Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-31
BRIGGS MAN CHOSEN.
Chair of Theology in Union to Be
Filled by DR.. Worcester.
SURPRISE OVER THE ELECTION
DR.. Dickey Finally Withdraws His Prof.
ferred Resignation.
SMOOTH SESSION OF UNION DIRECTORS
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.l !

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.l
NEW York, July 30-The directors OF
Union Theological Seminary in special meet
ing to-day elected the Rev. DR.. John Hop
Rins Worcester, OF Chicago, to the professor
ship of systematic theology. DR.. Charles A.
Dickey, of Philadelphia, was present to
assure the board that he had recon sidered
his determination to resign, and, after listen
ing to the encouraging reports from the
President and Treasurer as to the prospects
for next year, the board adjourned.
The following directors came through the
rain from the various summer cottages to
attend the meeting: Charles Butler, John
Crosby Brown, Ezra NJ. Kingsley, Thomas S.
Hastings, David Frazier, Charles A. Dickey,
Erskine n. White, stephen w. Dana, James
James, David H. McAlpine. Lawyer Henry
Dag and William Wheelock were repre-
sented, it was said, by proxy. The board
met in the directors room of Brown Bros. &
Co. g bank, No. SO Wall street. The hour was
set for o'clock.
DIR. VAN DYKES SUCCESSOR.
The important feature of the meeting was
the election of successor to DR.. Henry Van
Dyke, whose death last May left vacant the
professorship OF systematic theology. A
committee was appointed at the meeting
last June to report at this meeting a
suitable person to fill that vacancy. Sew
eTAl ndIneS naU Deen CnnVaSSeQ, GDem
Perry johnson, of Chicago; John H. Worces-
ter, of Chicago, and S. P. Nichols, of st.
Louis. For some reason these were
laid aside, and the board met,
with the understanding that a
new name would be suggested which would
greatly strengthen the position of Union
Seminary in the controversy.
1t was said before the meeting by mem
Der of the board that when this name was
known, the Presbyterian Church would be
greatly surprised. He assured the reporter
that the board had received information
from this gentleman, who is now in Europe,
that if he were elected by the unanimous
vote of the board, he would accept.
In anticipation of the immediate dispatch
OF the business of electing this man,
arrangements were made for a short meet
ing. 1t was nearly two hours, however, be-
fore the meeting adjourned. And then the
information was given out that DR.. Wor-
cester had been elected to the vacant chair.
SKETCH OF DIR. WORCESTER.
DR.. Worcester is 46 years of age, and grad
uated from the University of Vermont in
1865, and afterward from the Union Theo-
logical Seminary in 1871 He spent two
years in o German university, and was Or
dained pastor of the church at South
Orange He is now pastor of the Sixth Pres
byterian Church of Chicago, one of the
largest churches in that city. He is Presi-
dent of the Union Seminary Alumni Associa,
ton, and at the last meeting of the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian church at
Detroit, he distinguished himself by a
brilliant speech on behalf of DR.. Briggs. He
is now the second member of the Committee
of Conference. Of which DR.. Patton. OF
Princeton, is President, appointed by the
last General Assembly to confer with the
directors OF Union Seminary in the Briggs
case.
Since the adjournment Of the Assembly he
was elected professor of systematic theology
at Danville Theological Seminary, but he
declined. The directors OF Union Seminary
are not sure that he will accept. The direct
ors decline to talk about DR.. Dickey's disaf-
fection, further than to say that he has re-
considered his purpose to resign and that he
would remain in the board. His term ex-
Dires as director ,January IS 1892