MAY 1969

WESTMINSTERTHEOLOGICAL

SEMINARYISSUE

VOLUME 38, NUMBER 5

. · · fortieth anniversary year . . .

President Clowney and Dr. LouisPraamsma of Fruitland, Ontario, whogave the opening address last fall.

Guest Lecturers

I n addition to those pictured hereother special lecturers were invited

to the campus during this fortiethacademic year. Professor William S.

Barker of the history department ofCovenant College delivered a Wor­cester Lecture on "The Social Viewsof Charles Hodge: an Example of19th-Century Calvinism and Conserva­tism in America." Dr. Louis Praamsmareturned for another address underthe Worcester Lectureship, speakingon "Developments in the ReformedChurches in the Netherlands in the20th Century."

Dr. Meredith Kline of Gordon Di­vinity School was present as a visitingprofessor in Old Testament duringpart of the second quarter.

An evening course open to auditorsas well as to seminarians was offeredduring each quarter by Professor C.John Miller of the Seminary faculty.The two-hour weekly sessions-halflecture and half animated discussion­attracted a good many college studentsand other adults from the community.Topics dealt with the European theo­logical novel, Christian poets, and manin contemporary culture from a Bib­lical perspective.

j,1..j

!,I\

j)

1»»-+Right: Dr. William Hendriksen, authorof New Testament commentaries, withDr. Van Til, at the annual MinisterialInstitute sponsored by the Westmin-

ster Alumni Association.

~

DR. MARTYN LLOYD-JONES, who delivered the fortieth commence­ment address, also lectured on preaching for six weeks this spring. Duringthe same period he gave a series of evening public addresses on Biblicalrenewal in an auditorium on the nearby Beaver College campus.

Dr. Lloyd-Jones, now in his seventieth year, is an eloquent and heart­searching expositor of Scripture. Born in Wales, he became a medicaldoctor (his wife of more than forty years also trained as a physician) butshortly thereafter retired from this promising career to undertake a smallpastorate. In 1938 he began a thirty-year ministry in Westminster Chapel,London. Author of several books and exponent of the modern ReformedPuritan movement, he hopes to devote his time to speaking and writingfor the faith.

The Presbyterian Guardian is published ten times a year, monthly, except July-August and November-December, by the Presbyterian GuardianPublishing Corporation, 7401 Old York Road, Philo., Po. 19126, at the fallowing rates, payable in advance, postage prepaid anywhere: $3.00 peryear ($2.50 in Clubs of ten or mare) or 30¢ per single copy. Second closs mail privileges authorized at the Post Office, Philadelphia, Po.

54 The Presbyterian Guardian

MOULDED BY THE GOSPELEDMUND P. CLOWNEY

I n the quiet sunshine of a walled garden about four hun­dred guests observed the Fortieth Anniversary Com­

mencement of Westminster Theological Seminary. Not theclenched fist but the bowed head was the sign of the 37young men who received their degrees in theology. Theylistened with enthusiasm to the wisdom of age as Dr.Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Dr. Cornelius Van Til exhortedthem to be faithful to the gospel of God.

That commencement ushered Westminster into a secondBiblical generation in the service of Christ. While theleaders of revolution cry that it is time to tear down, West­minster believes that it is a time to build up-upon theone foundation that is laid, Jesus Christ, and upon thelabors of those masterbuilders who have built on that foun­dation: the apostles, the evangelists, the reformers, andthose who stood with J. Gresham Machen to continue inthis country a Presbyterian seminary devoted to the fullnessof the teaching of the Bible.

By remaining the same, Westminster is becoming in­creasingly different, and the relevance of the Seminarygrows with the distinctiveness of its testimony. There isanother banner in the world-not the red flag of Com­munism or the black flag of nihilism but the ensign ofChrist's dominion. That flag is not what the Maverickmanufacturers call "Establish Mint" green. Christ's king­dom is not of this world, but of the world to come, yetthe power of his kingdom has invaded this world, andChrist will prevail.

The lord Christ calls Westminster Seminary to train menin the gospel. The gospel declares the righteousness of Godboth in judgment and in grace to young revolutionaries andold reactionaries. Christ made disciples of Zealots whofought for freedom and of publicans who served the Roman

Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., assistant professor of NewTestament, received his Th.D. at the June COm­

mencement.

