New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-17
" TUEOLOGUES" PROTEST.
AGAINST THE SYSTEM OF PRACTICE SER
MONS At UNION SEMINARY.
CONTINUE THEM DENIED-COMPLA1NT AGAINST
ERnMN-

THEIR PETITION ASKING TIE FN'ULlN ~ '''-
CONTINUE THEM DENIED-coMPLAINT AGAINST
PROFESSOR WILLIAM ADAMS BROWN
DEAN HASTINGS TALKS.
Stories Of a strike the part of the senior
students of Union Theological Seminary No. 4"
Park-ave against the enforcement Of a feature OF
its curriculum which is obnoxious to them, nave
been floating through ecclesiastical ard educatonai
circles for several days. A rule of tho institution
REQUIRES the seniors TO deliver before the Rev Dr.
Thomas s Hastings. dean of the faculty and their
classmates short sermons based upon Biblical texts
During the delivery the dean and the members OF
the class listen at;entively and make notes OF such
words sentences pronunciation. innexion. gestures
logical coherency. voice. general style of delivery
etc. as. in their opinion. susceptible OF improve
mcnt. and these are conveyed to the sermonzing
student suggestions friendly criticisms SIX
minutes are allotted for each sermon. and five
sermons are delivered each week. one each by I'VE
different students till every member OF The GAS"
has preached. Then the routine is repeated. thder
this arrangement with full class of forty stu
dents each senior would deliver one discourse every
eight weeks.
Some of the students objected to the CUSTOM
which, they said. degrading to the sacred call
ing for which they were being educated Ih'E
contended that it impossible for any students
or even doctor of divinity to preach a convincing
or an effective sermon in so few minutes More
OVER, llty Sdlu tHdt indSllluNl us tht "NN
only for practice and were not preached to cohsre-
cations but simply to give opportunity for crlti-
csm which might be inspired by rivalry, they re-
garded the custom unchrisian and VOID OF proper
sanctty Last Tuesday morning the Seniors maze
their protest Edward J. Abbott George Allan Eli
n. Allen, Nathan S Aer and William Arnold,
I'VE seniors who compose Class IN sermons,
had been instructed by the dean. who is
to he then preached. When called upon TO deliver
their dscourses the students said they had none
hon In hs 4, "
pressed surprise, and told the students that he
severely panied by their insueordinaton but con
action at its meeting to be held on the following
y. G wittemore and f. g. Alien called upon Dr,
Hastings he Informed them that the faculty had
OF six minute sermons must continue, 1t IS also
preached the prescribed sermons before him 50 that
he could Judge of their capabilities it would be ut
might Be seeking for clsreymen, I vas likewise
anee of the rule would prevent their graduation.
s saDs ase the T RsH a ADAMS Dr.
professor s Of dogmatlcs and petitoned to be eX-
legged 'desuiiofy and ineiicient teashIHg
I'm, Inc Kev. o. D W Hastings VINO was visited at MS
reporter yesterday said after being Informed OF The
stories in circulation. that the were based
" made d no oT threat f to the class he sa either
open or implied ! simply asked in kindly way
never heard them preach told them that II would
put in painful position, and Il should not
hear them they would be the first seniors whom !
had not heard during the thirteen years that have
the students Of the facuity's action i made no al
fusion TO expulsion, nor did say that graduation
would be prevented should they neglect To prepare
and deliver the dlscourses az directed | did say
that their standing when they were graduated
might be affected. They asked me what would DO
should they disregard my direction. and simply
replied that l would mark them as being absent.
Instead Of there having been many protests AMI
objections at different times against the siN-miuuie
sermon rule there have been only two during my
thirteen years experience dean
DIR. Hastings declared that he was grieVed at the
attitude OF the students toward Mr. brown. whom
he regards as an able professor and an estmable
man.