The San Francisco call., 1905-01-24
Exercises at Pacific
Theological
Seminary.

BERKELEY, Jan. 23.-With impress
sive ceremonies and addresses notable
for their tribute to modern thought,
three new professors of the Pacific
Theological Seminary were inducted
into office tonight at the First Con-
gregational Church. The three pro-
fessors are w. F. Bade, John Wright
Buckham and T. Cowden Laughlin.
The induction ceremonies were per-
formed by President ]. K. Mclean of
the seminary. Addresses of greeting
were delivered by representative men
of the church. The audience-room was
crowded. OF unusual interest was the
inaugural address of Professor John
Wright Buckham, his subject being
rAn Estimate of Evolution Theology
as Set Forth by Joseph lie Conte."
There were indications of marked ami
nation in the audience of professors,
ministers and church people when Pro-
fessor Buckham spoke, in part as fol-
lows:
In the ratified though yet unwritten treaty
of peace which has followed what may
now term the late unpleasantness between
science and theology two articles Of supreme
value guaranteed. The first is the COM
plete recognition of natural science The
ond is the indispensabity of theology. Evo-
luton impels the scientist to theology. Com
pleteness of thought requires it, Among those
who have attempted to construct evolution
theology Joseph lie Conte is pre- eminent His
Evolution and Its Relation to Religious
Thought has found wide and warm accept
ance. He himself deemed it his most import
ant work.
What are the contributions evolution has
made to theology find them in the
volume? The first is the truth of the Divine
Immanence God is in his world. Evolution
has made impossible the absentee God who
can be eternaized and placated. Evolution did
not discover this truth of the divine presence.
but it has widened and emphasized it. Again
evolution has taken away the idea of special
design in nature only to substitute cosmic de-
sign, design. Professor lie Conte says.
embracing all space and running through all
time" Evolution has also vastly enriched
and enlarged the conception Of progress. This
is its greatest service
this scientist who did most to commend evolu
tion to modern religious thought member
of the faculty OF our honored University of
California, but so also is the philosopher who
has done most to expose the limits of evou-
ton and to uphold the sacred worth of per-
sunalty which evolution Observation-Disclosures
George H. Howson. Evolution has recog
milton of personal God nor any explanation Of
Jesus Christ, nor any just estimate of the real
ity Of evil. The God who is transcendent as
well as imnanent, above his universe as well
as in 1t. the Christ who is an ideal leading
enemy to be overcome, rather than as good
in dsguise--of these evolution affords no sug-
gestion. 1t must be supplemented else ii
proves misleading.
Evolution is virtually established. But the
whole tendency. both from within and from
without. to-day is to limit it, The day Of pam
evolution has passed Theology may take
whatever truth evolution has brought with the
consciousness that evolution has neither sunk
solved the old problems What should we
do without these problems? They are full OF
discipline. Nor they wholly insoluble.
New meanings gather about them. New lights
fash from them. Prayer rules In theology
elsewhere through Gods developing universe.
Professor w. F. Bade, in his inaug-
ural address, spoke of "Old Testament
Scholarship in Modern Bible Teach
ing Professor Laughlin's topic was
1.-The Pastoral Epistles in the Light
Of One Roman Imprisonment
OF the three professors inaugurated
great things are expected by the theo-
logical seminary authorities. Profess
sor Bade is said to be man of ex-
traordinary scholarship. Professor
I4aughlin has been instructor in Bibli
cal sliterature at Princeton. DR.. Buck
ham was pastor of a leading Congre-
gational church at Salem, Mass, for
twelve years and his achievements in
scholarship are deemed noteworthy.