Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-31
A PRESBYTERIAN WAR.
Progress of the Fight Between Lib.
erals and Princeton.
BIG WIRE-PULLING UNDER WAY
For Two Important Positions That Are at
Present Vacant.
TWO STRIKING REVISION CHAPTERS


Presbyterian standards of faith and prac
tice, many more secrets of an interesting
character concerning this important body
may be expected The authorship of thu
new chapters con the work of the HOLY
Spirit" and ION the offer of the gospel tc
the heather" may be disclosed. Up to the
present time every one of the 25 members Of
the committee except DR.. Francis L. Patton
has been credited with the authorship Of
these two remarkable additions to the
Westminster Confession of Faith.
These chapters, which even Princeton adj
mits to be finely conceived and felicitously
expressed, have met with almost universal
admiration and approval They tell about
the evangelization of the heather, an enter
prise OF which John Calvin and the West
minister divines had not the faintest shadow
of an idea, and their place in a modern
creed, in view of the vast sums spent in
mission work, is certainly necessary. As
their ultimate incorporation into the archaic
doctrine is absolutely assured, there is un-
diving fame for the author, whoever he is.
HOW THEY WERE MADE
The secret is that the two chapters were
prepared as follows: The five chief theo-
riS of Cincinnati; William H. Green, of
Princeton; Henry J. Vsndyke, Sr., of
Brooklyn; Herrick johnson, of Illinois, and
William II. Moore, of Columbus each pre-
pared a draft of the new chapters. These
drafts were submitted to two sub-commit-
tees, each composed of the five theologians
Dr. Norris was chairman of the "Holy
Ghost Committee" and DR.. Green of the
Gospel Committee" and the hands of
H., - ii Al,
suggestions of their fellows penned the two
chapters respectively. Notwithstanding
this active work Of DIR. Green, Princeton,
an institution of which he is the head-cen-
ter, extends its disapproval even to these
two chapters.
The wording of the report on revision, as
prepared by Chairman William C. Roberts,
d. D., Ii. D., President of Lake Forest
University, a Presbyterian school near
Chicago, has excited comment. Accompany
ing parallel arrangement of the sections of
the confession and the proposed changes in
the report, are some remarks on how and
where the work was done. 1t is here that
the criticism rests. The flowers of Western
rhetoric have not the soft fragrance and
delicate tintS of those that bloom in the hot
houses Of the East.
SOME BAD METAPHORS.
The metaphors and simile are bad, from
Princeton standpoint. They are not in the
manner and style approved at Eastern seats
OF learning, although the author
is the President of college
For instance, DIR. Roberts says that
the changes and amendments were 'forged
by heaviest hammers;' the professors dis
played ''the glittering of polished STEEL"
the shepherd" made pathetic appeals ito
let down the tender grass of the Word to af-
ford the lambs opportunity to feed
thereon the ruling elders ''keen blade
was as effective as the clergymau's "broad- |
sword" the pruning knife was in some
instances too sparing OF the creed and in |
Others precious limbs were lopped off by |
it; the reckless penknife of Jehoiakim'' |
also had IT'S work TO do, along with the |
heavy hammer, the polished steel, the keen |
blade, the broadsword and the pruning |
knife.
OF far deeper interest to the Princeton |
anti-revisionists would have been details as |
TO who used these different edge-tools, and |
on what particular parts of the Con- |
fession. Who, for instance, struck |
the sledge-hammer blow that knocked out |
'ToreordinatiOn to sin and to Its punish |
ment in the third chapter" and who piled |
the manicure scissors when infant damna-
tion was shipped off the creed
TO SUCCEED HIS FATHER.
Young Henry Van Dyke, the popular
preacher at the Brick Church, New York,
aud the distinguished Tenny sonian scholar
and art critic, is in training for the mantle
of his late father, the Rev. DR.. Van Dyke.
That eminent theologian died suddenly
last MAY, during the session of the Detroit
General Assembly that passed SO severely
upon the case of DR.. Briggs it was said
during the debate at Detroit that the Briggs
controversy caused DR.. Van Dykes death.
he left vacant two important positions.
One the professorship at Union Seminary,
q, chair occupied by the two greatest theo-
3ogicans of the Presbyterian Church, Henry
Boynton Smith and William G. T. Shedd.
The other is a membership in the Revision
Committee
A Young Chicago preacher of great prom
Use, John Hopkins Worcester, Jr, got the
professorship without asking. The other
place is coveted by the son. The E0dngelist,
the church organ, is printing series of ar
ticles by the young New Yorker on revision.
The Judgment expressed by members of the
upon these, as far as they have
is that the broad-cut mantle of
Dr NanDvke would be sat misft on the
of the son.
As a matter of fact, the committee will
elect the Rev. Thomas S. Hastings, DID,
L. D., President of Union Theological
Seminary, 20 the vacant place. DR.. Hast
ings was originally appointed to the COM
mlttee, but ill-health caused him to resign,
aud Dr. Robert Russell Booth. a director of
| Mon Seminary and also of Princeton, was
given his place. DR.. Booth is moderate
while DR.. Hastings is strongly
in favor of recasting the ancient document
GOOD MEN NEEDED.
Still the revisionists were masters of the
situation, and numbers were not a question
Of Importance. Now the exigeEey demands
not only a revisionist to fill DR.. VanD yke's
place, but a revisionist with brains. Strong
against the proposed revision are DR..
Green, DIR. Patton and DR.. Riddle, men of |
vide influence and surprising genius. With |
he Princeton forces against the report the |
must get their strongest man.
This consideration lets out youn. Henry 4
NanDyke. Another important considera-
ion is that Union Seminary should be rep Z
resented. DIR. Hastings satisfies these con-
;iderations. But the Briggs trial is on and {
hat will take his time and attention for the
lext six months
The only Union Seminary man available {
md acceptable to the committee is DIR.
Worcester, of Chicago He will be elected '
yhen DR.. Hastings declines. The double
ionor of receiving unasked both the impor- Q
ant posts held by so eminent scholar as ]
Jr. NsnDyke is enough to turn the head of !
n older man than DIR. Worcester. Thus j
}hicago takes the two places {
The Briggs men and the reyisionists have
oined hands TO accomplish the election of {
he Rev. Charles L. Thompson as Moderator I
# the New York Presbytery Dr. Thomp-
on is q warm supporter of DR.. Briggs, and
5 a member of the Chi Alpha Club He is
10 longer possessed of the conservative f