New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-20

H
dent of the board of foreign missions; Pro-
lessor a c. zenos, Of the Mccormick Theo-
logical Seminary. Chicago. and President
warheld, OF Lafayette College, Easton,
Penn.
DR.. Little was born in Ohio in 1875 He
was graduated from Marietta College and
the Lane Theological Seminary. In 1872 he
began his present pastorate in the PTesoy-
terrain Church, of Wabash, and he has been
the stated clerk Of the Synod OF Indiana for
twenty-five years. DR.. Alexander was
placed In nomination by Congressman Ben
net, and Dr.. Little by ex-CongTessman
Clancy, Of Indiana.
Need of Witnessing Church.
This morning the ten days session was
begun with a sermon by the Rev. DIR.
James NJ. Barkley. Of Detroit, who In
scathing terms denounced the twin sins
that threaten the very existence OF this
Christian nation. the vulgar race for gain
and the rotting sin Of social vices
DR.. Barkley's sermon centred about the
words Giving. Praying. Witnessing
which he declared were the key words OF
the conquering Church OF the apostolic
age and of every age His conclusion.
from study of the work OF the Presby-
terrain Church through the year, was that
these were not the key words they
might be at the present time. He said In
part:
l believe that We are here face to face
with supreme spiritual need OF our
a pessimjst- Human pessimism and di-
vine sovereignty are inconsistent terms /
cannot be a pessimist while God Is In
His heaven But declare to you that, dis
credit the muck-rakers and the mock re-
formers as we will, the times are out OF
joint virtues are virils evils "a, are 81 81
existence Of this Christian nation are the
vulgar race for gain and the rottins sin Of
The former Of these evils, the inordinate
love of money, is the parental and pas
sionate root Of sins that have vitfated the
the Judases and the Benedict Arnolds Of
history. It has given us the CRATER In
office and ''the white slave dealer In So
ciety. those twin vampires Of civilization
1t has corrupted the functions of govern
ment and choked the channels OF Justice. It
robbed the poor in his living. It begets
betrayals of trust and prompts the rob-
berry of widows It lays it's hand of greed
things and prostitutes them to its unholy
purposes. Sunday baseball, Sunday ezcur-
stons. Sunday newspapers; SUNDAY saloons,
ures.
But bad az Is the inordinate passion for
and wholesome as compared to that sec
ond category OF sins at which limited a
moment ago. This. IS that social sin that
runs so often In the wake Of wealth and
luxurious living. II Is that terrific wrong
against which the great apostle to the ma
tons shaped some OF MS sh s1I.d SEN n
America And the highest medical au-
thorittes are alarmed at It's astonishing raw
ages II is eating with sarcomauc hunger
into the health, the happiness. the mental
ity, the morality Of this nation
Eloquent preachers have their place And
yet the ambition for eloquenee may be
fatal TO a harvest Of souls Many man
has ridden the hobby horse Of eloquence
hard and got nowhfther- We want great
evanseiists and learned scholars and skill
full teachers and diIigent pastors But back
Of these. and just now more than these.
we need a Church that Will give and pray
and witness.
New York Case Taken Up.
The New York presbytsry case, as IL Is
now known, is officially before the assem-
bly,. Four pamphlets have been distrtb-
utsd by the Rev. DR.. John Fox, the Rev.
Dr. Walter Buchanan and the Rev DR..
Frederick z. Shearer. COMMITTEES on COM
plainants- One contains the complaint and
appeal and the others are brief statements
from each Of the committee showing why.
in his opinion, the matter should be brought
TO the general assembly.
DR.. Shearer asks explicitly that one Of
the candidates against whose licensure z
protest was made TO the New York Synod
should not be ordained by any Presbytery
other than the New York, and only then
after another examination IN the case OF
the Rev Mr.. Black. at present a pastor in
The Bronx, DR.. Shearer contends that the
complaints to the synod prevented the or
dination which took effect last October
from being complete, and that his ordins-
ton should be nu1lihed and he should be
re-examined. DR. shearer declares that the
assembly has the unquestioned power to de-
clare the ordination null and void.
The papers will be submitted to the
judicial committee, which WILL be elected
tomorrow, and If IL is found in order Will
be referred to the judicial commission Of the,
assembly. which has been summoned here
TO try the case. assuming that there will
be one The chairman OF the commission
ig the Rev Dr.. John W Dinsmore. of San
jose. Cal. AMI the secretary. DR.. Robert
Hunter, OF Philadelphia. The other thir-
teen members are scattered about the coun-
try, only one of the number. Henry ".
Jessup. being from New York.
The assembly has the power to try the
case itself and not refer 1t 10 the commits
sion. but the probability Is that II will go
10 the commission. The preliminary tudg-
nent rendered by The commission may be
reviewed by the assembly and may be
affirmed, reversed. modified, suspended or
RENTED for further hearing. so that the
assembly does not lose control OF the case
until IL has itself taken final action
From interviews with the commissioners
there is little likelihood Of the commission
or the assembly establishing a precedent
by declaring Mr.. Blacks ordination null
and void. At the same time there are
members Of the assembly who would favor
taking advantage of the occasion to issue
clear cut declaration concerning the ques-
tons which were under discussion when
the Union Seminary students were exam
ined, such as the validity OF the Scriptures.
the deity Of Christ. the Trinity, the super
natural element IN Christianity. the sacra-
nelts the virgin birth OF Christ and Hts
resurrection.
While It Is undoubtedly true that the
assembly Is conservative in its makeup
the statement of a leading commits
sioner after the election may not be taken
literally, but It undoubtedly has force. Re
ferring 10 the election of Dr. Little over
DR.. Alexander Zenos and Dr. Warfield. this
clergyman said: