The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-09-26
Pau-pressyterian Council.

papers read at to-day's session OF the Pan
Presbyterian council. Rev. DR.. Green, Of
Princeton college, presided at the morning
session. Professor Henry Calderwood, LII D.,
OF Edinburgh, read paper on the relations
OF science and theology, during which the
author briefly and severely reviewed tho de-
struciye archaeological peculiarities of the
writings Of Tyndall, Darwin, Huxley and 9th
or modern scientiest who have sought to con-
trovert the bible association on scientific
hypothesis, having described the boundaries
of theology and science, and argued that in.
reference between the two is mythical. The
author made an elaborate point that religion
has been assaulted, especially from the
ground of scientific Inference and not
from science tself A fact 70 be faced,
however, was that there had been
firmly proclaimed antagonism to the recog.
milton of the supernatural and these circun-
stances. 1t belongs TO theologians to make
their appeal TO Intelligent men by clear
statement of their position. That theology
has received the able support from science
was illustrated by the speaker citisg cases in
which the svowal OF the christian faith has
been made in all ages by men who had made
scientific rese'rch the study of their lives.
He observed that scientific men do not par.
ticipate 10 assaults made upon the christian
church, and they who do so are not scientists
that they are scientific was not denied, hui
tho speaker did deny that they were engaged
in scientific work.
This paper was followed by one by Dr.
James McOosh, d. d., L. L. D., president Of
Princeton college, New Jersey. Owing to re.
stricted time DR.. MoCosh was able
to read only portions of his paper An cpl
tomism in the briefest possible manner Of
the great bulk of its contents, which, &C
cording to the title of the paper, dealt with
the question of how to deal with Young mer
trained in science in this age of unsettled
opinion, was as follows: His advice was tC
deal tenderly with young mer
and prepare them thoroughly
with every possible intellectual
equipment, and he advised especially tina
teachers should be cautious of speaking II
an auth 1ratative manner of subjects oi
which they were not themselves thorough,
informed. DR.. McCosh gave on interestin..
summary of what he had accomplished du
rir & sixteen years of his ministry, and as III,
head of college in Ireland, together will
what had been done during twelve years
his presidency at Princeton. On the latte,
point he regarded that of twelve hundred
graduates that had left the college during hi:
presidency, only four went away unbelieyers
and of these three are now in the gospe
ministry and the fourth as high up in The
theology class of Princeton, having returned
as post graduate.
Tho reading of these papers was followed
by an usual discussion of them and OF the
preceding papers.
Hon, Horace Maynard presided at the af
ternoon session.
Before the regular business WAS taken ur
a resolution was adopted providing for The
appointment of committee to consider anC
report upon at the next council meeting al
applications for membership of the alliance
| Hon. Horace Day then moved that com
mttee be appointed to have power to pas.
upon applications for admission tc
the present council. he remarked thai
the application Of tho Cumberland Presby.
terrain church for admission to membership
had been rejected, although that church rep
resents one hundred and thirty thousand
people, who arestrIctly Presbyt terrain in their
policy aud Presbyterian in their doctrine, OK.
cept tho nine sections relating to predestina.
ton.
MIR. Day asked how many churches rep
resented in the council believed in these
articles, and added that if the Westminster
cstechispn was to be written tomorrow he
| believed that a majority of the churches
would favor the omission of great deal
now it. This remark elected chorus of
such cries as "order, order, order; no, no,
no." After a warm discussion Mr.. Days
motion was adopted. The order of the day
va; paper on apologetic,, by Rev. D.
Pressner, d d., Of Paris, but as that gentle
man was absent and the paper he had sent
was writteni in French, 1t was referred to the
publication committee.
Professor Flint read paper on agnosti-
cism. Briefly put, his definition of agnosticsm
"as that the spirit which challenges but re-
fuses to be convinced by evidence We Iva,
he said, in an age when large number of
people insist on being guided in religious
matters by the exercise of private judgment,
when, unfortunately, they have very little
judgment to exercise. We live in critical
IN ,lytical AGE and numbers are apt
to adopt sgnostcsm views and
support them by what they term critical
methods. In the speakers opinion the only
method by which sgnosticism can be met
and in the way to have permanen. effect is
BY opposing its narrow spirit; in word, by
sound, thorough, intellectual biblic.l
scholarship. .
Professor Flint said he had
great respect for Calvin and
believed in tho doctrine Of the Westminster
caiechisn, but surely repudiated the notion
that il is largely the cause of agnostici;m,
that the study of theology came to and with
the production Of that cstechism. In con-
clusiou Professor Flint said that each indi-
yidual could, by the beauties of SCIENCE Wig
orous christinn life, present againet agnost-
cism more powerful argument than could
possibly be put into words.
The formal greeting from the Methodist
ministers of Philadelphia was read and res
oluton acknowledging its receipt YVES
adopted by the council, which then ad-
journed.
A Virginia Murder Trial.
Petersburg Va. Sept. 25.-Testimony in
49, .o,o 80 Tohn Nrorr;tt NOM r, tr;ol L.,