The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-04-30

Ministerial Association at the Occidental
Hotel, will be an occasion long remem-
bered in local religions circles.
1t should ALWAYS be as 7 green spot in
the memory OF Professor Howison OF the
State University. and Rev DR.. RAIDER, pas
tor of the Third Congregational Church
of this City, also, for they came in for
especial mention in way that could
hardly be construed as mplimentary
At 1880 P. NJ the spacious dining-hall of
the hotel presented scene OF beauty and
gayety. The guests we're all assem- bed ct
that hour, representing both ministers
and laymen prominent in the churches
around the bay, with their wives and
daughters. and many from interior cities
and towns.
After the ban quet was over Rev. Dr. II.
A. Ketchum, acting as POSTMASTER, intro
duced Dr.. H. G. MintoD, moderator of the
San Auselmo Seminary, who was listed TO
SPEAK on "Denomiuational Loyalty"
His speech was the sensation OF the even
ing. The applause which greeted his
references to Professor Howison and
Rev. DR.. RAIDER showed that ne had struck
the keynote of bis audiences sympathy.
DIR. Minton began by calling this Pres
byterian family reunion. Unlike the Rev.
Mr.. Mathena and others, he believed that
such banquets are entirely too infrequent
and are good things TO cultivate socia-
bility. He continued:
Presbyterianism is not q new thing under
the SUM- The first minister who ever set foot
on California soil was a resbyterian.
backward glance reveals weaknesses and
mist'kes, and yet the first half century of our
history III this State is near enough to its C ose
TO en9ole Us 10 snticinate The verdict. Pres
by terianlsm once again weighed in the bal
ance and not found wanting"
Intelleciuaiity is an epiihet often applied to
us. They say we are cold. heartieSs, all brains.
Well, we are not behind in other things. Still
we have always put tremendous emphasis
upon creed, convic tion, education.
1t falls TO our church to stand with others as
a break water against the tides of anti-Chris-
tian philosophy that are 50 bold on this coast.
Presbyterinnism can bank little on its Is
tory when 1t is held up by proud and super
petent to teuch lessons 10 all the Darwins
Wallaces, Haeckeis, Spencers and Howison S
that ever existed. Not even the Rev. DR..
RAIDER, who so eloquently falls in line with
the latter great philosopher. can ever hope 70
emulate him. John Calvin had meta
physical instinct that would have justified an
ambition to organize philosophical union
on the banks of Lake Geneva.
The true idea of Chris tian philosophy does
not originate in the classr Dom OF any unlver-
sity, but in the church. There is danger Of
our being in tim ida ted by the ,oplofty preten-
sions of those VINO, in the name of the Eternal
Reason and by the methods of the Eternal
Nonsense, would. as Gail Hamilton won. d say,
'fain pass the impossible and scout the In
scrutGble."
When philosopher gives to the world his
pronunciameuto one day and must come out
the mex day telling what he did mean and
what he did not mean, he is like the man who
wrote story without head or tail.
Truth is bound to no zone or sphere. We
must have philosophy large enough TO make
room for God, q living Cod, personal God, Q
free God. God not tied to metaphysical ne ces-
sity nor bound by impersoual law.
II God is without free will God is less than
man, and the whirling universe is untenanted
OF lis Creator. We believe in eternal reason,
or, rather,u we believe in the Eternal Reasoner;