MODERN PRESBYTERIANISM

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2186, 30 July 1889, Page 2

MODERN PRESBYTERIANISM

A*, the meeting la 'dlaburgh 'ait May, of the General Assembly of the Free Oh arch of Scotland, great interest waß taken, (says the correspondent of the " Witness ") even by persons not eonneoted with the Fete Oharoh, la Its oleeMon of a professor of New Testament ►•xegasls Id ita Edinburgh College m succession to the late Dr Smeaton. The name most largely recommended by the presbyteries and syaoda of the Oharoh ■tub that of Dr M-.roia Dods, of Glasgow but he was atrenaiusly opposed by the more conservative section of the ohtKo' on the ground th»t hh vla^s on inspiration were unsound. They nut forward i-hr Rev Alex Oaaln, of Edinburgh, so their candidate, and an Intermediate p»rty napported the Rev Professor B*lav>nd, of the Free Charoh 0 illege In Aberdeen. I> a densely crowded and moat animated house the vote was taken after the proposers and ieoonders of the several candidates had snokeo, no farther dobate being allowed. The reo"> ding of the vote ooap'pd •lmost an hen', and tin resol* was °nnoanoed to be as followß : - D da, 383 ; Ouilr, 165 ; *nj Silnnnd, 115. Dr Dodde thai had a mjority of 103 over the otln r two omdidates pat together. The snnounoPtn nt was suoo^eded by grant oheerIng, p.ni th? moderator bad d ffioalty m ob^aiolne aflenoe. Tae Rev William BUfnnr, of Holyr^od, tabled an Immadtata pr.teit agahst D D ;d'a election, and U has elnoe beep Intimated that the oonstltQ* tionil par y i .tend to take farther aoMon In nutter. No farthar back thaa 1878 Dr Dodu was oeneur^d by the assembly for promO'B; '.ting what wme pronoaooei to be he v erodox viewa regarding »he authority and inspiration of the Bible Theie views he haa never relucted, aod now the a'Bsmbly haa, with enthusiasm, elected him to one of the mo it important professorships <n the o lieges of the ohnroh, No wonder that thti "Sootemm'' commentIng on these things, s^ya that "the change of f»lth In the Free Ohurch Is nothing lees tb»tt a revolu'too." As further emphns'ilpg this, moreover, th* Assembly two days Wet, after a stormy debase, adopted by 413 votes to 130, a motion by Prlno'pal Brown, of Aberdeen, appointing a oommltteA to consider what action should be take a "to moet the difficulties and relieve the eorup'ea " of many m the oh arch with respect to the Confession r-f F^ltb.