The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-11-13
SHIELDS WILL NOT SPEAK
Declines to Discuss His With
drawal From the Presbytery.
HOLDER OF ADVANCED VIEWS
From a Slave-Holding and Aristo-
cratic Ancestry, He Bears With
Him an Indifference 10 Criticism.
Respected by Princeton students
for Independence and Erudition.


Woodruff Shields is Inclined to refuse al.
applications for Information concerning
ms reasons for withdrawing from The
Presbyterian church, which followed he
placing OF his signature 10 a petition To
giant a liquor license to the Princeton
Inn Prof. Shields il d man whose ideas
have alw avs been in advance OF certain
OF his fellow iHen Many times be has
hal the dog,natic strict constructionists
Of his church at his heels, crying,
.Heretic," just as ht has now. But ne
has always met the adverse comments Of
tie men who misunderstood or underfatei
Lam as he does now-wIth silence.
Il have nothing TO say" he said yester-
day. about my withdrawal from the Pres
byterian church. Ihave said the same thing
Ia al the hcsts Of my friends Who have
come to me, and YOU must excuse me froIn
discussing my action.
Nothing Prof. Shields could have said
world more certainly have indicated the
bent uf his whole nature than this dec
Iarati,u that he would not ex plain the rei
irize for IL lie took the same ground on
the occa sion when his orthodoxy was Sc
riousi \ questioned in s6 lupGn the appear
ance 90 his treatise On "PhilC sophia III
TINA" in which Ia eXpounded an ac.rieiuic
scheme OF irenical studies for the ccn-
Citation of religian and science.
Prof. Shields was only Lhirty-dx years
old then. but his views 30 nearly repre-
serted IN. advanced thought of the time
that IL won for him professor ship Ia
Princeton g pIofes>orship created for him
that OF tie harmony OF science and 70
vcale,, religion. IL WAS the first tine any
American college had recognized the pos
sibility of tlJc reconciliation OF sc'rnce and
religion, and Prof. Shields elevation raised
IA storm OF disapproval from The ro"k-
rubbed. hlue Pr,.sDyterians of the old .cho"l-
Their criticisms were met by the same 81
Ienca with which Prof. Shields meets His
adverSstries now.
lie il s"Nenty-two years Did Fowl
hale, wei gropmed man, erect. polite.
and polite. He knows what he wants and
j. not afraid 10 seek al. He is a student
aud vel mau of the world. Prof. Shields
is tie gIanJSou If Patrick Henry Shields,
a iurie,. ot ViTf-iBia, who was a Cld sSnate
aud the life-Lmg friend of william Heu
Harrison. Tie professors ancestor Nds
a slave holder, an aristocrat. He %as a
fignter. To-. His gallant conduct ia tte
battle OF Tlppecanoe ma dr hun fdtsOus
TheSe,nil are ment ioIIedto stow where
PrincetoI.s independent professor gets lbs
aris,ocTatic neaIing. Ills indifference ~
Criticism. his directneSs OF purpose which
leads hir TO follow oui the courseUf act;''i
which he believes is right, irrespective {
what others may think ar Do.
another thing which taS lad it, effect
"a shanInE Prof. Shields career = tLai ..e
is a millionaire. His wife, who f. nat
living. Yves a member of a very wealthy
NV Jersey family. and she brought hiai
a large estate. His bone in Princeton Is
fine old colorial mansion-a large white
ho,Isr with q wide hall through the cent n
and big wings on either side. II sets back
it, a Icble grove. and drive curves ~ FROG
the main roadway 10 the pillared entraa, g.
1c IN, students at Princeton College
rro; Shields is a likcahIe man. The boys
I:kc linn because they value his Attachments
anc expect him for MS uniformly cour euIS
treatment OF them.
he il a peculiarly constituted n.du-it
cate I, poet aud dreamer and praCI zeal
u or of affairs, managing Ills big estate
wnl cunSunima:c ease and SIKH.
a form of service like that m use H. the
Episcopal Church meets with his approval.
u Las been an earnest advocate of ,he
restoration Of the PRESBYTERIAN. pra yer
book, which was used in SCI for thc up
tEral rsc of ministers and cungregatio1s
tlia: desire a liturgy, aud he looks forward
tu th, organic union of the Congregational
Presbyterian and Episcopal principles Of
tie New TEST amint Church into one e.
p;nizatlon, to hc known rs the American
Catholic Church.
This is TIA, mat who had the courage
10 join l.. asking for a liquor license Tor
IrincetOi. Inn. He is minister, edn
Gated wholly at Princeton College, and
having received from that institution IA
l sci tho honorary degree of ID. H., and the
recipient in 1877 from Columbian College.
Washing toIi, ID. c., Of tie honorary degree
90 IL. II. lie was once moderator of the
general assembly of the Presbyterian
church, IN honor more highly esteamcd
~ the ministers of that church than ANY
other i'm its gifts, and neve: lightly he
slowed.
II looks nov as though the resignation
of Or. shields was going to stir up a var
ia Princeton University or magnitude
comparable only 80 that over Prof Charles
A Briggs, and his ''heresies.
Though Prof. Shields was permitted 10
resitn. and is now beyond the reach OF
general assembly Cepsure. aud while his
position at the university cann0t lie af
fected by any action 0r recommendation
that The governing body of the Pfeshy.
terrain church might make, his friendS, aiul
they are many believe that thei is a dan
gerod.. precedent in his case.
In the ranks Of John Knox followers
the progressive contingent believes that
any man is entitled TO act as the Dire
tates IT his conscience provide, ana they
do not like tie fact that man OF ur
Shields character, ability and handing
should he practically bounded rom tn"
church in winch he had labored many
years, hy number of persons from other
States, who could not possibly understand
tie fun facts that prompted Or. Shields
e. secure the Princeton Inn license.