New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-26
SEN|NARY'S ATTITUDE
TO ASSEMBLY DEFINED
Dr. Browns Speech at Opening
Of Union Regarded in Light
of an UItimatum.
"ANCIENT PHRASES" TABOO
Inquiry To Be Started To day
Into Threefold Charges
Suit May Follow on Pres
bvterian Endowments.

The Union Theological Seminary. al
proadway and 10Th street. began its fall
term Yesterday with 10 new names on
tho enrolment list. making a total Of 255.
which is the largest in its history. Or
William Adams Brown. Roosevelt pro-
lessor Of systematic theology. IN his open
ing address defined the attitude OF the
seminary toward the Presbyterian Gen
.ral Assembly, which to-day will begin
10 investigate" the Union Theological
ser7inarys refusal 10 surrender its inter
denornauonal character.
He said the ministry OF to-day would
not 10 content with repeating ancen;
uhrases" What the world had a right
70 ask OF the Church. ne Faid. was moe
fundamental than what the Church had a
right 10 ask Of the ministry. He said, in
part:
let Is have the courage Of our con-
yictions Let US meet the issues that are
before US in the spirit Of freedom and Of
sxrectancy that BELTS men who are called
10 lead and not simply 20 follow. We are
most LOYAL 10 the Church Of the past when
We apply the principles II has taught 10
the new problems OF the present. We
best serve the Church Of the present
when we do what we can 10 prepare the
wsv FOR the nobler church that is TO be.
we cannot be content simply 10 repeat
ancient phrases We must know what
the old words mean and all that they
mean There is not q Christian doctrine
however remote il may seem from our
crescent thinking. but witnesses TO some
spir1tual reality. There is not Christian
practice. however formal Il may nave
crown through repetition. that was not
originally the expression o. some VITA
experience.
We must recover these lost connec-
lions. We must appropriate our righuuI
inheritance We must bring % the study
~ the Church in all its phases, doctrine
,itral institutions and customs the loV-
ing sympathy that VIII make MS at nome
IN its spirit and enable us TO interpret II
urde-standingly 10 those who arc SUN
strangers TO its life
The address was regarded by many HS
An "ultimatum" TO the General Assembly.
The Rev Or. Mark a. Matthews Oh
Seattle. together with several other cier-
evmen and three lawyers. is IN Ne"
York 10 start the seminary inquiry. Tire
Union Theological Seminary is not iden-
raed with any religious body but always
has heen most prominently represented
bv Presbyterians.
The charges against IL are threelo'u .
That most Of its endowments We're haue
IN condition that it teach the Nestrllh-
eta- Confession which is the presbyterian
standard. that fl is not doing thls' anu
that its graduates. by giving evasiVe anu
t,,d.e,ite answers on examinations, are
getting into the ministry Of the FrespS =
,sriar Church through the action OF me
New Yorl, Presbytery.
The investigation IS 70 oeterril','e
vrether a suit ought not 10 be orousn'
a. con,pel the seminary either 70 Yea II
,be standard doctrine or give up us en-
dowments.
T., -egard 10 the Rev. Dr. Henry IRE
,.~,.e5 smith. the new Librarian AT 'he
,sr,i,arv. DR.. Brown yesterday sald ne
,,os not q Unitarian. although he came
s-o,, Unitarian seminary. DIT. Brown
said he was a CongregauonaIst ne ""9
suspeuded from the Lane FresoS '-i 'A''
Seminary bv the General Assembly al'''
= trial that attracted almost as nluch d
,sntion a. that of Professor BrlseS d.
1,r,on Dr. Smith IS not on the facuIty oI
~. Union Theological Seminary TINS year
The General Seminary episcopal ~,
chelsAa Square. which is not charged
vi,b a lack of orthodoxy, welcomed nl'y
nev. etudents yesterday They all Were
I,nisoonabans. II was said. The new
oa-,o-s AZ the Union Theological semi
-, ,-s-e from a dozen different demon
national bodies The Rev. III =. - -
formerly OF Chicago seminary -
the new members OF the facui'S 'iiS