May, 1969

state. In Christ's service they turned from both violence andcorruption to minister the gospel.

Westminster in years to come must be increasinglymoulded by the gospel of Christ. No other course is wise orsafe.

That means active, renewed subjection to the gospel.Westminster must avoid the calcifying effects of the tradi­tions of men that do not express the gospel. There is anever-present danger that we will take ourselves seriouslyinstead of taking the gospel seriously. An academic com­munity is particularly vulnerable to traditionalism and pride.

How will Westminster be moulded by the gospel in yearsto come? I am neither a prophet nor a planner: the decisionsto be reached must be gained together. Yet we may discernsome of the directions of the strengthening of our ministry.

Biblical ContentFirst, it is clear that gospel-moulding of our work means

deepening the Biblical content of our program. There aremany indications that this is taking place. Westminsterstudents in discussions with the faculty in this past yearmade proposals for strengthening the curriculum in thisrespect. Professor Norman Shepherd, the Dean of theFaculty, has prepared curriculum studies that open excitingprospects for uniting mastery of the theological disciplineswith much wider study of the Biblical text.

The interest of the faculty in Biblical theology now offersstudents a unified approach to the study of the Bible thatmakes Westminster's instruction distinctive. Biblical theolo­gy does not mean simply theology that is true to the Bible.It describes theology that takes its form as well as itscontent from the structure of the Bible. Biblical theologyis shaped by the periods of the history of redemption asthey center upon Christ. This approach provides a richerBiblical background for both systematic theology andpreaching.

55

The editor greets his brother, ThomasA. Nicholas, instructor in Old Testa­

ment.

As we look to the future we must not seek a pragmaticformula for a "mix" of the professional and the academic.Rather the gospel concept of wisdom must join knowledgeand practice, faith and life. The "academic" at Westminsteris not the Greek ideal of the detached pursuit of knowledgefor its own sake.

At the beginning of his Institutes John Calvin wrote,"By the knowledge of God, I intend not merely a notionthat there is such a Being, but also an acquaintance withwhatever we ought to know concerning Him, conducing tohis glory and our benefit. For we cannot with propriety saythere is any knowledge of God where there is no religion orpiety." (Instltutes I :ii) .

Every professor and student must gain that secret oftheological learning. The teacher of theology must be aspiritual leader. The repetition of unappropriated truth is aperil to the soul of teacher and student alike.

Need of RenewalNo program or planning can produce what Westminster

most needs: the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Deeper peni­tence, more urgent trust, more faithful obedience to Christ's

Dr. C. John Miller,assistant professorof practicaltheology.

Westminster's growth in this approach can be traced backto the teaching of Geerhardus Vos at Princeton Seminary.Professors Cornelius Van Til, John Murray, and Ned Stone­house were all students under Vos, and the younger facultyat the Seminary have found the thrill of seeing this dimen­sion of depth open in the Scriptures. Professor Richard B.Gaffin, Jr., for example, has quickened an enthusiasticresponse to this interpretation of Scripture by Scripture inhis New Testament courses. Instructor Thomas A. Nicholaspresents similar insights in his Old Testament teaching,strongly supplemented this coming year by Dr. MeredithKline and Dr. Pieter A. Verhoef who will be visitingprofessors of Old Testament in the second quarter, andDr. O. Palmer Robertson who will hold the same positionin the third quarter.

Nor is this unifying understanding of Scripture limitedto the Biblical departments. As the Bible is exegeted inSystematic Theology and applied in Practical Theology thesame perspectives are used.

In part because of this approach, there is new appreciationat Westminster for the infallible authority of Scripture. TheRev. John M. Frame, in presenting the doctrine of Scripture,

Dean of the faculty Norman Shepherd (center) con­fers with John M. Frame, instructor in systematic

theology, and Dr. Van Til.

draws not only upon his training in theology and contem­porary philosophy, but develops the doctrine of the Bibleby the method of Biblical theology.Piety and Learning

In the second place, the renewal of Westminster by thegospel means a closer joining of piety with learning. Thecharter of the Seminary is eloquent on this objective; it isa goal which must continual1y be renewed. There is muchcurrent discussion in American seminaries of the relation ofprofessional to academic education. Professional graduateschools in medicine, law, business, and education distinguishtheir goals from the pure research objectives of the academicgraduate schools.

