New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-06
STILL FIRM FOR DIR. BRIGGS.
ACTION OF UNION SEMINARY DIRECTORS.


VIEWS ABOUT THEIR TRANSFER OF THE
PROFESSOR FROM ONE CHAIR TO An
oTHER-ADv1cE FROM PRoMG.
NENT LAWYERS.
special meeting Of the directors Of the Union
Theological Seminary was held yesterday after
noon at o'clock in the board room Of the seminary
building, No 700 Park-ave. There were only
three ahsentees. John Taylor Johnston, William
f. Dodge and the Rev. DR.. John McC. Holmes.
All the Others to the number of twenty three, ar
rived promptly, and nearly all remained until
the session closed at half-past O'Clock. These
were Charles Butler, president; John Crosby
Brown, vice-president; Ezra NJ Kingsley,
secretary; the Rev. Drs. Thomas s. Hastings,
president of the college; Da vid r. Fraser, Charles
A. Dickey, EBlSne n. White, Charles II. Park
hurst, Stephen w. Dana, James Hall Mcllvaine
John Hall, Charles Cuthbert Hall, James VI. Lud-
low, Robert Russell Booth, Edward L. Clark and
Wilton Merle Smith The lay directors present
besides the president, vicepresident and secretary
were William A. Booth, Henry Day, ID. Willis
James, William A. Wheeoc<, d. II. McApin.
Morris X. Jesup and William w. Hoppin, jr. Pro-
fessors George Lewis Prentiss, Marvin r. Vincent,
Owen II. Gates and Charles r. Gillett, Of the
faculty, were also in the board-room during the
session.
The meeting was called TO consider business " in
the interest of the seminary" and while it was eX
pected that some action would be taken looking
to the filling of the vacancy caused by the death
of the Rev DR.. Henry Van Dyke. recently elected
to the Roosevelt chair of systematic theology, the
centre of interest was the attitude likely to he
assumed by the seminary through its directors
toward the General Assembly in the case of
d. D.i,. ,ltr lata
in session at Detroit adopted resolutions providing
that committee consisting of eight ministers
and seven ruling elders be appointed by the AS.
semby TO confer with the directors of the Union
Seminary in regard to the relations of the Sem
mary TO the General Assembly and report to the
next General Assembly.
For the first time in long while the venerable
President of the Board, Charles Butler, occupied
the chair and called the meeting to order. Soon
afterward, however, he requested the vice -presi-
dent, John Crosby Brown, TO relieve him of the
duty of presiding, and took his seat with the di-
rectOrs.
The first business introduced was the death Of
DR.. Van Dyke. The discussion on the filing Of
the vacancy was brief, informal and inconclusive.
The action Of the General Assembly in disappearing
the transfer of Professor Briggs to the chair of
Biblical Theology was promptly brought
forward, and legal opinion prepared
by William Allen Butler was submitted. This
treated cXhaustiyely of the distinctive rights en-
joyed by the seminary under its charter, and also
criticised the action of the Board in 1870, whereby
the right TO veto the appointment of professors in
the seminary was delegated TO the General AS
sembly. The position taken by Henry Day, in
the interview published in The Tribune of May
30, was wholly sustained, namely, that the Union
Io1o ;ol4
the General Assembly for certain purpose, at
certain time and without any consideration, pos
sessed the power to annul that act, and to recall
the privilege thus accorded, at any other time
that they might think proper, in the
interests of the seminary as an institution
OF learning. 1t also became known that eX-Judge
Noah Davis on reading Mr.. Days views given
in The Tribune, voluntarily prepared legal
opinion substantiating in every particular the
grounds taken by Mr.. Day. and this was also in
the hands of members Of the Board as further
legal support for any action they might take.
The following resolution introduced:
Resolved That this Board of Directors after having
So S reason TO change their views on the subject Of
he transfer % Of c dr. dn BF ana b feel bound and IN the
stitutiOn 10 adhere TO the same.
The adoption of this resolution, it was held,
was necessary at this juncture. The committee ap-
pointed under the resolutions of the General AS
sembly have not yet communicated with the
thortics of the Union Seminary The members
of the Board will be scattered, not to return
until autumn, after their vacations. Meanwhile
the attitude Of the seminary would continue to
he a subject OF conjecture. While out of courtesy
to the Assembly committee the directors could not
take up in advance other points involved
in the controversy they felt that they
were sufficiently informed on the general sub
ect TO understand that sooner or later they would
he called to reveal their true attitude on the
question, and that it was due TO tie public and
TO the institution to make known without any
delay or crcumlocution whatever just how they
stood in the matter of approval of DR.. Briggs's
transfer and their right Of independent action in
the premises. The discussion lasted for over
two hours. and was participated in by all present
except three. When the vote taken
there were only two dissentelp. 1t was noted,
however, that the Rev. DR.. John Hall retired from
the meeting on the plea of important en-
gagements elsewhere before a vote was reached.
II was also said that the two dissenting votes
were cast by William A. Booth and the Rev DE-
Robert Russell Booth.
About half an hour before the adjournment of
the meeting, the venerable Professor George Lewis
PrentiSs came out OF the room and walked sowly
along the corridor. reporter sitting near saw
that his gait was unsteady, but suppoSlng
il was due TO the natural fecblcneSs Of
old age. made no ofeT OF assistance. As ne
turned the corner Of the hall to enter The recep-
tion-room Professor Prentiss grasped steam-radi
ator, his knees knocked together and he looked
around him in a dazed sort OF way. The reporter
sprang t. his side Just in time to prevent him
from falling The Professors head sank for,
ward on his breast, and the reporter, assisted
Inv the anitor, carred him into the re-
cSption-rooin For IA couple of minutes he was
and there was no pulse observable
at his wrist. After a few minutes, however he
revived: cold water was given him and
he was soon able 20 speak lie re-
maincd in the reception-room until DR..
Hastings could excuse himself from the delibera-
tions i'm the directors room, when the two left
the building together. Professor Prentss insist
ing upon walking. Tie attack was apparently
only one of faintncSS, resulting probably, as he
explained from weakness caused by prOtractcd
cold from which he is suffering.