The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-15
IN RELIGIONS REALM
Expressions From the Various Re-
igious Newspapers
The Religious Thought Of the Day as
Expressed In the sectarian Press
Some Matters Of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

"Whatever practical difficulties may lie
in the way of organic unity between
those who maintain the presbyterate to
the exclusion of the episcopate. and those
who believe in the episcopate as one OF
the orders which include the presbyter-
ate, it is gratifying for the friends OF
Christian unity to see that leading minds
among Presbyterians refuse to contem-
plate union which does not reckon with
episcopal bodies. DR.. Smiths tribute to
the claims of the church as represented
In these columns is all the more weighty,
because 1t comes from such source, and
was uttered in such hearing. Even If
it embody at present the opinion OF
minority. we feel confident that it reflects
the mind of highly intelligent minor
ity, and implies an estimate which some
of the most learned aud devout of Pres
byterians have already made OF the point
at issue. 1t Is impossible to despair OF
ultimate agreement among PresbyterIans
on this most important question, and we
shall be surprised If the agreement does
not re-echo the views of DIR. Smith, who,
rs an experienced and able theologian,
has had the courage of his con victions IN
maintaining that the Presbyterians would
be increased and helped by uniting them
the historic episcopate."
when the General Assembly of 1898
disavowed all responsibility for the teach
ing of Union Seminary and enjoined the
Board of Education not to give aid to stu
dents entering the seminary, it went as
far as proper regard for its own dignity
and the interests OF the church required"
remarks the New York Independent.
I'm shutting the young men who are ed
ucated in the seminary out OF its minis
try it goes step further and adopts the
most hateful phase of the boycott. Il
disapproved OF the transfer of DR.. Briggs
from one chair to another; il disapproyed
OF the seminary because its trustees would
not respect its disapproval of Professor
Briggs; it now disapproves OF young men
educated in the seminary because it dis
approves the seminary. This is the prin
ciple of the boycott. If it is punishment
of the seminary to shut the students out
of the ministry, it is really greater pun
ishment of the students themselves, who
are innocent of any wrongdoing. In at
tending the seminary they are not violat-
ing the constitution of the Presbyterian
Church, nor are they disobeying any
order of the General Assembly. The
reasons which induce most of them to at
tend are entirely apart from any question
connected with the suspension of DR..
Briggs, or with the attitude of the SEM
mary towards the Assembly. :
1t Is harsh action TO compel the New
York Presbytery to condemn every one
of them unheard and close the doors of
the ministry to them. We are amazed
that the Assembly should SO forget the
great interests contided to it, the great
need of the church for godly and we'll
trained ministry, and especially the rights
of the young men who are carefully pre-
pared to enter it's ministry. We cannot
but feel that the action is unnecessary
and cruelty unjust"
what will be the effect of this resolu-
ton on Union Theological Seminary?D
asks the New York Outlook. THAT will
depend on the response which the SEM
mary makes to the resolution. Undues-
tionably the boycott will drive from it the
tinid and the place hunters; and there
are, unhapplly. not few such IN the
ministry. On the other hand it will not,
of itself, attract TO the seminary the brave
and the independent. Men Will not go to
all institution OF learning simply because
ii is boycotted. Union Theological Sem
mary will lose the mechanical, profess
sional, ecclesiastical students. 1t must
do something vigorous to secure the
spiritual, the independent, the scholarly.
1t must broaden its course and enlarge
its scope. 1t must make its curriculum
and its methods those OF the university.
1t must be more modern, more independ-
ent, more progressive-not less so. Com
promise is impossible; il must either
surrender or advance. 1t has wealthy
friends. They should reply to this reso-
luton by lncI easing The endowment and
eniarglng the teaching force. They should
do this at once by creating a chair, if
necessary, and filling it with such a rec
ognized representative of progressive
Christian scholarship as. DIR. Bruce, DIR.
norN lr 10 iu ,tanr
enough in the liberal Presbyterian
churches of the city of New York, and
there ought TO be vigor and prescience
enough in the Board OF Trustees to make
the Union Theological Seminary such a
theological university, SO abreast the best
thought of the age, thai no man of any
school of theology, who is mbitious to
be leader of thought, could afford to be
without at least one year spent within its
walIs.o
How the action (of the Presbyterian
General Assembly which forbids the
Presbytery OF New York, and, by impli-
cation, all other Presbyteries, to receive
under their care students who choose to
study outside The approval Summaries is
to be reconelled with the pleas of the
Board of Education Tor more money 20
build up the depleted ministry by help
ing students, ia matter which does not
the Cong egattonGttSt OF Boston. 1.-The
result is likely 10 be an increase of the
already common practice on the part OF
students of dispensing with the care of
Presbytery, and, after gaining their
license elsewhere, entering the Presbyte-
rlan Church as licentiates. In regard to
Union Seminary itself, there seems to be
a plan TO make the institution an unde-
nominational school of theology. If the
Presbyterian Church can get along with
out us, one of the prominent trustees OF
the institution Is reported to have said,
we can get along without the Presbyte-
rian Church. But surely the Assent bly,
cannot stop just here. The next step
must be some kind of personal censure
upon the professors. trustees and sup
porters of an institution in which no
Presbyterian student can pursue his
studies without, ipso facto, becoming
debarred from the Presbyterian minis
try. But these professors and trustees
are ministers and ruling elders in good
standing IN the church, and cannot be at
tackled without trial. We shall be curl
Gus TO note whether the Presbyterian
Church will be content with boycotting
the boys"
"Presbyterians have definite creed, q
ciear ano powerful form of government,
and a consistent history. Again and
again." says the New York Observer
tPres.J. they have cast ou. an element
which demanded liberality of belief and
loose forms OF government, and the last
reunion was made with no concessions,
but upon the standards of the churcb'
pure and simple; an attempt to revise the
Confession OF Faith has also sipually
failed. Any man, therefore. who enters
the Presbyterian ministry has not
read history or has read it to little pur-
pose if be expects to find elasticity of
creed or flexible government as constit-
uent in the Presbyterian Church, They
are not there, and any effort to Introduce