Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-02-20
EXCITING MUCH INTEREST,".

e
EXCITING MUCH INTERRsT.
seminary students ana she American
board Policy.
The recent discussion and vote of students
of the Yale theological seminary on the ques-
ton of sending contributions to the American
board has excited no comment about the
country. Among the press comments on the
subject is the following from yesterdays
Springfield Republican:
Since the postponement by the prudential
committee Of the American board Of deci-
sion on the application of Mr.. Covell (which
has been followed by Mr.. Covell's withdrawaD
Rev. DR.. Storrs, president of the board, has
published two letters. In the first he made
1t unmistakabls that he himself had been
treated quite a. unfairly - Mr.. Covell and
that the prudential COMMITTEES or others
speaking for them had misrepresented his
position and their own. He had not believed
in the postponement; he had only acquiescsd
In 1t. In his second letter he urged patience
and faith and showed that he had both and
was confident that his view would win.
There was excellent advice in 1t and sound
principles were stated. He would always
look for the s'positivs spiritual elements in
ones faith" rather than for exact theological
statements, and he hoped young men intend
ing to be missionaries would not be led to
expect "harsh suspicion or technical narrow
ness" from the committee.
But with all possible respect for DR..
Storrs, young men who cannot pronounce a.
certainly on the doom of the heathen as they
can on the existence of God, do feel that the
doctors phrases were admirably chosen to
| 5>so (6>4 q n& oh 1ao1x for
from the committee. This has Just been
shown by the senior class in Yale theological
seminary. For two years, by vote of tho
Seminary Missionary society, yearly collec-
tions have been taken up in each class for
each of the four Congregational societies.
This year several members of the senior class
did not favor sending q contribution to the
American board, but rather to some other
foreign missionary. agency, or directly to
some missionary. It was agreed to send tho
contribution, and with 1t formal protest
against the attitude of the prudential COM
mittee toward candidates. But as only twen-
ty- two out of forty-ons voted for the protest
eight voting negatively and eleven not vot-
ine), there was likely to be a minority report,
and under the circumstances the faculty very
properly disapproved of the protest, and it is
not likely that ono will be sent. Nevertheless,
that more than half the class of this sound
Congregational seminary, In which probation
after death has never been taught should feel
this distrust of the repository of the Ameri-
can boards authority, is certainly a serious
matter.
1t comedies with this discussion in the
senior class that q canvass has been made by
member of the class of such students in
the seminary az he should meet in two days
last week. He talked with eleven seniors,
three in graduate courses, six of the middle
and two Of the lower class. All these were
opposed to the policy of the prudential
committee, and nearly all vehemently 30.
OF these, nine who do not intend to 90 "a
missionaries said that If they did 60 intend,
they felt that they would be refused because
Of their position; yet they would apply. be;
contribute to bring the committees policy
into ill-repute and 30 hasten q change. Six
more would not apply, because it would be
unworthy of their manhood to subject them
selves to such an inquisition. Three Others
objected to the practice of "digging into
the recesses Of the soul" to ascertain
immatsrial points of personal opinion.
Two who are studying for mission
one because he holds the same position as
Mr.. Covell, the other because he objects ito
the notoriety that rejection would give me-"
This last agrees with DR.. Storrs in his oriRi-
nal position, but regards his present position
a. q surrender. One more declared that
under the policy of the board the missionary
impulse had stopped. Finally, one who had
applied and been accepted last autumn de-
ciared that, nevertheless, he did not know
anything about the Fate of the unenlightened
heather. The senior who collected these
opinions added the suggestive statement that
the case of the successful applicant, together
with that of one holding similar views who
was accepted by the committee a. abouS the
same time, led to the feeling that tho pru-
Dental committee are inclined to be easy
with Yale. "while holding the whip over
Andovsr." This may be unfair, but such
vicious conduct a. that of The Covell case
provokes unkindly Judgment.
At the same time, We find In Boston LETT
ter in the New York Evening Post, inspired
from the Congregational house, . very roseate
view Of "ths American student missionary
uprising" under the name Of "The Student
Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions"
This association, the correspondent states,
numbers 4, 847, of whom 500 have Joined in
the present academic year, al of whom OK
were at Mortified, In Noody's Mount Her
mon conference, in the summer Of 1856.
There are members In seminariss, colleges
and normal schools, and interest IL worked
mp by visitation. The executive committee
10 constituted of one member eash from the
college Young Mems Christian association,
the college Young Women's Christian as-
ISOLATION and the intsr.seminary Al
lance. It has chairman and three secreta-
enthusiastic organization are felt In the APP
plications for service under the Baptist
board, land the same is true of the Congre-
gstionalists." The relative effects are meas
ured by the correspondents further state
ment that "of the members of the volunteer
band 1914 have already sailed and ten more
are under appointment" by the Baptist board.
Az for the American board, during the pres.
cut fiscal year, which began September 1,
1859, there have been nineteen persons com.
missioned, eight of whom are men. The
correspondent does not make . very favor
able showing for the American board, MOI
does his presentation of the interest at Yale
ssmineEy help the case.
Tho truth ID, that the policy Of the pruden-
tial committee does not commend itself to
| the natural constituency Of the American
board. Even in this volunteer association,
which from Its origins should scarcely favor
Andover theology, 1t 10 weak. It can but b.
recognised - out of chord with Congrega.
| tionalism; and whether intending mission.
aries be - rigid ~ DR.. Alden, - balanced q
DR.. Storrs or ~ progressive - Egberi
Smyth himself. they are not drawn to thu
American board under present conditions
They can try the Presbyterian or the Baptis,
boards, II they want stiff doctrine behind
them; but If they want to 70 forth on tn,
basis of simple New England Congregation
alism, without more exorbitant condition.
or more prying inquisitions than they wouli
be subjected to If they were asking for set
Element over church, they have simply go
to wait until the prudential committee is re
formed, unless they can be commissioned b,
some particular church ~ Mr.. Noyes was.
1T 10 MUCH NEEDED.
An Additional Building for the Y0unl
W0men's Christian Association - 4
Few Interesting Facts.
To the Editor Of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
Nearly ten years ago the Young Women
Christian association was organized In thi
city. II began Its work in few rooms Of
Chapel street. Very soon 1t was obviou
that the pressing need Of the association va
homo where the young stranger girls o
New Haven might be ''mothsrsd." A lad
| -. v,r~ okfos1 - -srv, .haaptn1 -hosa kun.1