Certainly in charter and in practice Westminster has beena professional school. We have trained teachers as wel1 aspreachers, but our aim has been to equip men for servicein the gospel. At the same time, the Seminary has alwaysfelt the need of continuing theological research. The West­minster Theological [oumal, for example, has been research­oriented.

56 The Presbyterian Guardian

commands: these mark the path of power in service to ourage.

Yet upon our program, too, th~ re-forming o~ the gospelmust have its effect. A more effective program will draw thestudent into a more active role in learning and expressingthe richness of the gospel. To gain this many means areavailable. One step would be to differentiate within ourdegree program so as to me~t ~he specific nee~s.of both theteacher and the pastor in training. The superviSIOn of field­work is of perennial concern. How can the stimulus andchallenge of the practice of the ministry be most effectivelyjoined to classroom study? One answer is that no seminarycourse can be regarded as terminal. Continuing educationfor ministers must become part of Westminster's service.A program of seminars is projected for this coming year toexplore this opportunity.

Another answer may be to make use of a pre-sessionthat will be included in the Seminary calendar for the firsttime next fall. A two-week period which could be laterextended may be used for language study and seminarsbased upon the experience of summer ministry. This fall

Dr. Robert D.Knudsen, asso­ciate professorof apologetics.

Norman Shepherd,associate professorof systematictheology, who willbe on leave forresearch during thecoming academicyear, chats with Dr.D. Clair Davis,associate professorof church history,now studying inEurope until the endof the first quarter.

Dr. C. John Miller will be teaching a limited-enrollmentcourse in evangelism, combining morning class work withafternoon field work together for two solid weeks. Dr. JayAdams will present a course on pastoral work with groupsduring the same period.

A Service CommunityYet another direction is in view as we seek to bring the

gospel to bear on the ministry of the Seminary. For the firsttime a third man has been added to the department ofSystematic Theology, the Rev. Robert B. Strimple, Th.M.,who has taught for eight years at Toronto Bible College(now Ontario Bible College). The Board has also invitedProfessor T. Grady Spires of Gordon College to serve as

May, 1969

Associate Professor of Apologetics, beginning July 1, 1970.The enlargement of our faculty beyond the immediate needsof our B.D. program will of course strengthen our graduateinstruction. But other doors will also be opened. With theaddition of such able men the Seminary will become in­creasingly a center to serve Christ's church, not only bytraining men, but also by serving the church directly inresearch, writing and speaking. No better atmosphere fortraining men to serve can be found than in a service com­munity. This may develop in specific institutes, or throughdepartmental structures and inter-departmental fields.

We do not therefore seek to replace a man like Dr. VanTil when he reaches the time of retirement. His shoes area little too large. Rather, we are working toward a team ofteachers with a Scriptural apologetic who can be serving thechurch in research and writing, confronting the pluriformcontemporary world with the power of the gospel.

Dr. Machen delighted in simple statements of the gospel:"There is a green hill far away, without a city wall..."Westminster will be effective in proportion to its faithful­ness to the cross of Christ. Cross-bearing does not begin ongraduation; all of our program must become an exercise indiscipleship. The renewal of preaching at Westminster isnot primarily a matter of technique, but of spiritual power.

Perspective for Our TimesHere we are brought to the third effect of the forming

of the gospel upon Westminster. We will be brought tofresh and immediate application of the gospel to our times.Our task is to present the message of the gospel, to preparethe messenger of the gospel, and to do so in the contemporaryworld. Of course there are severe limits here. The Seminaryis not a university. We cannot teach the disciplines ofphilosophy, psychology and sociology, although the ministerdesperately needs a Christian grounding in these areas ofstudy. Yet we must show how the gospel reaches out to manin the world. Theological perspective is our concern.

Through the history of the Seminary the departments ofapologetics and church history have been particularly charg­ed with the responsibility of providing this perspective. Thesenior professors continue to build upon the foundationsthey laid forty years ago. The men who have joined them

57

Leslie W. Sloat, assistant professor of New Testa­ment, also serves as dean of students and registrar.He reports a large entering class accepted for the

fall quarter.

is building on the foundations already laid. Westminsterhas stood for the infal1ible Word, and as we look to thefuture we seek a much stronger curriculum in the Word.Westminster has stood for the Reformed Faith, the preciousdoctrines of grace. As we look to the future we seek to beformed more completely by the gospel of sovereign grace,manifesting that piety that is the fruit of the Spirit of God.(We need your prayers!) Westminster has stood for thekingdom of Christ against the tyranny of ecclesiastical mod­ernism and demonic secularism. As we look to the futurewe seek to make ever clearer the truth of Christ as overagainst the delusions of our time.

