The Portland daily press., 1892-07-26

thought and service. Are the half dozen
men who form the majority-the men
that would be chosen by any assembly
of Biblical scholars, or of theologlans-
to formulate the results of modern IN
quiry? The whole thing the moment
it is taken out from the shadows OF
hoary institutionalism and looked at IN
the light of truth and reality and COM
mon sense and congregational fellow
ship and Christian practicalness, is seen
to be as great an absurdity as 1t is Vlo-
lation of sacred obligations. !,
But the most significant fact is the
coincidence by which, just at the time OF
these public attacks upon the seminary,
comes the unwelcome news OF the re-
newal of the litigation respecting the
right of Prof ,Egbert Smyth to continue
in his chair in the seminary. Two OF the
original complainantS who began the
contest in 1S86-the Revs. Joshua Well
man and o. 7. Lamphear-have called
upon the Board of Visitors to give them
hearing, and the visitors have served
papers upon the compliments, the
Boards of Trustees, and Prof. Smyth
ordering them to appear before the V1sl-
tors Sept. in Andover.
Those most conversant with the facts
do not believe that this hearing will re-
L
insist upon one the Visitors will have to
grant it, but the present complaints have
not the moral mental, OF financial back
ing they had when they originally pros
ecuted in 1867. If the question OF re-
opening the litigation is left to the
Board of Visitors it will not be re-
opened. The majority of the board are
men too level-headed and too much in
touch with public and UNCONVENTIONAL
sentiment to stand sponsor for anything
that looks like heresy hunting.
just what public sentiment in New
England is on the matter may be inferr-
ed from the following excerpt from the
Boston Transcript. Editorials OF
similar tone have appeared in the Ad-
vertiser, Herald, and Springfield Repub-
ican,
TT is thought by many that the pend
ING effort to revive the Andover prose-
cutions has had its origin in the miss
ionary rooms The officials want to dl-
vert attention and criticism from them
selves and to postpone what is sure to
come--a searching Investigation OF thells
direct methodsA The Board of Visitors
as now constituted may safely be trusted
we think to deal with the issue which
has been forced upon it; but the religious
community will not fail to hold to strict
account those who, in spirit OF hatred,
malice, and all uncharitableness, Shall
be shown to have plotted for and lnstl-
gated the renewal of theological strife.
Nor will it be forgotten that. just as the
| preliminary steps were to De taken Iof
| the reopening of the controversy, the
President of the American Board printed
one of his six-column articles in hostility
to the Andover professors, or that
| member of its Prudential Committee
published in Western newspaper what
!, was evidently intended to be very
sharp composition, on the topic 'Andov-
| er Ethics An article on the Ethics OF
the American Board would interest the
public great deal more at this time
While controversy RACES over the Or
| thodoxy or heterodoxy of the seminary
professors, there is no dispute over the
| devotion of the students that go out
from the seminary and their alertness to
grasp the needs of to-day and their real
desire to work for their completion. Cir
| cular No. 7, just issued from the Andovev
House, 6 Rollins Square, tells the story
| of six months work of college bred
Christian men in the slums OF South
Boston. Led by Robert A.Woods, au-
thor of" English Social Movements, z five
Young men have labored in various ways
| to secure the friendship of their neigh
bors in the South End. Some ventures
have been successful, others not, but on
the whole the work has deserved the
support that has been given it.
| bishop Phillips Brooks is in England
and has been preaching in Westminster
Abbey. 1t is interesting to note the
peculiar comments of the English press
upon his personality. To Illustrate, the
British Weekly says: He is probably
the best-looking Bishop on either side OF
the Atlantic ITO hear him preach is
to understand the rate at which the
world moves in America" "a gentle
refinement pervades his sermons; he
must represent a long line of ancestors
who worshipped in Gothic churches
and loved established ways"