The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-09
Presbyterian Ministers DISCUSS
Conservative and Liberal
Theology.
REV. J. D. EATON ON MEXICO.
DR., G. w. Henning VIII Deliver a
Series of Lectures on Soclo-
logical Topics.

and new school Presbyterianism, crossed
swords at the meeting of the Presbyterian
Ministerial Union yesterday. The imme-
date occasion of the warfare was paper
on Relation of Civilization to Dogmatic
Theology" by DR.. Alexander, who occu-
pies the chair of ecclesiastical history at
the San Anselmo Theological Seminary.
The reverend gentleman defined dogma
as "a clear, concise statement OF truth,
He expressed the belief that man develops
in proportion to his intimate relation with
God. He dwelt upon the theory that dog
matte theology is the strongest element
used in mans civilization and stated that
Calvinism, as administered by Presby-
terianism, is the best man-maker. or de-
veloping agency of the best in man.
DR.. Ellis said history bears out the truth
OF the doctors statement. He liked the
doctors declarations and believed there
should be more statements without an
"f"
Rev. Barton Perry said he was not
afraid of evolution. He did not know how
believers in 1t could overcome the thought
that man was not originally savage. In
his opinion that was rock eVolutonlsts
would fall on"
Judge Thornton said he believed with
DIR. Alexander that Calvinlsm has had
much 10 do with obtaining liberty, and
considered it as on the "impregnable
ground of unanswerable logic" He wished
to call attention to the fact that originally
Congregationalists and independents were
Calvinists.
Elder Roberts deplored the tendency OF
liberalism to license and wished the paper
might be read by preachers and laity. The
first class needed it as much as the latter,
the elder thought
Rev. James Woodwork said emphat-
icallv that dogma is the foundation that
makes the Christian religion what it is.
DR.. ]. 0. Scott differed from these advo-
Gates OF dogma. 81 expected such sentl-
ments from DR.. Alexander" he said. He
has been in the groove so long that L dc
not think he will ever get out OF 1t. Il
dogmatic theology were relegated theo-
logical seminaries and their professors
would prac tically be out Of an occupation
and we do not want that to occur so long
as splendid men like DR.. Alexander hold
positions The conclusions reached by
those schools are not strictly true. The
Bible was never intended to teach dog
matte theology, whose tendency is some
times to fatalism: sometimes has atheism
among its sequences. The Bible gives the
grandest freedom. Compared with that
gift the freedom of those under the servi-
tude of dogma are ike the colts IN the
Stanford paddock at Palo Alto. They have
food and shelter, and have the freedom OF
the Enclosure, but they are in paddocks
still"
Rev. H. W. Chapman said he would
pose as the second hereto of the meeting,
which remark was applauded by Dr. Scott.
Mr. Chapman said he believed many evils
were the outgrowth of the present dog
matte theology. What was heresy hun
bred years ago was orthodoxy twenty-five
years later, he said, land so l believe that
the heretics of to-day will be looked upon
as orthodox twenty-five years hence"
Rev. A. E. Clark rallied to the support
of DR.. Scott in a measure. He was of the
opinion that the old-school theology is not
the only theology. He was with Sam
Jones in saying Il love theology, but l
love religion more"
Here Edward Eccleston, once a student
of the San Anselmo institution, paid a
tribute to DR.. Alexander on behalf of the
young men OF the institution, and told
how like a foundation of rock they had
found his teachings.
DR.: Alexander replied to the colt illus
tration by saying that Governor Stanford
had known how TO raise horses and he
provided the paddock to prevent their de-
generating into California mustangs.
Rev. H. W. Chapman will give a review
of a. G. Gordon's book on 1.-The Holy
Spirit at the next meeting.