Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-26
rnE WOODROW CONTROVERSY.
TAe Sober Second Thought of the South
Carolina synod.

Carolina synod.
The action of the Presbyterian synod Of
South Georgia and Florida in voting to
/ grant DR.. Woodrow, the deposed Perkins
/ professor in Columbia University, trial,
and the similar action of the South Caro-
/ lima synod is likely to cause more OF stir,
/ if possible, in the church than the matter
mas up 10 this time. The controversy
grew out Of the action OF the board Of
directors first, in asking DR.. woodrow
| TO resign from the protess0rshlp Of nat
! ural science in connection with reVela-
ton, and their subsequent action IN re-
moving him peremptorily from bis char.
The debate in the South Carolina synod
on the adoption Of the theological SEMI
nary committees recommendation that
the synod withhold its approval Of the
directors in removing Dr. Woodrow re-
suited, as announced IN the NEWS yes
terday, in ais favor.
/ Dr. Mack, who is regarded as the head
/ and front OF the opp0si ton to DR.. Wood
row, delivered very close and logical
argument sustaining the action OF the
! board. He said, among other things, that
/ a clamOr had been raised not so much in
the Presbyterian church as in the secular
( papers, which sought to show that the
synod should cisapprOVe OF what was
done according TO law by the board Of d.
TectOrs and according TO a covenant
that existed between the professor and
the synod. He trusted that those who
were to vote on the subject would not be
sWayed by such popular clamOr, and,
above all, would not be actuated by SYM
patty for any man, but let the law govern
the case. DR.. Mack then considered three
main points of his argument: First, did
the board Of directors have the right to
M 4 f.I 81
ond, did they give him sucn trial as they
were competent TO give? And third,
ought they to have asked him certain
questions before adopting the resolutions
asking HIM to resiguf
Revs MOrris, Pratt, Shepherd, Crosby,
Jordan, Dunlap, and DR.. Girardeau took
prominent parts in the debate. At the
conclusion Or. Woodrow was invited to
reply, but evidently feeling confident of
the result. he declined to speak at any
length. He, however, took occasion to
correct the remarks of one or two OF the
speakers, who, he said, had misappre-
hended the force and direction of the
statements contained in his letter to the
synod. On one occasion during DIR. Cir
ardeau's remarks he interrupted the
speaker to say that he did not use the
language attributed to him (WoodrOw. J
The colloquY was as follows:
Ut. W 0OuFOW-l must peg leave TO correct
DR.. GIrardeau's mira prehenslon. | said
that If / taught in the seminary I would be
obliged to teach what believed But | never
said l would Zach. | only affirmed the
fact that in teaching this subject, if / taught
II at all, would have 20 teach what l believed
TO be true.
DR.. Girardeau-Then I understand that If
you were TO continue to teach in that institu-
ton you would be obliged TO teach evolution.
DR.. WO0drOW-NO! no! / say il / continued
to teach IN that institution on the subject of
evolution, would still believe it to be true in
the way have so often said. and in the way
believe it now.
DR.. Girardeau-Now, then, Mr.. Moderator,
we have the conviction out of his own mouth.
Then turning to DR.. Woodrow, am TO un-
derstand that II YOU were TO teach as pro-
fessOr in that institution that you would I've
obliged to stop teaching evolution altogether
TO avoid teaching u as probably true?
DR.. WOodrOw-Most assuredly. If had re-
NAMED in the seminary after the synods had
declared on the subject, 1t would have been
discontinued.
DR.. G,rardeau-Yes; knew that that
would be his only escape. For If he meant to
90 on teaching nothing in this world would
have stopped him. For has he not said
already that he would not bow to any human
authority, and, II l understood him, not even
20 the church Of Christ. Wen. all I can say is
that That is admirable pride. but / doubt il it
be religion. Why, you know that for him to
leave out evolution would he as impossible as
for Macreadv to play Hamlet with the part
OF the prince Of Denmark" left out. He
says. Mr.. Moderator. that he would not have
taught evolution at ALL That won't do. Evo-
luton must be taught, but so taught that our
standards aud the blessed Bible shall be yndi-
Gated as against evolution, and not evolution
against the Bible.
IN conclusion, DR.. Girardeau said:
protest against this synod voting that the
board Ia heen guilty of voting against DIR.
woodrow. The case on the other side has
not been made out. But let us beware how
we hurl Indictment against the blood OOrn
Bride of Christ, Let not those who think
that they have been injured by the action Of q
board treat the church with Indignity or ao-
cuse the church Of being guilty OF an atrOclOus
crime. The question before us, cay, is. has
Dr. Woodrow been treated uniustly or has
the church been 80 treated3
The result of the debate, despite the
logic and brilliant elOquence of the oppO-
sition, was large majority vote in favor
OF Dr.. Woodrow, emphatically disapproV-
ing the action OF the seminary directors.
A Columbia special says the effect Of
the evolution controversy has been DIS
astrOus. The theological seminary that
usually, at this time of year, is most
lOurishing, is at present in a weak con-
ditiOn. The injuries il has substained by
the recent evolution difficulties is visible.
There are only % students now in attend
ance, while at this time one year ago there
were twice that number. 1t is to be
much regretted that contentious and
controversies should have arisen. for it
has certainly been the cause OF shaking
the foundation of one of the Hottest and
purest institutions Of the present age, and
caused it to tOtter and almost fall
1t is dreary sight that meets the eye
in passing the seminary. The large build
ings that usually have been filed with
Jealous, enthusiastic students, are now
almost empty. The pine grove that has
so long been the resort for the young men,
and where, during the afternoons, could
be seen groups of them at study OF recre-
alton. is now deserted and silent. Those
stately old pines that for more than half
century have looked down with solemn
pride and reverence, aud have seen Pal
mer and ThOrnwell, Grardeau, and host
OF others pass from beneath their shades
into world Of greatness. now seem 10
drop their heads in humiliation, and as
the cool autumn breezes pass there seems
TO echo from them in silent voices re-
QUEEN OF lamentatiOn that their sanotlty
and holiness should have been disturbed
by the contentious and strife that belong
TO the world and not TO the church.
Not only has Columbia and the Presby-
terrain church sustained a shock. but the
whole theological world has suffered.
Like the tiny sparks from the electric kew
touched OF by tue child Of Newton that
caused the bosom Of the earth 20 cOnvulse
aud tremble, aud the bed Of mighty
waters TO uDheaVe. so that little evolution