The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-17

great scandal a few years ago. AS
stated, 1 was his favorite at the oeg1n-
ming. / was not only kept year on
trial, but re-engaged for the following
year, and the year succeeding that.
But when Warfield found that would
not yield to his views and be Whony
dominated by him, obey his whlms and
fancies, he no longer wanted me In the
institution; my services were OF no fur-
Their use in the classes.
The subject being now opened, the
prisoner proceeded to denOunce the
president with relentless bitterness. He
was almost furious in his condemna-
ton of the presidents management or
the college. 1t was a strange exhibit
ton, a strange picture of conflicting
and contradictory emotions, the rea-
sons for his hate and vengeance, Hog
ical and tiSfactory-almost trivial
SO far as he explained his actions to-
ward the president. Stephens wished,
however, to correct a published state
ment. He had never accused the pres
ident of writing letters to other col
leges, warning them not to engage him,
but he knew that the president had
worked against him in other directions
and had driven him out of the Lafay-
cite College without justification
Up on the big hill one of the officers
of the college, holding close relations
with the president, in substance said:
The statements Stephens made long
ago led us to fear there was screw
loose in his head. In regard to his story
about Princeton, here are the facts:
There was a vacancy here President
Warfleld visited DR.. Patton IN Prince
ton in search of a competent man to
take the professorship of moral philoso-
ply DR.. Patton invited him into his
private Office and closed the door for
consultation. The young man who
happened to be his private secretary
of h0f fiy11a of n iT7n inc
with an abnormal development of curl
osity He saw no way of overhearing
the conversation except putting his ear
to the keyhole. This he did. Among
other things DR.. Patton said that there
was a young professor named Caspar
Wister Hodge, who was then travelling
in Europe, and would not return per-
haps for a year However, he would
write to him and see how soon he could
take the position were it offered him.
On the following day this secretary,
who by the way was Stephens, arrived
at Lafayette College, bearing he said
the compliments of DR.. Patton, his
many good wishes and the suggestion
that perhaps he (Stephens), a highly
educated and gifted professor in ethics
and other branches of moral philoso-S
ply, could temporarily fill the vacancy
in the professors chair pending the re-
turn of Professor Hodge from Europe.
So smooth was the tale told by young
Stephens, so graceful was his bearing,
so picturesque and eloquent was his
language, that President Warfield
melted under the charm, especially
when the young man assured him that
he was independent and was moved
only by a desire to do the institution
a service. He was beyond mercenary
motives, for he had property and an
income, removing him entirely from the
poverty so common to young college
professors. If the president cared to
engage him on trial, for a year, for the
nominal sum of 500, he would accept.
They shook hands in Christian fellow
ship, and after Whit of friendly theo-
logical discussion young Stephens was
installed as assistant professor.
At the end Of the year he was en-
gagged for double that period at $500 per
annum. But the third year President
Warfield began to hear strange whis-
perings, and investigating he discov-
cred, he said, that Stephens was not
competent for the position. Though he
was something of social favorite with
the students, they did not progress in
knowledge beyond certain point, and
the young professor was found made
quate to the task of examining meta
physics, ethics and other crumbs OF
moral philosophy into their young
heads.