The Princeton Issue.—The American papers giving reports of the proceedings of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in U.S.A. reached us as last issue of the Magazine went to press. The mind of the Assembly revealed itself in the appointment of Dr McAfee, Chicago, “the most liberal candidate that had ever been presented for that office” (The Presbyterian), as Moderator by a vote of 572 to 332 cast for Prof. Dick Wilson, who had been put forward by the Conservatives. This vote is discouraging to all who deplore the teaching of the “liberals.” The Assembly decided that a new Board of Directors for Princeton Seminary, consisting of 33 members, should be appointed to function in place of the “heretofore existing Board of Directors.” Later it is expected that the new Board will take over the work of the existing Board of Trustees. Dr Craig, editor of the “Presbyterian,” is very dissatisfied with the composition of the new Board, revealing, as it does, strong “liberal” tendencies in many of the members. In a leading article headed “Action of Assembly, if Valid, Dooms Princeton Seminary,” the editor says: “We believe, therefore, that the action of the last Assembly, if valid, means that Princeton Seminary, as it has been known, and loved, and feared throughout the world, has been given the death blow, and that in a short time, at the best, it will be wholly dead, and its abode occupied and its name held by an institution of an entirely different sort. We cherish grave doubts as to its validity, but withhold the basis for these doubts until we have had time to give the matter fuller consideration.” The distinguished Semitic scholar, Dr Dick Wilson, is to retire, and Drs Allis, Machen, and Van Til have sent in their resignations. The decision of the Assembly on Princeton Seminary may have a far wider effect than the “liberals” anticipate. Already there is talk of testing the validity of the decision in the law courts, and some are suggesting that the time has come when the “liberals” and “conservatives” must part.
Refusal of L.M.S. to Accede to the Prayer of Petition Against Sabbath Excursion Trains.—A deputation, consisting of Mr Ian Macpherson, M.P., Sir Murdoch Macdonald, M.P., and the Rev. Ewen Macqueen, waited on the Vice-President (Mr Follows), of the
L.M.S., in London recently. The M.P.’s and Mr Macqueen urged in the strongest terms that the people in the Highlands resented the intrusion of excursionists on the Sabbath as a breach of religious observance, and desired the quiet of the Sabbath to be preserved. Mr Follows fell back on the groundless plea that the Company had to look after the interests of the public. Captain Prejudice played his part as successfully as he did on a more vital occasion, but the reckoning is not yet settled either by what Mr Follows said or what the L.M.S. persist in doing. It may be mentioned that Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bart., who had expressed a desire of co-operating with his fellow M.P.s, was not present owing to absence from home when notice was sent him. From the report in the “Inverness Courier” one gathers that Mr Follows is a blind worshipper of Mammon. Early in July the L.M.S. ran its first excursion train on the Sabbath to Kyle of Lochalsh. The excursionists, 300 in number, were denied the right of crossing the ferry to Skye. The departure of the train was marked by the sudden death of the stationmaster, who dropped down as the train was departing. This, in itself, should speak to the Mammon-worshipping officials of the L.M.S. and the pleasure-seekers whom they are helping along the broad way.
The Revised Prayer Book Again.—The Bishops seem determined on wrecking the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury moved a resolution in the Upper House of the Convocation of Canterbury recently that the Deposited Prayer Book, twice rejected by Parliament, should be administered by the Bishops in their dioceses. The resolution was carried in the Upper House, but it was amended by the clergy in the Lower House to the effect that the synodical assemblies should determine its use. This put the Bishops into a fix, as it took the power out of their hands; but rather than have the proposal rejected they meekly submitted. During the discussion in the Upper House, while the Bishop of Truro (Dr Furse) was speaking he was interrupted by Dr Barnes, who was sharply admonished by the Primate. Dr Lang would have done well if he had admonished the Romaniser (Dr Furse) as well as the Modernist (Dr Barnes), and he would have done still better if, after admonishing both, he addressed a severe admonition to himself as one who is betraying the Protestant heritage of the Church of England.