Newspaper Page Text
August 20, 1913] TEI
Editorial I
While this number is in press the Board of
Directors of Union Seminary is in session in
Richmond for the special purpose of electing a
successor to Dr. Strickler in the chair of Theology.
The importance of the Board's actiofi
may be readily appreciated by the Church.
The members of the Board are especially qualified
by wide information, ereneral intelligence.
experience and devotion to the welfare of the
Seminary and its largest usefulness, for the
task which they have in hand. We have confidence
that their selection, made after careful
consideration and importunity, will be the man
whom God has chosen for the great work. It
is a cause for devout gratitude that the Church
has a number of noble sons whose training,
conviction and hearts' devotion fit them for
eminent service in educating young men for
the high calling of preaching the glorious gospel
of the blessed God. Yet who is sufficient
P Xl At- - * ' ' * " ~
i or mese rnings wunout endowments from on
high ?
As indicating the worldwide spread of the
Presbyterian Reformed Church, a few of the
names enrolled at the Aberdeen Council and
the lands from which they came are suggestive.
There were Doumerque from France, Kalopothakes
from Greece, Baksa from Hungary,
Tornos from Spain, Jeamsenand from Switzerland,
Zwemer from Egypt, Braga from Brazil,
Joseph from Persia, Hon Suk Chin from China,
and so on. It is to be observed that this enlistment
does not represent the more promi
nent lands in which Protestantism is most firmly
and widely established?such countries as
the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany
and the Netherlands. It was remarked
by the correspondent of our London exchange
that if all the 350 delegates at the Council
had spoken in their own language the gathering
would have emulated that great day in the
beginning of the Christian Church's history
when there met in Jerusalem Partliians and
Modes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia
and in Judea and Cappadocia, in Pontus
and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, and so on.
One of the most useful organizations in this
country is the Lord's Day Alliance. It is not ecclesiastical
in any sense, though it is sustained and
promoted hv Christian people. Tt should have the
moral support of all who believe in "keeping holy
w uua sucn set times as Me Hath appointed in His
Word, expressly one whole day in seven to be a
holy Sabbath to Himself"; and who further believe
in "a holv resting all that day, even from such
worldly employments and recreations as are lawful
on other days." It is said that remarkable results
followed the order of the Post Office Department
closing post offices on Sunday. Formerly children
were sent to the post office instead of Sunday school,
or from Sunday school. Business men got their
mail and spent Sunday in adjusting business
affairs. The Sunday newspaper flooded the country
and corrupted the minds of the masses with its
coarseness and sensationalism. Now there is a
great change for the better. But there are still
mnnv ndversnrioc Him/1 ov Dnnr4o ?t
_...j.m i m ui many Minis,
Sunday motoring, Sunday saloons, excursions, the
antagonism of Seventh-Day advents, the Sunday
half-holidays of Romanists, the decline of Sundav
observance and teaching in homes, the evil example
?f prominent men in politics and in business, also
of manv who are less, prominent, the requirement
of employers that their emplovees work seven days
in the week?these and many other agencies combine
to debase the standard of Sabbath ohservanee
in public opinion and practice.
4
PRIBBYTERIAN 07 f HI SOI
Votes and
In a circular letter recently sent out by Dr.
McFarland, of the Federal Council of Churches, a
statement is made to the effect that after long discussion
the Southern Presbyterian Assembly voted
to remain as a constituent body of the Council, with
only twenty-seven votes in the negative. This
statement is quite true and affords occasion for our
recording the further action of the Assembly as
follows: "This Assembly now declares that by this
action it does not as a Church Court approve
of the Social Service program presented by the
Federal Council, and that it disapproves of the
failure of the Federal Council to make it plain
that its Social Service program was not intended
to he adopted by the Churches as organized bodies.
It is said that the great Dr. Thornwell was
brought into the Presbyterian Church and ministry
by being impressed with a few paragraphs of
the Confession of Faith which he chanced to find
in a book store. A similar instance is found in
the case of a Drominent attornev nf whom
Pittsburg Christian Advocate says: "It would
seem that there is still some hope for old-fashioned
orthodoxy. It is reported on good authority that
a very eminent American attorney holding a high
place on the legal staff of an immense railroad
system has recently united with the Presbyterian
Church on confession of faith. When the pastor
of the church inquired what led him to take this
stop, he answered that he had been reading the
Westminster Confession of Faith and wanted to
identify himself with the Church holding that
creed."
WrmlrJ fltof oil Aiir miKlin
.. w?wv U11 uiu J/UUI1V. IIICII WCIC V;1U1911UU5.
May the day soon dawn when they shall be. We
believe no man is fullv qualified to make or execute
laws or administer the affairs of government
who does not render such service in the fear of the
Lord. At any rate a ruler "is the minister of
Cod." The example of Christian men in high
places of state is being appreciated. Sobriety,
Sabbath observance, church attendance, principles
of justice in diplomacy, and other fruits of Christian
faith are being exemplified by men con
spicuous m public attairS. President Wilson has
repeatedly rung out his strong testimony to the
authority and value of the Scriptures. VicePresident
Marshnll has borne similar witness to
the holy oracles and says that without a return
to their decree the nation cannot survive. Mr.
