Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-05-24
NEWS OF TIE CHURCHES

mont season., on just now, is Witness
ing a sort of u%pheaval, due in part to
theological controversies and in part
to the falling off in number of stud
ents. Tie worries over Mccormick
seminary, Chicago, are sending some
Presbyterian leaders to bed, so they
themselves declare. 1t is a fight be-
tween liberals and conservatives. Some
say Union Theological seminary his
tory may be repeated. Andover SEM
mary, from which was graduated a
great lumber of present Congregation
al pastors. is to go to Cambridge and
out of a separate existence. There is
a loud protest from alumni inc others,
but there seems to be no help for it.
Union Theological seminary is ignored
by the Presbyterian general assembly,
sitting in it's own city. Baptist SEM
inaries are seriously affected by the
new thought. and for the first time in
the history of the Baptist denomina-
ton, there has just concluded within
it a trial for heresy. Roman Catholic
seminaries are discussing seriously, al
though quietly, the pope's new Bible
commission. This commission has
done nothing as yet, except to give
seminaries here and abroad a good
deal of material to talk about. The
commission has for its object a pur-
pose quite as radical within the Roman
Catholic church as any of the latter
day revision movements among Pro-
testant ones. Methodist seminaries
are not without their theological diff
ficulties, and altogether the spring of
1902 sees a general shaking up.
Many New Ministers.
There are, of all sorts and kinds,
seventy-one Protestant theological
seminaries in this country. They grad
uate on ordinary years about 1000
men who Immediately enter the minis
tries of the various religious bodies,
Roman Catholic excepted. This spring
there are being graduated 1852 men,
or about 700 below the average. These
average ~fluctuate, of course, but II
has been many years since so severe
fiuctuation has obtained. There are al
ways more churches in a religious
body than ministers. and fewer minis
tiers are absorbed into the Methodist
the Baptist or any similar body each
year than might be supposed. For ex'
ample, there are 1900 ministers in the
IIGSDJtClldh hoith pouy WV
members. During 1901 there were 139
deaths and there was an increase OF
65. After counting those who drop out
or go into other religious bodies it is
seen THAT this, one of the large relig'
ipus bodies, absorbs only about 800 new
men a year. The record of other bodies
is almost precisely the same. The rea-
son for the falling off in the number
of seminary students a not yet been
brought forward. But the opinion is
general that the end is not yet; that
the number of graduates next veal will
be even fewer than the number now
graduating this year. The present sem
mary upheaval is contributing to that
end.
July Bible School.
The feature of the season at North
field, apart from the conference OF
Christian workers, is a July Bible
school, with Rev. G.. Campbell Morgan
at it's head. This will be the first sum
mer for Mr.. Morgan as a part OF North
fields new plan. Mr.. Morgan is to
take up Crises of the Christ" n is
to be assisted by Rev. w. w. White, of
the Bible Teachers college, for normal
training, and by Rev. J. w. Kelman OF
long experience among students OF Ed
inburgh university, in spiritual train
ing. The student conference is this
year 10 have but one date, and be foI
men exclusively. Messrs. Speer, Mott
Kelman and Gordon, Profs. woodrow
Wilson and Bosworth. At the grea,
August meeting Rev. F. B. Meyer. Of
London, is to be heard again, mi SO III
Henry Marley. the famous English lay
evangelist. Public interest in North
field does not at all abate, Mr.. Moody
being gone. AZ.
Judaism in America.
The American conference of Jewish
rabbis, in session the other day in New
Orleans. got American Judaism to talk
about it by T~esurrecting the subject oil
the Sunday Sabbath. Jewish leaders
who we're not at New Orleans, and
they are many, say there is absolutely
nothing to the subject. To give VI
Saturday for Sunday would be to sur
render that for which Jews had fought
for 200 years, including severe perse
c%utions. AS one of them expresses 1t
.Jews will not fly in the face of the
mast" 1t is explained that there were
but few rabbis in attendance at the
conference, and most of that few hard
Iv leaders of the first rank. The ten
dency of modern Judaism in America
is toward a conservative middle course
There is coming, say all the leaders
no radical change of any kind. ihf
SUNDAY Sabbath would be a radicaI
change. 1t is urged because Jews who
are i'm business will not keep the Satur
dav sabbath. The matter has had, thus
far. only one advocate OF the trs'
rank Rev. DR.. Emil G. Hirsch, OF Chi
cago, and he has repeatedly SAID ina
he favored it only as a case OF eX
nediency. and in no sense considered
the change doctrinal, or as vital &c
Judaism. Did he so consider It ne
would not favor it. Something new II
Judaism is just ahead, but 1t Is not Sc
all real leaders say, a substllulloh -
sunday for Saturday as the Sabbath
day.
The B'nai Birth.
The B'nai Birth is at the head OF n
new thing in American Judaism. TINS