The work is the Lord's. We are unprofitable servantsbut may we ever seek His glory alone!

Left: Robert G.den Dulk, director ofadministration, andJohn B. Paist, Jr.,business manager.

Right: Jay E.Adams, associateprofessor ofpractical theology,received hisdoctorate in speechthis spring from theUniversity ofMissouri.

carry forward their work. Dr. D. Clair Davis is on leave ofabsence during ~he summer and first term to study inGermany the social backgrounds of developments in Ger­man t.heology. Dr. Davis is preparing to continue his inter­pretatt~n ~f the movements behind the contemporarysecularism 10 theology. Dr. Robert D. Knudsen wiII havea leave of absence in the fol1owing year to further hisrese~rch and writing on the theology of Paul TiIIich. Hiselective courses evaluate trends in contemporary theologyand culture.

Other departments are also bringing the Scriptures to focuson c:.urrent issues. Dr. MiIIer has been teaching populareven10g courses analyzing English and American literaturefrom the s.tandpoint of the evangelistic approach to themodern mind, These courses have become evangelisticoppor~unities in their own right as dialogue develops withthose 10 atten.dance who do not make a Christian profession.Dr. Adams IS concerned with the communication of thegospel, not only in the area of speech where he holds hisdoctorate, but also in terms of the patterns of thought ina world dominated by mass media and proliferating "isms".

The development of the teaching of ethics in the depart­ment of systematic theology brings further attention tocontemporary problems; again the instruction is stronglyBiblical, formed by the gospel.

Our Future under GodIn looking toward the future I have reflected on the

dire~ion of Westminster. I have slighted the senior profes­sors inexcusably, and I have said nothing about the ministryof Robert G. den Dulk and John. B. Paist in the work ofdevelopment and business administration. We have, I be­lieve, much reason for praise to God. Our student body isgrowing, and of course our budget is too. Great steps offaith have already been taken in enlarging our faculty forthe years ahead.

We look to the Lord to meet our needs through hisfaithful stewards. We believe the work they have supported

58 The Presbyterian Guardian

· .. a seminary has trustees · . ·

A Christian Reformed pastor(Alexander De Jong)

A Southern Presbyterian pastor(Donald 'Graham)

An Orthodox Presbyterian pastor(Robert Atwell)

Note: not all photos onthis page (orelsewhere) are recent!

Left: a CanadianPresbyterian, head ofthe history departmentat the University ofGuelph (W. StanfordReid).

Professor Clowney, named acting president in 1965, wasconfirmed as the Seminary's first president a year later.He was congratulated by his college and seminary class­mate, LeRoy B. Oliver, chairman of the board of trustees.A few of the more than twenty trustees are shown here.

May, 1969 59

· . . and students . . .

who are often seen buying books ...

and especially on weekends engagedin all sorts of practical workas they seek to bring thegospel to others ...

and studying ...

or talking in the library ...

and sometimes playing ...

or conversing about many things with their professors or among themselves.

• • • who become alumni. • •

Dr. Yune Sun Park, graduate student1936-40, noted theologian and authorof many Korean commentaries on the

Bible.

An Alumni Day dinner (annually on the second Tuesday inFebruary) thirty years ago.

FACULTY AND STUDENTS (NOW ALUMNI) FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

May, 1969 61

· . . some are internationals . . .

Alumni Association President Henry W. Coray is picturedwith students from several lands.

+-««<iMissionary Harvie M.Conn is an"international"alumnus while in Koreaas an evangelist,seminary teacher,author and radiopreacher.

Four new students lastfall, from threecountries, listen toJames Hurley, studentbody president.

Student Conferences

The Seminary has a continuing in­terest in confronting Christian col­

legians with their calling in Christ­whether it be the gospel ministry orsome other career. More than a hun­dred college students from campusesfar and near attended a two-day springconference on "Patterns of MinistryToday."

