Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-28
SPLIT OVER BRIGGS.
More Trouble for Union Seminary Through
the Professor.


is the endowment of 81 900, 900 In a shaky
condition because of the strained rela.
tons between the General Assembly oil
the Presbyterian Church and the Sem
| mary, but for this very same reason five
of the directors may resign. Added to
this is the difficulty OF finding the right
man for an important chair in the
faculty now vacant; the prospect Of an
other vacancy in the faculty through
the early retirement of Prof. Prentiss,
and the trial for heresy Of the leading
professor, DR.. Briggs, to whose defense
Union Seminary Is committed.
The probable resignation Of the di-
rectors is due mainly to the misman-
agement of DIR. Briggs case before the
General Assembly. Because OF criti-
cisms upon his course at Detroit, Dr.
rector Charles A. Dickey's resignation
is now before the board. Six Union
Seminary men v ere chosen as commits
sioners to the General Assembly. They
were probably the strongest men in
tellectually in the Presbyterian church.
DR.. John Hall heads the list. Then
comes Charles A. Briggs, Charles II.
Parkhurst, Erskins n. White, Lawyer
Henry Day and Charles Y. Dlckey, OF
Philadelphia. One OF the six, DR..
Briggs, is professor at Union Semi
nary; the rest are directors. Dr. Dlckey
was present at the opening session of
the Assembly. DR.. Parkhurst pre-
scented his credentials five days late.
The others were represented by alter
mates.
DIR. John Hall would have been
chosen moderator had he taken his
commission as q delegate. In his alb
sence DR.. Green, of Princeton, was
given the honor. And this powerful
Office, which might have been in hands
friendly TO Union, went to her rival.
DR.. Dlckey was q candidate for the
moderatorship, and In the absence Of
both Drs. Green and Hall he could have
been elected. But he gracefully with
drew, and In a fowery speech placed
DIR. Green In nomination.
DR.. Green's moderatorship, the Union
men say, was fatal to their cause. They
blame DR.. Dickey for having made the
speech of nomination. They criticise
him as having given way to the blan-
dishments Of the Princeton men.
Hoodwinked, bamboozled," are the
words used In speaking Of this particu-
lar act.
Soon thereafter the Union directors
met in New York City to consider what
should be done with the Briggs veto.
Dr.. Dickey took occasion TO explain
why he had nominated DR.. Green. He
said that he had done 1t In the interests
ID D,.
was sure to be elected, and that as a
matter of courtesy and at the request
of Dr. Patton he had moved to make
the election unanimous. A week later,
DIR. ParkhurSt, in public manner,
made use of DR.. Dickey's statement.
Thereupon DR.. DickeY wrote out his
resignation as director and sent it to
President Butler. He accompanied it
with letter saying that II he was not
free to speak openly TO his brother di-
rectors in secret meeting Of the board |
1t is necessary for him to resign. The
directors are now urging DR.. Dickey to |
recall his resignation.
DR.. Dickey's place will be hard to
fill. He represents the Philadelphia |
friends OF the seminary, many of whom
have made gifts to the institution.
When his resignation is r c9naSideJSetdi ui in
cOnncCViOu WIN MS OV"i % w
it is likely to strengthen him as can
iidate for the moderatorship OF the
next Assembly.
DR.. John Hall has intimated that he |
also will resign. He left the last meet
ing OF the directors in an unhappy |
frame OF mind and he has since critl-
cized the course of Union Seminary as
sntaQonistic to the General Assembly.
II is said that at the next meeting OF
union directors DR.. Halls resignation
will be read.
1t is only a question OF atime, also,
when DR.. White will resign. de holds
a position under the Assembly as cores
bonding secretary of the Board OF Church
Erection, and he cannot continue as
director of a seminary unfriendly to
the General Assembly. Both DR.. ROBERT
Russell Booth and Elder William A.
Booth are hostile to the present course
OF the seminary. DR.. Booths lighting
Qualities are prime, and he has been d.
rector since the war, but his resignation
would not be unexpected IL 1t were read
at the next meeting Of the board. a sue
cessor must also be chosen to Dr. Henry
Vandyke, whose death last May con-
tinued the long-standing vacancy in the
chair OF Systematic Theology. DR..
Vandyke was chosen, not alone for his
scholarship, but because he was known
throughout the church as a strong con-
servatiye and a strict Calvanist.
Just such a man is what Union now
wants. Especially is this necessary in
the present critical state OF the relations
of the seminary with the church. For
with the prospects Of fight with the
Assembly, few Conservatives would oe
found willing to join the faculty. Many
names of men were canvasSed, among
others, DIR. John II. Worcester, OF Chi