CHAIR OF THEOLOGY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 650, 29 October 1909, Page 8

CHAIR OF THEOLOGY.

. A PRESBYTERIIAN :APPOINTMENT. ■. INTERESTING DISCUSSION. - : • • (By i Tclegraph—Press r ißSoclation.). . , . Christchuroh', , October 28. : A: subject. of great interest' to. Presbyterians throughout , the Dominion,. and Otago .and Southland especially, came fcofore the General Asselably this" morning. The report of the Theological College Committee roferred with deep regret to the death; of..the' Rev.. John Dunlop, MJi., DJ)., Professor of Systematic Theology and 'New* Testament Exegesis in the college.' . : : The : Kev. James Chisholm, cohveior of; the committee appointed to 'consider' the; appointment' of a • theological : professor, presented the report which detailed that,-though-the', making of the appointment rested'with the Synod of Otago and Southland, the matter .was. of such' lugh importance to the 'Presbyterian Church as a'whole that it was decided to ascertain the 'mind of the Assembly. ' The new' professor :was .to- take systematic theology and apologetics, and until other arrangements - had been; made, New ..Testament Exegesis.:'. : Tfce salary was .£OOO per annum, and mariso. The result of the committee's wort was that they recommended the' Rev.: John Dickie, M.A., minister of'Tarland, Scotland, for'the'position. At "the final votej. eighteen votes r were "'given for-Mr. Dickie, and-eight'for the Rev. Frank Dunlop,' Ph.D., Knox •:. Churchy:. IrivercargiU. Mr.,r.Chisholm moved:'."That Mr. Dickie be recommended by. the-'Assembly td .the Synod for' appointment to. the -vacant chair -in the Theological- College." He would have been glad to have been in a position to propose one. of the local applicants. All things being equal, they should give preference to their local men;-It, was a .very, desirable, stimulus -to their 'young men to know that they rni"ht be appointed to the. highest position- the church . could-offer. He. had everything personally to incline- hi'm to' support. the local man, but- they had to look to. the highest interests - of : the whole church, , and get the best man obtainable. The Home commissioners had very high standing,, and, .were men . of the loftiest character. ' The representatives .of New Zealand presbyteries ,had' been careinlly selected,and had done their work con6ticntionaly. Tho speaker eulogised Mr.i Dickie as a man of high scholarship and'literary attainment. •. His/recqrd fof a 'man of 35 years of. age mhst' be ■ as-tonishing-to those' who. had , scanned' it.','. He had. at Tarland earned the reputation ,of-be-; ing. a - devoted minister, a -cultured, eloquent, and'powerful preacher., He was also regarded by'.competent critics, as a theologian of' a vcry high .order: ■ Mt: Dickie was. evidently 'a pub-lic-spirited ' man, which was a very desirable thing- tp .have .inva.man occupying.6uch; a' high' position . as- ;would.1 be-"offered . to' ,him. He. •should be'able to reach out to' the springs of pglitical' thought arid action, and dof.sqmothing to guide them into . the . right' - chnnnel. 1 •- Ho was' thoroughly in sympathy -'with the best evangelical spirit and thought in Scotland today, and he would fill the position with great ability , and with . the - greatest possible; credit to the 'Presbyterian Church. v . The Rev. P. B. Fraser seconded the motion. . '■ ' '• 'jj r.;,. ■ The Rev. Dr. Erwin came/forward as tha representative of 'the 'mihority on. the coromittee." It was still. true;that. a'. prophet was 'not without llonour save' in his own country. There was a strong feeling in tho" committee that they "should, get a Home man, -and' thoro' hadi been ito earnest attempt- to judge the qualitiel of the • man whose 'name ; he- was about to place before them. ' There' should ■ have' been a greater attempt on the' part of tho committee: to understand', the qualifications:--of-.Dr.* ; Dunlop. He, first "passed through their;university' with the" highest oredit td ; himself. Ho took, his degree of -philosophy at. Vienna .with ' high;.-honours "Tarely - attained by. a' ;fofeigner. • Ho had. also '.taken -Kis degree in Germany tfith. Honours'.which the professor had described as extraordinary lor'a foreigner.-AU .his: study of philosophy'had'been on the philos-' ophv.' of; religion,' and all . his > postgraduate. s ni r dy, had been 'in: connection'"with' theology. The .speaker emphasised the importance of aknowledge of;pliilosophy in' connection with religion. Dr. ! Dunlop" was not a: provincial. He ,was conversant .with all ',current thought . in English and German, theology.'• They, should get theihest man .for the position, .arid, he stood to that when they could get .as good as'the best that, could bo presented from the' Homeland ,out of-their, own ■ churob. They.' should give preference,to a^,man who .WAS ,in. their midst ; Considering tho part actions-of ! tho,Presbyterian. Church he ,was: not surprised at; the decline; in their, students:' There.,-was: .scarcely... v'a ; large, church in--New .Zealand which .became 1 vacant •but, what;..they- might put. over tl|'e„door, "N;o New Zealanders need'apply." That'was .what ("was, discoiiraginff, their own men,, and,.,causing paucity : \of" candidates, talent in their ."midst; was being discouraged. He moved, "That:the name of; the Rev. Frank Dunlop; be recom'mended -to tho Synod of Otago and '. South-: 'land."''. ,'. ; ' l . - ■ The amendment was seconded the Rev. I. O. Bertram. ' • '•, ; ■ The' Rev. J.',K. Elliott advocated; the claims of the Rev. Alexander' White, M.A.,: B.D.', -B.Sc., for the position. Personally, the . speaker did not approve, of the- extracts which were •read from Mr. Dickie's article. Mr. DioMe •spoke of "mediating" between the' everlasting .Gospel and the fluofaations of. current opinion. 3®»t was a large order,-and'the speaker, for one 'did not consider that the Gospels heeded .."mediating" : - The Amendment was seconded'by .the.Rev. W. G. Dixon. ' ' •-' ■

i After some considerable discussion" it ; was decided ;to take; a show of. hands on. each ' name. 'The'.count showed that,;roughly, from. 149 to 156 votes were 1 riven' for' the r Rev.'. J. Dickie; 46 or 47 for Dr. Duirfop,'and'l3-for the Rev: A. 1 ;White.. As Mr. Diosie.had an absolute majority, the mqderatpf put bin nanje, in/a substantive motion,'which was agreed ,to on.tho voices by-a large majority. • ' .... i