The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-15
Why Custom of Installing Pastors
Is Ineffective in Bringing About
Results Anticipated in Its Adop-
ton
REPORTS FOR COMMITTEE ON
COUNCILS AND Passionate
National Congregational Council
in Session at Portland, Gets
Down to Hard Work - The
Famous Andover Controversy
Brought Up Again

Portland, Me-, Oct. 14.-After half an
hours devotional service, the National
Congregational Council took up its rou-
tine of work today, resuming business
at 10 o. clock. The apparent desire of
those who framed the program Of these
meetings to bring forward the practi-
cal side of Christian work. was shown
by the papers and discussions of the
day.
Rev. Dr. Willard Scott of Worcester,
Mass, reported for the committee on
councils and passionate. He said: ION
the question of whether it is wise to
continue the custom of installing pas
tors there is a question among church
es against the installing council sys-
tenn"
Dr. Scott presented IA reasons why
the system is unpopular and ineffec-
tive in bringing about the results an
ticipated in it's adoption.
The report of the committee chosen
Saturday to prepare a communication
to Mrs. Mckinley expressing the SEN
timent of the council in relation to the
death of President Mckinley was
adopted.
Among the papers presented was one
by Hon. w. w. Stetson, state superin-
tendent of schools in Maine, on What
help may our churches expect from
the public schools"
Prof. George K. Moore of Andover,
Mass, spoke on THE Rightful Claim
of the Theological Seminaries on the
Churches He said In part:
'"The theological seminary is the in
strumentality which the church en-
ploys to prepare men for It's service in
"a INF nf ha
naries must look to the churches for
the men whom they are to educate, as
the churches look to the seminaries for
the men who are to serve them. I'm
less the church dedicates the best of
it's sons to this service and enough of
them, it must suffer from the deteriora-
ton of the ministry
"A thorough general and professional
education was never more necessary
than today.
1T is discouraging to find that asso-
Citations freely license churches call,
councils ordain and install men without
any education at all and that there is
constant influx of ministers from
other denominations who have had
very scanty preparation and little sym
| pathy with our ideals"
| Prof. Moore's address started up a
up the famous Andover controversy
| it Ringing on his statement that the
! claims of the seminaries upon the
| churches were not being fully met
The vice chairman first made reference
| to it and then Rev. DR.. Waterman OF
| Terre Haute, Ind, spoke of the old
line theology, saying that the people
| demanded as much honesty in semi
| nary as they did in peanut stand"
Rev. DR.. w. E. Brooks of South
Paris, Me-, warmly seconded DIR. Wat
erman, saying that If men who have
taken a solemn oath to teach certain
fittings cannot see their way clear to
do so, they should go out and build
a seminary of their own and hunt for
money to support 1t.
DR.. Smith Of Minneapolis tried to
steer the debate away from the danger
point. He said so far as he could see
there was no trouble with the Theology
taught in the seminaries except that
| it was too hollow and external. The
students do not seem to have any
earnestness.
Finally the controversy was brought
to a close for the time by the time
limit set by the moderator.
At the evenings session President
William Dewitt Hyde of Bowdoin Col
lege spoke on 'The Social Mission of
the Country Church"
He was followed by Rev. Samuel C.
Smith of Minneapolis, upon "The
Christian Citizen and Municipal Gov
eminent"
Tomorrow afternoon the delegates
will visit Bowdoin College on invita-
tion Of President Hyde. A part of the
evening session will be devoted to
business.