New-York tribune., 1909-06-08
MAY GUST DIR. FOSTER
ROOK EYCITES BAPTTSTS
Son Defends Chicago Professor At
tackled for 4nti-RehgiouS Vie5Us.

Chicago. June 7-Professor George B. Foster,
tf tho University of Chicago. whose writings. de-
bounced by some as bitter indictment of the
Christian religion before the bar Of skepticisn." "
have narrowed the clergy Of Chicago. at g meet
Ing Of Baptist preachers Of Chicago to-day was
rallied on by the Rev Johnstone Myers, pastor Of
Emmanuel Baptist Church 10 withdraw from the
baptist ministry and 70 yield up his orolnation
s,apers The fire Of criticism directed chiefly
nt Professor Fosters recent book, The Function
Of Religion
This motion was put before several hundred
preachers and iaymen gathered at the conference
Of the Baptist executive council, and only the OBJ
lection Of one man, Professor A K Parker. Who
1se Professor Foster IS instructor at the Uni
versftv Of Chicago. prevented the eviction OF the
latter Professor Parker prevented action by call
ing attention TO constitutional provision pre-
venting action without weeks deliheratlon- me
case accordingly was postponed until June IA
Z want to say now that I'll be here next Mon
. DAY 10 present the same notion, said Dr. Myers
II was after Professor Foster had been charac-
.erized as IAN undesirable Baptist" and as
teacher who would dethrone the Church and defy
evolution that the effort to eject him from the
councils of the denomination was made
Professor Foster declares said the Rev W.
"A Mathews of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, in
The course Of a review of Professor Fosters recent
hook that one who calls himself believer in the
Bible is a qknave' Then thank heaven, am
e1nave"
. MAY I ask how that word is spelIed?" inter-
Professor
: -.K-n-a-v-e" replied the speaker.
s1f YOU viii pardon the correction" observed
Professor Parker, I the book in my hand and
I the word is spelled n-a-i-v-e."
Z Professor Foster states in his book" continued
4Nr. Mathews. that God did not make man in his
( own image, but that man made God in his own
s.rnage He says We not fallen angels. but de-
tzeloned animals He says that miracles have al
ways been the refuge of ignorance and that mod
fern technic must take the place of magic. won
der what he means by modern technic
! He declares that science has undermined the
s-rrinity-of course, that is In his own nino' ne
sxays that Jesus was child OF his time, and that
fso copy Jesus is xiii the soul He makes
lYtrade against the clergy. He says that the book
s-of humanity is greater than the Bible
: ssThe title of his book should have been Re
t,igon Without Christianity He is guilty Of the
] lsuprene conceit of ranking self greater than
EChrist He styles our grand old book as the pet
I -,ead remains of the Christian religion
; While Mr. Mathews was speaking the situation
was tense The auditors leaned forward 10 eaten
! every word Of the proceedings
through it all Professor Fosters seventeen-year-
MD SON sat with flushed cheeks and shining eyes.
AT last unable TO restrain himself longer he hai1
: rose and cried:
.eyybv don't you review the book, and not the
tnan?"
a b,1zz Of excitement spread over the room, but
! m. sneaker paid no attention the interruption
= When the motion made TO expel Professor
: Foster there were cries Of second II from All
z over the hall
After the meeting Dr. Parker said that whatever
= action might be taken by the ministers would not
affect Professor Fosters relations with the UniVer-
s!ty OF Chicago
This conference has nothing TO do with the
university he said "Two-thirds of the univer-
sirz-s trustees ara Baptist laymen, but they could
Yef vote 10 expel member of the faculty without
moral grounds