The Seminary has also been hostfrom time to time to Inter-Varsityconferences, and a number of its grad­uates have been and are staff membersof IVCF.

62

Free University atFour Brooks

Westminster alumni and facultymembers are among participants

in the second annual Free Universityscheduled this year from September1 to 6 at the Four Brooks ConferenceGrounds near Pipersville, Pa. Last yearsessions were held at French Creek.The theme "Christian Perspectives onCampus" will view such areas as sci­ence, history, art, and social and polit­ical questions in the light of Scripture.

Staff members will include Mr.William Edgar, 1969 graduate ofWestminster; Dr. C. John Miller ofthe Seminary's practical theology de­partment (a Bible study on the trans­forming power of the Holy Spirit);Mr. Noel Weeks, a Westminster alum­nus now pursuing graduate studies atBrandeis University; Dr. H. R. Rook­maaker, professor of art history in theFree University of Amsterdam; Dr.Howard Moon, instructor in historyat Temple University; and Dr. PaulWoolley, Westminster professor ofchurch history.

The "Free" unfortunately doesn'teliminate a cost of $30 for the week.Further information may be obtainedfrom the registrar, Edward Fielding,5033 Wayne Avenue, Germantown,Phila., Pa. 19144 (phone GE 8-9331).

The Presbyterian Guardian

· . . there is a library . . .

Construction began in 1962 and theMontgomery Library was dedicatedon May 22, 1963.

Reading room in theold library (now aclassroom building)is shown at the left.

Much planning wentinto the new library.Professor JohnMurray, now retired,a long-timechairman of thelibrary committee,often studieddrawings withLibrarian ArthurW. Kuschke, Jr.

Visitorsleavingthededicationceremony.

Reception desk and first floor reading roomof Montgomery Library. (See the cover

photo also.)

May, 1969 63

· · · a commencement every spring . . .

Commencement exercises begin with a processional.

Twenty-nine seniors received their bachelor of divinitydegrees at the fortieth annual commencement exercises on[une 11. Six men were granted a master of theology degree,and two earned a doctorate: Hendrik Krabbendam andRichard Gaffin, Jr.

Following the exercises a cedar of Lebanon was plantedon the front campus in recognition of the gifts of alumnito the Seminary.

There is always a speaker, here theRev. Egbert W. Andrews of Taiwan,

in 1967.

Cover photo by Robert Grubb; ad­ditional photos by Thomas Birch,Jack Shepherd, John Tolsma, and

others.

iI

Three or fourhundred visitors­relatives and otherfriends-alwaysenjoy the tea andfellowship followingthe annual exercises,now held in earlyJune under thequarter system ofthe Seminary'sacademic year.

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64 The Presbyterian Guardian

All correspondence should be ad­dressed to The Presbyterian Guardian,7401 Old York Road, Phila., Pa. 19126

ROBERT E. NICHOLAS

EDITOR

WESTMINSTER'S FACULTY THIRTY YEARS AGO

From an address on A lumni Day in the spring of 1969

A TRIBUTE TO MY COLLEAGUESC. VAN TIL

r

l

Dr. Van Til and Professor Woolley, the only two re­maining from the Seminary's original faculty, were honoredat the annual alumni banquet for their forty years of service.Both spoke to the alumni in the afternoon of their recollec­tions of the early days and their hopes for the future.

We are happy to share with you Dr. Van Til's remi­niscence of his colleagues of the past, in slightly condensedform.

Charles Hodge is supposed to have asserted that in hislifetime no original idea had ever been broached by

him. What Hodge and the old Princeton men meant to saywas that God has revealed himself in his saving work oncefor all through the life, the death and the resurrection ofJesus Christ, truly God and truly man, and that he hasgiven us a definitive interpretation of what he has done forman in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

The Princeton TraditionThe men of the old Princeton never believed that any

one of them or that any other living man possessed, orthat the Westminster Confession expressed, an infallibleor final interpretation of the revelation of God to manthrough Christ in the Scriptures. But the allegation wasmade by men of unbelief that to say that in Scripture theyhave infallible truth is, in effect, the same as to say thatthey themselves, in their private interpretations of Scrip­ture, have infallible truth.

