The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-25
THE EVOLUTION or ADAM.
Action of the Board OF Directors of til
Theological Seminary on the Theory.

Action OF the Board OF Directors of tho
Theological Seminary on the Theory
The annual meeting OF the Board of
Directors Of the Presbyterian Theoiogi.
cal Seminary, which hes been in progress
journed yesterday. Hon. James Hemp.
hill Of Chester, President of the Board
was detained at home by sickness, and
Judge T. B. Fraser was President pro
tenn. Rev. J. B. Mack, ID. D.. Secretary
Of the Board, was present. Eleven Of
the thirteen Directors were in attendance.
A report was submitted showing the
bright prospects under which the Semi.
nary had opened on Monday, the 18th
instant Twenty nine students are now
in attendance and the number it is be
lieved will be increased to forty by the
lst of October.
Professor J. II. Ray yhill, of Illinois,
has been engaged as teacher Of elocu
ton, and his course Of instruction will
be commenced on the lst of October.
The Directors had All exhaustive dis.
cussion Of the recent address of Profes.
sor James Woodrow on Evolution"
which has attracted so much attention
throughout the length aud breadth of
the land, and The discussion of which
consumes large portion of nearly every
| Presbyterian publication in the United
States, and especially in the States whose
Synods control the Seminary.
a paper was introduced strongly com.
mcnding DR.. Woodrow and endorsing
nearly all the positions taken by him in
the address on evolution.
| For this a substitute was offered which
enjoined upon DR.. Woodrow 10 cease
| teaching in the Seminary The views that
evolution is Gods plan Of creation and
that the body of Adam was probably
evloved from beast. This substitute
was voted down.
The following substitute was then in.
troduced, and was adopted by vote of
8to3:
The Board having carefully considered
the address Of DR.. Woodrow, published
in pursuance Of the Request, of this
Board. adopts the following
1st. Resotred, That the Board does
hereby tender TO iDr. Woodrow ills thanks
for the ability and fai,hfulness with
which he has complied with its request.
I'd. That in the judgment of this
Board the relations subsisiing between
the teachings of Scripture and the teach
ings of natural science are plainly, cor.
rectly aud satisfactorily set forth in said
address.
Sd. That the Board is not prepared to
CONCUR in the view expressed by DR..
Woodrow as to the probable method of
he creation of Adams body-yet in the
judgment of the Board there ia nothing
in the doctrine of evolution, as defined
and limited by him, which appears in.
consistent with perfect soundness in the
faith.
18th. That the Board takes this occa-
siap TO record its deep and ever growing
sense of the wisdom of our Synods in
the establishment of the chair of "ths
Perkins pToftssoTsiiiiP Of as:..a.. s1:eaoo
iii connection with rassistian,' ana Q:
| the Importance Of such instruction as is
thereby afforded, that our ministry may
be the better prepared to resist the OBJ
, jections Of infidei scientists and defend
the Scriptures against their insidious
charges.
| The minority then entered their pro-
test against the action Of the Board in
refusing to eojoin on Professor Woodrow
not to teach that evolution Is Gods plan
of creation and that the body Of Adam
was probably evolved from the lower
animals. The reasons given in the pro.
test are:
l. Evolution is an improved hypothe.
sis, and the Seminary is not the place for
such teachings. @
2. Belief in evolution chapges the in.
depreciation of many passages OF Scrip.
ture from that now received by the
church.
8. The view that the body of Adam
was evolved from lower animals, and no.
formed by supernatural act Of God, is
dangerous aud hurtful.
4. The theory that Adams body was
formed by the natural law Of evolution,
while Ewes was created by O supernatu.
raj act of God, Is contrary to our con-
fession Of faith as that confession of
faith has been and is interpreted by our
| church.
s. The advocacy of views which have
received neither the endorsement of the
Board nor that of the Synods having
control of the Seminary which have
not been established by science; which
have no authority from the Word of
God which tend to unsettle the received
Interpretation of many passages of Scrip.
ture and TO destroy the confidence of tho
church In her doctrinal standards; which
have already produced so much evil, and
which will injnre the Seminary and may
rend our church, ought not to be aito,ced.
This matter will be carried before the
four Synods controlling the Seminary
and be adjudicated by them. These arc
tie Synods of South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama and Florida. In the meantime
Professor Woodrow "holds the fort"