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14 . TH DR. GORDON'S CRITICISM. The net conclusion of Dr. Gordon's two articles on The Theology of Infant Salvation is as follows: The Scripture citations and references in the book do not prove that all infants dying in infancy are saved; or, in his own words, "God's word leaves us, at most, with liberty to hope." This is precisely the position of the book itself- as the fnllrnviiie- minta?lnn makes evident: "He (any examiner) will find himself approaching them all (a thousand verses of the Bible concerning children) with a preconceived desire to find in them some clear-cut assurance that all dead infants are finally saved, and that none of them are lost; yet he will rise from his study wishing that the Scriptures were more explicit, but still feeling that the very most which he has derived by honest grammar and exegesis is suggestion, hint, hope; and that he is at last thrown back upon theology, and compelled to settle the matter by inference" (P. 11). Dr. Gordon says: "God's Word leaves us, at most, with liberty to hope." The book says: "The very most which we derive bv honest irrammar anri ovouunii! is suggestion, hint, hope." Where is there any issue? The book argues against the amendment of the Confession of Faith on the ground that the doctrine cannot be derived from Scripture by exigesis and cannot be supported by proof-texts. The book takes the ground, however, that, the Calvinistlc soteriology is biblical; and that the doctrine, that all infants dying in infancy are saved, is deducible, by logical processes, from Calvinistlc premises, and is thus remotely, inferentially( Scriptural. The author, however, is not willing to see Iris own theological inferences, nor anybody else's, introduced into the Confession of Faith, and bound upon the church as a creed. The Author. CALVIN CELEBRATION. By the Next General Assembly at Savannah, Ga. The supreme judicatories of all the churches comprising .the Alliance of the Reformed Churches throughout the world hoidirg the Presbyterian System have adopted plans for the general observance of the four hundredth anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. Our Assembly, at its last meeting, "recognizing the historic significance of this anniversary, and the unusual opportunity afforded thereby for the vindication,-propagation, and inculcation of the great principles of the Reformed Faith, which lie at the foundation of civil and religious liberty," besides suggesting 10 tne institutions or learning within its bounds, the religious papers and the Presbyteries, the fitting celebration of this Quadricentennial, appointed a strong committee, with Dr. R. F. Campbell, of Asheville, N. C., as chairman, to prepare a program and secure speakers. That program is now complete and Is as follows: 1. Calvin?The Man and His Times, Rev. Charles Merle d'Aubigne, France. 2. Calvin's Contribution to the Reformation, Rev. R. C. Reed,-D. D.; alternate, Rev. C. W. Grafton, D. D. y E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOU! 3. Calvin, the Theologian, Kev. Henry Collin Minton, D. D., Trenton, N. J. 4. Calvin's Contribution to Church Pclity. Rev. T. C. Johnson, D. D.; alteinaie, Rev. Robert Price, D. I). 5. Calvin'n Attitude Towards, and Exegesis of, the Scriptures, Rev. James Orr, T). D., Scotland. 6. Calvin's Doctrine of Infant Salvation, Rev. R. A. Webb, D. D.; alternate. Rev. W. L. Lingle, D. D. 7. The Relation of Calvin and Calvinism to Missions, Rev. S. L. Morris. D. D.; alternate, Rev. W. M. Anderson. D. D. 8. Calvin's Contribution to Educational Progress, Dr. Geo. H. Denny, president of Washington and Lee University. 9. Calvin's Influence on the Political Development of the World, Hon. Frank T. Glasgow; alternate, Hon. W. S. Fleming. 10. How Far Has Original Calvinism Been Modified By Time?, Rev. S. A. King, D. D.; alternate, Rev. Harris E. Kirk, D. D. 11. Present Day Attitude Towards Calvinism; Its Causes and Its Significance, Rev. Benjamin B. Warfleld, D. D.; alternate, Rev. Wm. ILoge Marquess, D. D. 12. How May the Principles of Calvinism Be Rendered Most Effective Under Modern Conditions? Rev. A. M. Fra sei, D. D.; alternate, Rev. D. Clay Lilly. D. D. A STATEMENT AND APPEAL. To the Presbyterians of the Synods of North Carolina and Virginia. You are the owners of Union Theological Seminary at Richmond. Its splendid work in the past and the present should awaken your interest and gratitude, and should excite you to