaed religion in its relation to science
and philosophy, formed the topic of
discussion in all the papers read at to.
days sessions OF the Pan. Presbyterian
Council. After the usual devotional
exercises. Henry Calderwood, LII. d.,
of Edlnburg. read paper on the subject
OF the relations of science and theology,
during which the author briefly and sew
orally reviewed the distinctive anti
theological peculiarties Of the writings
OF Tyndall, Darwin and Huxley.
This paper was followed by one by
DR.. McCosh, President OF Princeton
College. Owing to the restricted time
DR.. McCosh was able to read only por-
ton OF his paper, epitomising in the
briefest manner possible, the great bulk
of its contents which, according to the
title of the paper, dealt with the ques-
ton of how to deal with young men
trained in science in this age OF unsettled
opinion.
Afternoon Session.
Hon. Horace Maynard presided at the
afternoon session. Before the regular
business was taken up resolution was
adopted proridingior the appointment Of
committee to consider and report
at the next council on applications for
membership in the Alliance.
Hon. Horace Day then moved that
the committee to be appointed have
power to pass an application for admis-
sions to the present council. He re-
marked that an application of the Cum
berland Presbyterian Church for admis-
sion had been rejected, although that
church represents one hundred and
thirty thousand people, who are strictly
Presbyterian in their policy and Presby-
terian in their doctrine, except the
questions relating to the predestination.
Mr.. Day asked how many OF the
churches represented in the council
believe in these articles, and added that
if the Westminster catechism were TO
be written tomorrow, lie believed that
a majority Of the churches would favor
the
Omission ofa Great Deal Now In 1t.
This remark elected chorus OF such
cries as "Order," order" "No," etc.
After warm discussion Mr.. Days mo-
tion was adopted.
The order Of the day was a paper on
"Apologetics' by Rev. Ed. ID. Pressener,
ID. d.. of Paris, but as that gentleman
was absent and the paper he had written
was in French. it was referred to the
Publication Committee.
Prof. Flint read a paper on "Agnos-
ticsm." Briefly put, his definition OF
"Agnosticism" was that spirit which
challenges but refuses to be convinced
by evidence, We live, he said, in an
age when large number Of people in
sist on being guided in religious mat
ters by the exercise ofprivate judgement
when unfortunately they have
Very Little Judgment to Exercise.
We live in a critical and analytical
age, and numbers are apt to adopt
agnostic views and support them by
what they term critical methods. In
the speakers opinion, the only method
by which agnOsticsm can be met in
way that will have permanent effect, is
by opposing to its narrow spirit plety
and TO its plausible hypothesis conclu.
sions drawn from all classes OF relevant
fact. In word, by sound, thorough,
intellectual biblical scholarship. Prof
Flint said he had great respect for Cal.
vim, believed in the doctrine the West
minister catchism, but he utterly re-
pudlated the notion and one that was
largely cauSeful OF agnostlcsm.