The assumption of all apostate thought throughout his­tory has been that man, individually or collectively, knowshimself and his environment for what they are indepen­dently of what God may have said about them.

Influenced by this apostate notion of human self-suffi­ciency, the first great modern theologians like Schleiermacherand Ritschl reinterpreted Christianity so as to make itaccord with this view of fallen man about himself and his

world. At the beginning of the century Professor Harnackreduced the teachings of Reformation theology to thenotion of the universal fatherhood of God and the uni­versal brotherhood of man.

The old Princeton men, more Biblically and more stead­fastly than others in this country, stood up for the gospelproclaimed by Paul and after Paul by the Reformers. It isat this point basically that Westminster Seminary, from thebeginning, has tried to carry on the Princeton tradition.

The Reformed TraditionThe men of old Princeton were convinced that the gospel

of sovereign grace as taught in Scripture had been bestre-expressed in the Reformed Confessions. In this point tooWestminster has, from the outset, followed the men of oldPrinceton.

Warfield gives classic expression to this idea when hesays that an ever deeper insight into the implications of thegospel of sovereign grace enables one to set this gospel evermore clearly and more sharply over against the false gospelof man's self-sufficiency. By searching for the deeper im­plications of the gospel, Warfield did not mean that wemust make an ever increasing number of logical deductionsfrom one or more basic concepts, such as God's all-en­compassing decree. What he apparently meant was that bycontinued exegesis of Scripture, and therefore by an evermore faithful expression of every aspect of the truth ofScripture, we must learn to see ever more clearly the depthand the breadth of the revelation of God in Christ.

Robert Dick WilsonRobert Dick Wilson was willing to make great sacrifices

so that the Word of God might continue to be heard. Inthe memorial minute of the faculty for him we read: "Dr.Wilson was a humble and faithful follower of the LordJesus Christ. The inspiration of all his work was love ofhis Lord. He counted no investigation too laborious if only

May, 1969 65

it would confirm the Word of God." And then: "Themembers of the faculty who have been Dr. Wilson's col­leagues at Westminster recall with gratitude to God thatthey are all Dr. Wilson's 'boys'; and it is their prayer thatsomething of his spirit may be vouchsafed to them as theycarryon the work which he laid down, and that the Lordof the harvest who has given rest to his aged servant maysend forth many laborers into his harvest" (Minutes,October 14, 1930).

J. Gresham MachenThe memorial minute to Dr. Wilson, written I think by

Dr. Machen, says that all the early faculty members atWestminster were Wilson's 'boys'. In a deeper sense theyounger ones were all Machen's 'boys'. In the facultymemorial minute for Dr. Machen we read: "In the deathof its chairman the faculty of Westminster TheologicalSeminary loses a man of simple faith. The home in whichhe was reared was a home of culture and refinement butfirst of all a home of child-like faith. In that faith of hischildhood Dr. Machen continued to live and in the joy ofthe sufficiency of that faith he died." Further:

Dr. Machen was a great defender of the Faith. Heheld that "the Christian life is founded upon Chris­tian doctrine as set forth in the Word of God" andalso that "the Christian religion requires and is capa­ble of scholarly exposition and defense." Machen waspeculiarly fitted to defend the Faith. His great heartsympathized with those who doubted. He had him­self been harrassed with doubt. He listened withpatience to those who sought to defend a halfheartedChristianity. He had himself been "playing with thenotion that a minimizing apologetic may serve theneeds of the church." But "later investigation andmeditation" convinced him "that consistent Christi-

66

anity is the easiest Christianity to defend, and thatcon~is~en~ Christianity is the only thoroughly BiblicalChristianity . . . (and) is found in the ReformedFaith." With painstaking research and scientificmethod Dr. Machen sought to defend the ReformedFaith which he loved so well.

Dr. Machen was a great church leader. He was aman of pentrating vision. He understood the deadly"spirit of the age" as it is at work in the church ofChrist. He set before himself and others the goal notof some halfhearted but of a thorough reform in thechurch. Every thought must be brought into obedienceto Christ, the Head of the church . . . He allowednothing to discourage him. When others hesitated orstopped short he went forward still. He was willingto pay the price of scorn and derision for the sakeof Christ. Those who followed him followed himgladly; he led them always, and only, by the forceof his reasoning and by free discussion. He dislikeddictators in politics; in the church they were for himthe enemies of Christ usurping His authority . . .He was a never-failing source of inspiration to thosewho labored with him.