devise liberal things for its support and enlargement. Its faculty is an able body of men, learned and apt to teach. Jt3 number of Rtudente la larcpv than that of any other seminary in our church; which fact shows not only that Union has a right to he, hut that she has a claim upon the people of the sustaining Synods for a complete equipment for her great work. One thing?and that which is in your hands?is needed to complete its equipment. This thing is MONEY. Your seminary is sorely in need of a much larger endowment fund, whose Income shall be sufficient to meet current expenses and to add betterments to the scholastic course and to the plant. Tlila need is urgent; it is crying. For eighteen years the undersigned has had, by repeated appointments, the responsibility and pleasure of serving on the board of directors and trustees of your seminary. On this board there have been distinguished business men and elders. To say nothing of those who are ministers, we have on the board at this time such business men as Messrs. Q. W. Watts and B. F. Hall of North Carolina, and Judsre ChrlRttnn nn.i t?* Gov. J. Hoge Tyler of Virginia, Mr. C. C. Lewis of West Virginia, Mr. H. Bradley Davidson of Washington, and Mr. C. W. Dorsey of Baltimore. For years we have had the remarkable efficiency of Mr. Munce as treasurer, to aid in managing the finances. Yet every year 7H. February 17, igo?. finds us witli a yawning deficit! This appalling fact has fdr many years stood like a mountain directly athwart the desire and the effort of the board to make improvements thai have been sadly needed And there it still stands an unsurmounted obstacle. "The two Synods have voted to remove this nhslnplo hv ralcino- fc*>AA AAA ? w iMiumg fwvv,vuv uy 1110 year 1912, when the seminary will celebrate its Centennial. But the people have not yet shown tangible signs of a determination to raise this amount. Only a small portion of it has been contributed. The good people of Richmond have set a good example. They have erected a much needed building at a cost of ?40,000. This fact, however, enforces the appeal to other ]iositions of the Church; for, of course, the maintenance of this building will add to the expense of maintaining the whole. The liberality ot these people should stimulate others to contribute to the Endowment Fnud. Will not ministers and sessions inform their churches of the seminary's want? Will not the alumni, in a spirit of very si auiuue, itii tneir people ot the wants and opportunity of their Alma Mater? We sometimes hear that we have too many seminaries, and too many'preachers in professorial work, while there is such demand for more pastors and evangelists. Well, this may be so; but is Union Seminary responsible for this state of things? She is by far the oldest seminary in our church, and has the largest number of students of any. These students must have professors. This objection, if valid, would lie against some of the younger seminaries; it i3 hardly pertinent to Union. You Burely can not wish Union Seminary to contract its course or to diminish the number of its teachers. The demand of the times is rather for enlargement of both. Let the peopic give the $300,000 and amply endow the seminary; and It is almost certain that 110 other appeal will be made to you for this cause for a generation. Everybody knows that the cost of living has much, increased within the last fifty years. Not only so, the rate of interest has lessened. With these changes, the one upward and the other downward, the current expenses of your seminary must become more aud more embarrassing unless the income is illcreased by an enlargement of the endowment fund. If the people of the two synods desire their seminary to advance its equipment and usefulness they must come to its help. Calls for help to our executive and evangelistic work are made with perplexing frequency, and will continue to be made. When this $:i00,000 is contributed, it is not likely that your seminary will make another call on you in your life-time. Raise this needed endowment, which you can do if you only make up your minds to do it, and your seminary will be well furnished for her work, and can hold a front place among our seminaries. To two gentlemen we are indebted for a large pkrt of our present plant; and ro one or inem further for repeated contributions to the betterment of our plant and course of studies. Shall the rest of our people not be stimulated by their example to sustain the seminary, and