The Washington times., 1894-12-28
HISTORICAL THEOLOGY
And ITS LITERATURE
American Society Of Church His
tory in Annual Session.
BISHOP HURST IN THE CHAIR
Important Publications of the Year
Referred to in His Address.
Eloquent Tributes to the Memory of George
w. Childs and John Jay. Members of the
Reading of the Translation
of Letters from John Huss to Els Church
in Prague-Other Interesting Papers.

The American Society of Church History,
founded by DIR. Philip Schaff, and organized
in New York city March 23, 1888. met yester
day in its seventh annual session, at $50 p. M,
in the reception-room of Columbian UNI
versity. on the corner of Fifteenth and
streets northwest.
As indicated by its name the society has for
its object the collation. and study Of church
history. and it embraces in its membership
the representatives of ali denominations.
Rev. Bishop J. F. Hurst, D. D., president
of the society. was IN the chair at the open
ing session, and DR.. Samuel n. Jackson OFF,
ciated as secretary. The proceedings were
opened with prayer by DR.. George Norcross,
Of Carlisle. Pa, after which the president an-
nounced "a the first business in order the
appointment OF two committees. one to audit
the society's accounts, filed by the appoint
ment of DIR. Norcross, and the other to select
the time and place for next meeting. The lat
ter committee Is composed OF Drs. Chambers.
Jackson, and Faulkner.
Bishop Hurst delivered the opening address,
which was in part welcome to the society,
but dweit mainly upon the literary produc-
tions of the year in the matter Of church his
tory.
.:There has been no decrease he said, sin
either Germany, Great Britain, or the United
States in attention TO the study of the litera-
ture OF historical theology" The important
works published in each Of the countries
named were given in detail, Germany taking
the
LEAD IN PRoDUCTIyENEss.
Turning his attention to the products OF
American authors, Thompson, Dunnng,
Smith, and Henderson were enumerated as
having made valuable contributions. He
said seven of the thirteen volumes in the i'm
portant series of church history in the United
States, ordered four years ago by the society,
have been already published, ami that all
would be in print during the coming year.
Four particulars dist n guished the later
history of the church. First, opular treat
ment by scholarly writers; second, its apollo
getic value; third. the interest of laymen in
theological life, and fourth, the writing OF
church history from standpoint OF science.
The controversial AK is losing its edge. he
said and he believed the AK itself would
eventually disappear Denominalional dis
cusson of the church is fast losing its place
in historical literature.
The secretary report was read at this
juncture and showed that duriug the past
year eight members had resigned, sixteen
new members were enrolled. and two had
passed away. The later were George w.
Childs, the famous publisher, and John jay,
"a representative the patricians." en-
! inent patriotic man who once served this
country at the Austrian court
The secretary paid high tribute to the
| character OF each OF the deceased members
/ giving brief sketch of their respective ca
reers.
| Prof. G. NJ Mead, Ph. D.. d. D., of the
! Hartford Theological Seminary, read paper
on "Ritschls place in the history OF doc
! trine" He expressed his Acknowledgements
/ OF the honor conferred by the invitation
! extended to address the society,
HE NOT BEING A MEMBER.
| Dr. Mead does not think the doctrine
| Ritschl teaches is broad enough for universal
acceptance.
The paper that was to have been read. Civ
| ing a translation OF Letters from John Hus
to his church in Prague was omitted, and
Rev. Charles H. Small, of Hudson. Ohio, was
introduced. He read an interesting paper on
the subject of "Some elements in the making
of the United States
Upon reassembling at p. M. the deferred
Huss letters, OF which there were four, were
read by DIR. S. n. Jackson. These ancient
documents were written by John Huss. a ns-
tive of Bohemia, while in prison awaiting de-
cision of tie church council of Constance,
upon the charge of heresr. He was afterwards
burned at the stake for maintaining his re-
ligious convictions. They were translated
by Rev. NJ. ]. Cramar, D. D.. of East Orange,
NJ. They contained an account OF Huss'
experience before he council and of the e.
forts Of the papal hierarchy, through the va
rious arts in vogue in those days, to secure a
rccantation of his alleged heretical views.
He was a preacher and an author OF repute
whose books were ordered to be DESTROYED by
I no ahnrch pnmnpil The ipttarC
panied by lengthy preface written 10y Mar
tin Luther.
Prof j. S. Eweli read an entertaining
sketch OF the life and characteristics OF a fam
Gus Massachusetts jnrist, Samuel SewalI, who
was born at Newberry in 1862 and died il
1880. Judge Sewall was one of the Salem
Judges who condemned the witches, and who
afterwards discovered his error and
REPENTED OF IT.
In his very interesting paper Prof. Ewel
brought out many of the excellent traits O.
the eminent Puritan. among the more promi
nent of which were his benevolence and hos
pitaliry, his opposition to slavery and hi:
kindness to The unfortunate and the be
nighted. Judge Sewail was at one time the
commander OF the ancient and honorable ar
tillery of Boston.
The several papers read were discussed by
Dr.. Chambers, Bishop Hurst, DIR. Wolf, anc
Others. Prof. Mead's presentation of hi.
theme being especially complimented.
Among those present were Rev. Messrs. w
Baldwin, F. d. Power. Tunnell Rev. j
A. Faulkner, Prof. J. L. Ewell, Of Howard
University; Rev. J. A. Faulkner. of Bing
hamton, n. Y; Rev. DR.. I. W. Chambers
Rev. DR.. Norcross, Mr. Bar Ferrel, OF New
York. the treasurer of the society; Prof. E
Emerton, of Harvard University; Prof. w
Walker, and E. X. Mitchell, of Hartford Theo
logical Seminary; Prof. H. E. Jacobs, o
Philadelphia Theological Seminary, and
Prof. E. J. Wolf, of Gettysburg Theological
Seminary. and Drs. Brown, Beiler, ant
Baldwin, Prof. Clark, and DR.. George b
Patch.
President Bishop Hurst announced that q
the conclusion OF to-day's session the mem
bers would be expected to reassemble al
o'clock D. m, at his residence, No. 1701 Mas
sachusetts avenue northwest, where luncheon
would be served.
fine portrait of Bishop Schaff was places
on view, the society being indebted to Dr
Hamlin for the contribution.
The society will meet again this morning q
1890 o'clock.
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