The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-11-15

The action of DI. Shields, Cf Princeton
University, when he signed the pe't'oii 10
license the Princeton Inn 10 sell mtoXi'
clting beverages, Some time ago. caiied
forth - storm, Of protests from various
ssuods and Presbyteries through ut the
country, more particularly, however rom
tba Western States II will be rem EN-
bered that x-President Cleveland aiSo
signed the same petition, and fro'n tua'
time until today the matter has beeh ui'
oussed, pro and con, by thechurch ana press
The uncporthodox were shocked at thin
proceeding upon the part OF frespy'eri.
minister: the more liberal members oi the
church gave the reverend sehu ei'lah tn'
privilecc Of consulting his own judgment
and conscience, without beng caieh ~
on IT, condemn OF criticise.
Now the matter has been reH'eu @"iu
mucl, interest aroused by the resignation
or DIR. Shields from the CHURCH. "nlCh W.
nt,,ept was duly received ana acCep'eu "!
tbc Preshvtery of New Bruins WICK WHICH
nm to that time had not called upon MIA
for any explain alton of his action ih Sis"-
ing the license petition.
The resignation is the one talE In ''u''h
c.,cie. and va rious and sundTy are the -ed-
SONS assigned for 1t. The general olihi 'h
seems To be that, growing reshNe uhuei
tho severe criticisms. which DIR. Sie'lS
ch,t,t1e,Ized as .'unjust, unconstltutlohh
and defamatory,'' he sought TO r"hs't 'ne
tension bv stepping down andOut' Ah''h'l
version is To the effect thdt lhe w" VI
,,,, -,,;,,ister is of another faith, and that he
has rol some time been awaiting p'tVd
bl. o;purtun!ty To leave the chuIch' OPh
ion as To the wisdom Of his course :" w
yided i'm Washington, even among tue ii'ii-
is,ers ,,f his own dencmindtlUn.
snraLi1g of the matter yesterdaf' heN'
p,ror Sunderland, Of the FIRST FfeSoS
:, riau Church, ex-President CleVeiahuS
70, net pastor, said.
ba,-a not followed the newspaper dis
c,ission arising from the act or i'r' Stlti's
and others in signing petltt'h iOi d Hiuoi ~
license in bCBaII OF Princeton iiii' M o. -"
Ttot sufficiputiy familiar with the chtH,
rasa IN prouounVe an Intelligent ana Just
opiuiOn uIsbn the act. Bat since 50 Hiutu
has been said on all sides IN iiSlliieu -
think that ia sniInarilY ahu eIiVHri! ~
drawing from all connection WIN tie
I,rasbyteriau Church tdS | understdhH ile
has done. ir Shields has done th'. oiiy
honest and manly thing lett nm III the
If ur. Briggs had done the same thing ~
his troutiIes he would have saved hlnisell
and All the rest Ut us an tnmense aiioint
OF controversy BY 50 dcing bT. saie,is w III
resnousibilty and taken II upon hls own
shoulders, where it rightly belongs
Rev. T. De Witt Talmage said in this
connection.
met Dr. Shields once iu Philadelphia,
and from that meeting and from Wh1t
kIpJw uf him, the church mas suIIcreu q iOSS
aud | am very sorry to see hltit 70.
think if all had Sept calm, the matter Cothu
have been arranged 50 a. 30 make sltp
unnecessary. / cannot see how crltHisih
OF n man who j. trying To do aud con
scicni tously thinks he Is doing hls duty'
should result i'll such an expulsion. %
We all have our opinions and where | or
men get together there VIII Ee lhat ihdiS
oninioiis. religious controversy y Tue
worst in he world, aud in every case "a Tan
gets the best Of the argument.
| cannot say as To the wisdom OF Ir'
Shields act ion. All meu are criticised.
buf hardly deem that sufficient reason for
a minister 10 withdraw from the church.
Dne should do his duty without regard "a
criticism, aud be responsible 10 his cun-
science aud his God. There must he sOsne-
thing back of it all-somethIug behind the
certain that has not vet been revealed, for
mere Crif CSm u not sufficient 10 cause all
this contention.
Rev. r. r BittiuceI is the moderator
of the local PreSbyter aud in his Cfficiai
Capacity is competent 10 express very
Intelligent opinion IF Or. Shields actioa
He saId to The Times:
In my Judgment, entirely too much no
toriety has been given tO the Lincoln iun
iuatter-espeCiallv that view OF u vhtc'
Identifies the faculty or the university
with the Presbyterian church. The truth
is. Princeton L University is in no sense ~
sIsonsible To, or under the jurisdiction OF,
the Presbyterian church. DIR. Shields
acted in his individual capacity as THelti-
ber OF the faculty OF the university. and
in the exercise of an inalienable liberty
How far individual liberty should be
sacrificed to the public good, every one
must judge for himself. Some things,
however le wful in themselves. may become
injurious in their effect upon others. But
] do not propose TO discuss the matter
From my own point Of view, and from the
view of Christian sentiment on the sub
Ject OF temperance, it may be difficult to
Justify the act of a Christ ian, and eSpe-
piaIlV a Christian minister. W 18th ahpttiDo