Bryan has delivered great addresses on the Prince
of Peace and the Book of books. Lately we mentioned
that Mr. Bryan had assumed the support of
several missions or missionaries; we find, how
ever, on the authority of the Record of Christian
Work, that this statement was inaccurate, hut that
on his tout* around the world Mr. Bryan selected
eight voting men and women for whose support and
education he became responsible.
Dr Melvin Grove Kyle, specialist in archeology,
is contributing a valuable series of articles to the
Sunday School Times. In a recent discussion he
pays a fine tribute to the Gunning prize essay of
flto tnnfat?io tr?4-n4-/% t\?? 1? *n tti
, .viui m mnuiuic, uv ifi. rMrKf i. r loumov.
The title of this essay is "The Bearing of Archeologieal
aTrl Historical Ttesearch TTpon the New
Testament." Tn his review and comment, Dr.
Kvle savs: "The arrangement of the materials
in this collection of facts hv Dr. Flonmov is like
a cluster light which the electricians make hv
bringing together manv lesser lights. Tt is not
simnlv areheolocrieal evidence, which in these davs
is doing so mnch for Biblical stndv, as sneh admirable
focusing lights into one great light This
it is that gives the decision on so manv great questions.
Here the documents are brought together to
make one cluster light, and then the New Testa
r T H (777) 9
Comment
ment, especially the gospel story, is set in the full
hlaze of that light." "The main purpose of Dr.
Flournoy in his essay is to establish the authenticity
of the gospel narratives, and his argumenta
non is ny this method, lie adduces the testimony
of the early canons, the versions, the apologists, and
the quotations by many authors, to the effect that
the gospels were universally received by contemporaries
of the evangelists as from them."
DR. McILWAINE.
Another able and faithful witness, whose life was
abundant in labors, has passed to his reward. Dr.
Richard Mclllwaine died at his home in Richmond,
Vn., Sunday morning, August 10th, at the age
of seven tv-ni no Tin n-ao ? i 1 "
j uuiu in rciersuurg, Va.,
May 20, 1834, was a graduate of ITampden-Sidney
College, and studied successively at the University
of Virginia, Union Theological Seminary, Va., and
the Free Church College of Edinburg, Scotland,
lie was licensed and ordained by East Hanover
Presbytery 1857 and installed pastor of the
Amelia church, in which office he continued until
1861.
On flin nnfliraol- 4 U ? T\_ "* *" T1
vuvu>?iv vii. me war nr. mciiwaine became
chaplain in the Confederate service, continuing
in this position for two years, and was
then pastor of the Farmville church until 1870. He
was elected pastor of the First church of Lynchburg,
which he served until he was chosen as
.Secretary of Home Missions by the General Assembly
in 1872. He continued in this position for
ten years and in 1883 was elected President and
Professor of Moral Philosophy and Bible Studies
tt j? " " ?
... Ainuipuuu-oiuney uoiiege. During this incumbency
he was n member of the Virginia Constitutional
Convention in 1891-'02.
Dr. Mc Iwaine was a valuable contributor to the
coiumns of the Church periodicals and to magazines,
wielding the pen of a trenchant and ready
writer. Some of his choice sermons, and addresses
on educational subjects, have been published in
permanent form. A most readable volume and one
of valuable historic interest is his '"Memoirs of
Three Score Years and Ten." lie received the degree
of Doctor of Divinity from Stewart College,
rronnnoeoA 4-l~ ? J
u mcc, aim me uegree oi Doctor of Laws from
Davidson College, North Carolina.
Wherever he has been known, whether as pastor,
preacher, author, educator, patriot, or administrator
of large affairs, Dr. Mclwaine's personality
has been an incitement to high ideals and attainments.
Of gentle lineage, and of refined associations
during the formative period of life, he bore
with him always the impress of a noble Christian
gentleman His standards of moral excellence
were high, his industry and enterprise were unremittant,
his learning was extensive and he heeded
well the ininnef5An i:11 *
?j?i iuvr mi tilings; noid fast
that which is good." As a preacher, a searcher for
truth and its expositor, a loyalist in fidelity to his
King, a wise counselor, and a brother beloved, the
life of this eminent servant of the Church and
follower of his liord is to be held in lasting remembrance.
All the power given to Christ is behind the
Church, hut the trouble is that instead of annrn
ri
printing it, she too often spends out sails to the
capricious breezes of the world. The great need
of Zion is to "lift up her eyes to the hills from
whence cometh her help."
Unbelief is like a man with his back turned
toward the sunshine, walking in a shadow that he
himself makes, while faith, reversing the order,
faces the sun and then lives in the light of hopefulness
with the shadows all behind it.