New-York tribune., 1896-06-05
DANGER IN DOUBT
DR. John FOX SPEAKS OF THE WAVE OF
IJNBELIEF
HE HOPES FOR PEACE BETWEEN PREsbfrS-
RrANs AND THINKS UNION SHOULD "Ni
TO HER FORMER AND BETTER
JUDGMENT.

JUDGMENT.
rh. Rev DR. John Fox OF the Second Presoy-
ter,an Church who is perhaps the i"os' 0o"'
atve theologlan in the Brooklyn frespy.'', "
seen hy a Tribune reporter last night III "'' =, 80
No "a sidney Place The doctor expects 10 Sa" 10
Europe tomorrow. and was busy prepar'ns io' us
Journey, but ne consented TO taiA io'
ments about religious matters a..
"r, my Judgment" said he "a grave pahser "
Protestant churches Is the wave OF douo' VI .,'
trust or unbe,ef In the historical 'aiue oi 80.
scripturee especially the Old Testament "''o
seems to be sweeping over the world hke d." ep
denc OF malaria or grippe. This DOUBT Is not !"
,,rga majority OF instances which have come
under nv observation, the result OF research OF
nrofound study but the doubters treat the supJe0'
of the infallibility of the Bible with I'Ppa"0y
which betrays their ignorance or the SUBJECT
am IN favor OF the higher criticism or the bio'e
rightly applied but 1t should be kept upon iofuer
nIane than some of these doubters reach. nave
M fear of the orthodoxy OF the man who makes MS
study of sacred history far-reaching and revereh'
but rather of him who, discouraged by 'he "IS'
seeming Inconsistency found. gives up the TASK ior
the much easier one Of throwing doubt upon obscure
passages OF Scripture and smartly asking "eh'
Just reconcile these. will you?
.,rhe recent action Of several general assemohes
as 10 the theological semnares has been grea,y
misunderstood by the general public, as though thc
semrares had been practically Independent Vi '"e
Assembly and resented any attempt TO cohtroi
them Most OF them have been for twenty years OF
more under strct control and are glad to be so-he
only question at issne being certain proposals 10
alter the form OF this control, and especially 10
make II legally more effective In the courts II II
ever became desirable 10 use II there AS 10 this'
there IL much 70 be said on both sides
"As to the Union Seminary. nothing could be
more untrue than that mere institutional jealousy
Is The root Of the present trouble. Her services IN
the past are among the gories Of historic Presoy-
teran,sm She has bred up guild OF noble schoiars
and theologians- Henry B. Smith W. G. I. shedd
and William Adams, for instance whose names
Presbyerans will not willingly forget Her present
faculty are men Of high character and scholarship
wish there we're more like them bat 1t Is grievous
70 add that some of them seem willing. TO quote
phrase | heard once used. TO monkey with me
Rible'-that is TO adopt some rat'onalistc appncd.
lions OF the higher criticism. which are as much out
~ accord with the past history OF the institution as
they are with the present position or princeton.
II hope and pray for the peace that VIII come
only when Union returns to her fornier anu oe'e.
Judgment and when she and her neignoor az
,rinreton will be again natural compeInelts 70 can
ofher There is ample room in our church Tor ootn
INSTITUTIONS Both schools have graduated some OF
r,,r soundest and most orthodox thcolog'ans, ana
oarh TOO has conferred diplomas upon men whose
doctrlnes as afierwnrd made known. were not III
str,, accord with the Westminster confession. u.
Il, is OF course. greatly 70 oe desired tnat tns
nreseu, controversy whatever It's nnal issue snouu
r.. carried on In the spirit OF brothery love winch
was manifest in the last General Assembly