These words of the 1937 memorial minute express ac­curately, I think, in what way Dr. Machen sought to con­tinue the old Princeton position. He did not mean merelyto repeat the words of the earlier Princeton men. He meantto express in the language of his own day the fact that inGod's revelation through Christ in Scripture we have thatwhich alone has saved and does save the whole man andthe whole world from the ravages of sin.

If Kant sought to "save science" and make "room forreligion" by means of the idea of human self-sufficiency,Machen was ready to point out that only in the Christpreached by such men as Luther and particularly Cal,:in ca?man with his science, with his philosophy, and WIth hIStheology be saved.Beyond Princeton

Machen sensed the fact that truly to follow the olderPrinceton men it was necessary also to go beyond them.The full particularity and with it the full universality ofthe gospel must be brought out in relation to science andphilosophy as well as in relation to theology. Moreover,the full particularity and the full universality of the gospelcannot be fully brought out in theology unless it is alsobrought out in science and philosophy.

In the world of unbelief, a false view of particularityand a false view of universality were beginning to beexpressed in a new form in Machen's day. To illustratewe may mention Rudolph Bultrnann's progr~m of de­mythologizing the gospel. BuItmann was, even in the lateryear's of Machen's life, beginning to appear as one of thegreatest modern New Testament scholars of his day. ButBultmann's views were intricately interwoven with anddeeply dependent upon the modern existentialist views ofphilosophy of such men as Martin Heidegger and themodern philosophy of history of such men as RobertCollingwood. It was impossible to state and defend thegospel of the New Testament without at the same timedefending the philosophy of history as a whole in whichthis philosophy is immersed and which finds expressionin it.

This is, I believe, the vision Machen saw, much in theway that Moses saw the promised land.

The Presbyterian Guardian

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Oswald T. AllisI can say only a word about Dr. Oswald T. Allis, pro­

fessor of Old Testament. Much that was said about Machencould be said about Dr. Allis. He was a close personalfriend and a great admirer of Dr. Machen. He was, as heis now, a humble saint. Machen worked in the limelight,debating on one occasion Dr. Robert E. Speer on the issueof Pearl Buck in Trenton, New Jersey. When he saw thatthe audience was with Dr. Speer, Dr. Machen gave a mosteloquent and moving testimony to the grace of God inJesus Christ, pleading with all those present to humblethemselves under the hand of almighty God and not toseek help for themselves or for others from man in whomthere is no help.

At a faculty meeting soon after that Dr. Allis saidsomething to this effect: "I have never seen our chairmanmo:e eloquent than when he spoke in defense of his~avlOr at the meeting in Trenton." Would that Dr. Allis,~nstead of only coming to this point with Machen in carry­mg on the old Princeton tradition, had carried on withMachen as he developed through his program of churchreform to the point where the modernists, now largely incontrol of the church, compelled a break.

Dr. Allis continues his struggle for the truth till thisvery moment, and all of us who worked with him are hisfriends to this day.

R. B. KuiperProfessor R. B. Kuiper was unique among his brethren.

In the memorial. minute in his honor we read: "The facultypays grateful. tribute .to the superb contribution made byProfessor KUIper dunng these twenty years of service to

R. B. KUIPER

(1886·1966)

the u.l?building. an~ strengthening of the Seminary and tothe witness which It has by God's grace been able to render~o the whol~ ~o.unsel of God. His career at the Seminary asmother activities has been marked by unrelenting fidelityto the Reformed Faith" (May 21,1966).

R. B: ;:as good fun to have about. "Why do you suppose,yan Til, he once asked, "~hat I never write out my namem full, not even on the diplomas of the Seminary? DidA. Z. Conrad ever write out his name in full? Rienck BoukeKuiper would sound as bad as Arcturus Zodiac Conrad.And why do you suppose my parents gave me such a pe-

May, 1969

culiar name? Well, I'll tell you, Van Til. I was named afteran aunt of mine. I was supposed to inherit her money, butnever did. And here I was stuck with this name all my life!"

Recall R. B.'s brief pointed speeches at the opening andclosing of the Seminary year. We all have him in gratefulremembrance.

