The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-15
Scotland's Heretic.
A Description OF Robertson Smith.
London world.t

lLOnu0n W0rlQ.J
Passing along Union street, Aberdeen, In
westward direction, abost o'clock Of an AFTER
noon, whea the colleges 1of the Granite city
are In session, the chances are that yoa will
meet-or might have met before he was sas-
pended-a slimly built young man Of small
stature. Accompanied probably BY q student
"a budding divine-to whom he il chatting
cheerfully, and carrying beneath his arm q few
books, there is little about his general appear
ance to attract the attention of a stranger. II
you happen to stand aside for moment, how
ever, you will perceive that one Of two persons.
proceeding in the same, direction Is yourself.
nudges his compapion as they pass the little
man. and both turn and look after him. A
mere boy he looks, and yet there is something
unusually striking about the round, cheerful,
beardless face and dark brilliant eyes, shaded
by q soft wide-awake hat-something which
tells OF hard study and deep thought. In
few minutes he leaves the student and hurry
ing along Crown street. enters the door Of his
house. You then discover that the person you
have been watching is none other than Mr.
William Robertson Smith, Free Church pro-
fessor, the accomplished scholar, the learned
writer, the keen debater, ,cwho has, during the
past few years. fairly outwitted the .Fattsfs
and Brethren in General Assembly, and who
has shaken ecclesiastical Scotland to il very
centre. elj e5 S1 ont inc-s n5a3 -l11o1, allJ
y A very plain house outside is that inhabited
by Mr.. Robertson Smith, and, Is becomes the
residence Of q scholar, it is plain inside. Be-
yond an excellent library. furnished with all
the latest leading works in theology, phiioso-
ply and phiiology, there is very litsle for
visitor to notice. The only residents in the
house are the Professor and his housekeeper
He seldom entertains .company, except WHOM
some Of his friends from the South-Professor
Candlish, or mayhap Professor Lindsay-pay
him visit; and then few, ef tbs local clergy
College, and several Others, are invited 10 meet
them The Professors yolubiIity is great and
he keeps up q rambling FIRE Of talk the whole
evening. The next moye on the part Of his
discussed, and many Of what his opponents
consider felonious little schemes are hatched
then and there. The charges which have
been brought against Professor Smith by q rec.
tion of his Church have been as varied as they
have been numerous. Approaching Holy
Writ as Hebrew scholar, unsurpassed at the
present day, he has played sad havoc with
some Of the old traditional notions which, in
Scotland particularly. have gathered round 1t.
He questions whether Moses left ia writing
looks upon the story OF Ruth not as literal
picture OF what occurred, but as "sraceful
prose idyl;" much of what is generally as
crbed to Solomon he thinks was not ,written
by him at all; while the sketch Of Jonah he
regards as q parable attached to o historical
name. $50 ''' Q. 9Glsls2q % a1oas 81
b Mr. Smith was born at Keig-Toueh, g beau
tiful spot near the Vale of Afford, Aberdeen
shire. in 1S47. He is the son Of the Rev. will
liam Pirie Smith, d. d. Free Church minis.
ter there. The lad may be said to have. eocu-
pied an educational hot bed for the first dozen
years OF bis life. He could read Hebrew at
six years Of age. He Was educated at Aber-l
deem University, where he had . mest distin-
ic. philosophy and mathemstics. After lsav-
ing Aberdeen he spent several years ct the
Universities Of Berlin, Bonn and GottingeH,
his attention while there being more PARTIES.
larly directed to the study Of the Semitic Ian
guages. Soon after returning to Scotland, and
when only twenty-hour years Of age, be was
appointed Professor OF Oriental Languages
and Old Testament Exegesis In the Free
Church College, Aberdeen. His distin-
guished talents and scholarly research soon
brought him into notice, and he was
chosen member Of the Bible Revision
Committee. He was more recently engaged as
one OF the staff contributors TO the new edition
Of the "Encyclopsdia Britannioa," |" and It is In
connection with his writings on Biblical sab
jeets to this publication that the proceedings
for heresy were first taken. 1t Is now over
four years since Professor Smiths article on
the Bible appeared in the Encyclopaedia. Sey-
eral Of the views set forth regarding some Of
the books OF Scripture notably the writings OF
Moses-were considerably In advance of those
generally entertained In the Church to which
he belongs. These views might, however, have
passed unnoticed had Professor Smiths abif
ties not excited the jealousy Of an Established
Church professor in Edinburgh University
who, with the evident intention Of at once
damaging Professor Smiths reputation and
doing an injury to "the Church over the way
called attention to them. g ---
When Professor Smith occupies any OF the
large towns in Scotland, the churches are
crowded, and on . recent occasion hundreds
failed to gain admission. But he cannot be
said to be a successful preacher. His place Is
in the classroom or lecture-hail, and not in
the church.. During the years of his suspen-
sion Professor Smith visited Europe and Ara
bia for linguistic purposes. He travelled much
Of great value to the learned world. He
brought home copies of many ancient inscrip-
tiOns to be found on the monumental stones
and buildings there, and several of which have
hitherto bafied the learned, he has, it is be-
lieved been able to decipher. He has been again
and again asked to leave his chair for occupa-
tions more distinguished and remuncrative;
but he continues TO stick to 1t aud is deter
mined to show that freedom of inquiry is not
incompatible with the standards of the Free
| Church. The youth and talent OF Scotland il
| on his side; and whether he win this fight or
| lose it he will have the satisfaction OF having
| done much to advance the real and permanent
interests Of truth. II the Free Church parts
| with Professor Smith 1t will not only lose its
most distinguished scholar and ablest debater,
| but one of the most sincere Biblical critics
which the century has produced.