The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-25
UNION SEMINARY LINES Up.
ITS ORTHODOXY TO STAND OR rALL
WITH DR.. RRIGGS'S.
Faculty ana Students Applaud Dr. Vincent
"r Progress II Heresy We sre Ready -
be ('On$1ctcd," Snys y Director.


rseuity ana students Applaud Dr. Vincent
"H Progress u Her~sy We sre Resdy -
be Convicted" Says = Director.
As was indicated In Yesterdays SUS. Prok
Marvin n. Vinccnt's opening address yester-
day to the students Of Union Theological Sem
mary was practical declaration of principles
on behalf OF the faculty and directors Of the
institution. 1t followed closely tho views 81
DR.. Briggs himself and foreshadows the pnr-
pose of tho seminary to lot its orthodoxy stand
or fall with Trof. Briegs's President Thomas
8. Hastings said to q reporter OF The suS after
tho address. extracts from which appeared in
yesterdays Sun. that DR.. Vincent had stated
in different dress several of the principles
already laid down by DR.. Briggs which have
been made the ground for tho accusation that
he was hetcrodoN.
We nre all heartily in accord with the des.
larntions in DR.. Vincents address, said DR..
Hastings. and we arc prepared to stand by
them. too. He has raised tho flag under which
We propose to carry on the hight. or course.
upon these very principles part Of tho arraign-
ment Of Dr. Briggs before tho Now York Pros
hytery next month may be founded, hut that
is not going to deter us from maintaining our
ground"
In the chapel Yesterday DR.. Hcs.!ngs pre-
sided and with him ga, several Of the profess
sors including DR.. ]. II. Worcester recently
chosen tn MI tho chair OF Systematic Theolo.
gy. Directors and friends Of the institution
sat in the pcws and nearly all Of tho students
wore present.
DR.. Vincent spoke for over an hour lilo de-
carcd that II was impossible to maintain that
inspiration means literal incrrancy. and that
God gave his original written revelation In in
GRANT autographs. That assumption could
only he indicated by producing the inerrnnt
autographs.
Our formula Transportation" he said. must
he constructed from the Bible as il Ia. and not
from m imaginary Bible. II tho texts Of our
Greek or Hebrew Bibles show that tho contents
are not literally accurate and consist ont 10
date. quotation. and other detail. exegesis CONF
rels us to abandon not inspiration. but that
particular theory Of inspiration
1t was more the duty Of the critic. he said
to pick flaws in tho monstrositics which have
been built up on tho Bible than in tho Bible It.
self. It was the duty Of the critic to expose tho
iallacics 81 those who claim for tho Bible what
it does not claim for itself
81 agree said he. with my friend Dr.:
BrGTs that the ScrEtnres must he interpreted
probation must DO nnlcrod upon in q spirit Of
sympathy with the divine element Of the Book
to He ds t tha the revision Of the Isoef
carried. ..*:iherS should be ssmethins. NOES
should be looked to. Principles we're formu-
lated in tho seventeenth century from inter-
pretations which modern exeKesis would not
recognizes In many instances the texts have
no more relevancy to the principles which
they are supposed to establish than the Ill
ad' OF Homer. or the Frogs Of Aristophanes
have; It is the basis OF Interpretation that
should be revised"
This plain statement brought out a storm of
applause from the students. Another sp-
plauded statement was:
Creeds have their place. but the Scriptures
are the only infaible rule Of faith and prac-
tice
p When he came to his final declaration that
its faculty, and directors stake their salvation
ed again. When the address was finished
cent and shook his hand. The sentiment on
all sides was one of approval. aud this was ee-
necially noticeable among the young candi-
dates. When 1t was suggested to one Of the
directors present that the conviction Ct DR..
Briggs would mean conviction Of the SEMI
nary. he said:
We'll. We are ready for them. II progress 10
heresy. we will WELCOME conviction for it,
Ono Of the friends Of DR.. Briggs noticed =
man in the audience who was an avowed op-
.,o, Th h.; man., h. said; "wss present at De-
and he watched the proceedings narrowly.
We learned then that he was doing this in tho
interests Of the nnti-Brggstes. and have no
doubt that he has come on from the Weet t.
get more material to use against Dr. Briggs
and Union Seminary in the future"