New-York tribune., 1909-04-15
NOANTLPATHY TO UNION
REJECTION OF STUDENTS.
Members Of Presbytery D'sc'aam
Feeling T07oard Seminary

,rerher, - IN. New York Presbytery who
we're seen yesterday inclined TO minimize me
importance of The rejection of three 'aiioida'eS
for minister's license 10y that body Al lts Nleel-s
in The First Presbyterian Church on Monday
Whatever NAV have been the impression leit Oh
The gathering hE the fejsrted candidates VINO are
all members Of the senior class in ne Jnion lI'e
logical Seminary. disposition was geneFa44S e'i-
dent disclaiin that any antpafhy 81 ie@iii-7
toward 1ha5 institution its faculty had been ~
strurnental in the appointment Of a committee 10
make further examination Of the candidates
This committee viii bc headed ny Tie Rev l'T.
David @. Wyle. pastor Of The Scotch FTesol leii'N
Church who suggested the selection Of commit
Zee 20 give TIE candidates further trial the Rev
Dr. J. Ross Stevenson, pastor OF the Ftfth Avenue
Presby terian Church. the Rev Dr. Nililain II
Richards pastor Of the Brick Church; Henry .
Hodge elder Of the University Place Presbyterian
Church and Henry L. Smith, elder Of the Brick
Church.
Or W-,le said last night that il was the wish
Of both the Presbytery and the committee 70 oe
broadly tolerant in the question OF the application
OF the three Candidates for licenses go" hiie me
committee viii have judicial attitude first Of al
j. win be dominated by kindness and hberalty'
he said
DR. N-vIie said that It would probably be I'M
possible 10 conduct the examination before neN'
week and while might be found adVisabie. owing
TO the press Of church work defer its report 10
the Presbyterv until the regular meeting OF lhal
pody in June il was within the power Of the COM
rnittee i Il saw #. 10 have special meeting 'I
ne foresl,-ter called TO consider the case Il was
hardly likely however. he added. that the htness
Of the candidates would be passed on until the
June meeting
0r Jobn Bancroft Deyins editor Of The Ne"
York Observer said that the question OF me ac-
ceptance Of the candda-@s might resolve itsef INTO
3 question OF termnoiog2. and intIInsled mat ,l-e
examination before committee would snow tha'
the candidates views could be accepted bH lAe
Presbytery-
As 2 matter Of mere ethics said Dr. beNlns
4 could not think Of going into an organization
when was out OF sympathy with its expressed
views As a newspaper editor would not ernlIoy
z man on my staff who insisted on writing ar'lcleS
contrary TO the editorial policy OF the newspaper
Felicolislv I hold certain theological views iileS
are not in sympathy with those OF the Roman cain
oc Church. Therefore l should not oner ihSseI
as candidate for priests orders II seems 10 me
rhst Young man whose views out ot SA Inpath9
with those Of a certain denomination as expressed
over and over again by its supreme head. should
seek ordination IN that body but III some oleI
with which his views are in accord
The refusal Of the Presbytery 10 license a man
does not debar him from the ministry II simply
keeps him from serving in the Presbyterian Church-
In my opinion the question is simply ethical Oh'lI
the General Assembly Of the Presbyterian 0hulSh
changes its standards meet the so-calied loueIH
thought. which change can he made by those no"
IN the ministry i would be better for those holoS
-ae so-called modern views many Of which are Old
time heresies 10 seek ordination in denonlHailoIs
where there IS such ban against them
Il was recalled yesterday that the referring ol
8 candidates for a license 10 committee had iaSl
t.een done in 1872 when candidates views We're
f questioned Before the next meeting OF the Pres
byrerv the candidate died Last year Russeii
s Gregory aroused some discussion at his exam
ination by expressing doubt TO the authoIlta-
rivenass Of the Gospel s. John in ms account
Of The raising OF Lazarus from the dead he re
!. ceived license however. and i now the pastor
OF the Church OF the Sea and Land
A Although the general opinion expressed yesterday
& was that the examination Of the candidates by the
# committee would clear away any misunderstanding
one Of the members Of the Preshytery said that he
s failed to see how the committee could recommend
-he I-nion students unless they made practical
rerraetion Of The views expressed by them at Non
dav's meeting i fail 10 see he said. how the
committee or any one who present al the meet
ine can believe that il mere matter Of ter
1rinolo-v The answers OF the candidates
tain questions We're plain and clearly worded
Ii allow Of more tl,an one Interpretation.
Further interest stirred Yesterday by the
news that at its annual spring meeting the Newark
Prasavterv deferred action the application of
Percy Erickson, Of Newark. another student al
Jl,icn for license. His examination vas deferred
until the examiners could consult with his pro-
fexsors il was stated, however. that the applica-
rion had not been refused bit A1r- Erickson had
taken course in sociology instead II Hebrew,
required the examiners wished 10 md out whether
the substitution would be satisfactory-
As in the case u the meeting Of the New York
Presbytery Monday. the candidate who received
license was student in the German Theoiogical
Seminary in Bloomfield, y ! He was Rudolph
Ponlpl a native Of Budapest whence he came 10
this country three years ago
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