Ned Bernard StonehouseAs I speak of Dr. Ned B. Stonehouse I quote from the

1962 faculty memorial minute for him. His "scholarly workwas marked by caution and sound judgment. He was nevertoo busy or concerned to pay attention to the apparentlyminor matters. In Browning's phrase, it was not beneathhim to settle 'Hoti's business' ... In turn, Ned Stonehousewas a man beloved of his brethren who was able to ac­complish great deeds in the service of his Lord with aminimum of fanfare and noise."

In his inaugural address on "Rudolph Bultmann's Jesus"there is indicated the genuinely original way in which heput into practice Machen's principle that Westminstershould follow but also go beyond the old Princeton. Asnoted, Bultmann's 'Jesus' was the Jesus of what Machencalled modern reconstruction. But Bultmann modernizedthe modern reconstruction of such men as Harnack in terms

NED

BERNARD

STONEHOUSE

(1902-1962)

of . the philosophy of the existentialist Heidegger. InHeidegger a deeper irrationalism made correlative to adeeper rationalism than had yet been seen enabled Bult­mann, together with Barth, to reinterpret the Gospels so asto have a Christ both wholly hidden and wholly revealed.

Modern man was supposed to understand the gospel asthus reconstructed and made to fit in with modern scienceand philosophy. Dr. Stonehouse rose to the occasion when,with detailed and careful argument, he pointed out that,together with Barth, Bultmann presented to men a falsegospel, a gospel as false as the 'gospel' of the earliermodernists and much more difficult to detect as false.

John MurrayAs for John Murray, who of us did not suffer healing

through his seemingly impeccable holiness of conversation?And who of us can read his commentary on Romans with­out sensing that no one more deeply than he penetratedinto the mystery of the sovereign grace of God? And noone more deeply than he bowed before the majesty of God.

Professor Murray illustrates again, though in a way that

67

differs from that of Dr. Stonehouse, the genuine particu­larity as well as the genuine universality of the gospel.When they feared that through overstatement of the sov­ereign, electing grace of God, the true nature of the uni­versality of this grace might be obscured, they collaboratedin the writing of a pamphlet entitled "The Free Offer ofthe Gospel."

One time John Murray rode with my wife and myselfnorth from Toronto to a meeting at a summer resort wherehe and I were both to speak to a group of ministers. Anelderly Scottish minister, who had been the prime moverback of the union of churches in Canada, said that he wascalled "the bishop of the beach." "Think none the more ofye for that," was Mr. Murray's laconic reply.

Paul WoolleyIt is difficult to say what should be said about Paul

Woolley. His signature at the bottom of the first page ofthe minutes of the first faculty meeting looks precisely asdoes his signature today. Woolley the registrar! There wasno president. There was no dean of the faculty. There wasno dean of students. There was no business manager. Therewas no executive director. Paul Woolley was all of thesefor many years, the whilst that his main responsibility wasthat of teaching church history.

There were many facts to be learned by those who tookhis courses, but these facts were shown to be telling onestory the story of the Christ of God victorious over all hisfoes 'throughout the ages. Here was a genuine followingof and going beyond the old Princeton met~od of te~ch~ng

church history. Here was an even more detatle~ ~escrtptton

of facts joined to a much deeper and more significant ex­planation of meaning. He studied broa.dly in the field .ofsystematics and in the history of doctrine so as to enrichhis teaching of church history.

But beyond that, it has been Paul Woolley who wasprimus inter pares in his penetrating knowledge of a largearray of facts in the field of ge~eral human cultur~ and rnhis ability to connect the meanmg of these facts m termsof the Christian message.

Deeply committed to the Reformed Faith, ProfessorWoolley has kept up his contact with ~nd s~mpathy for allthose who, in non-Reformed evangelical CIrcles, love the

JOHN MURRAY,

professor emeritus,

and

EDWARD J. YOUNG

(1907-1968)

68

PAUL WOOLLEYProfessor Woolley was honored this spring by a

doctor of divinity degree from Geneva College.

Christ who washed them from their sins in his blood. Hehas deeply concerned himself with the work of missions ofevery sort to all men everywhere. In all these respects PaulWoolley had a vision and a program of action similar tothat which Machen had in his day.

Dr. Machen was honorable and dignified in all his deal­ings with those who betrayed their trust as called to beservants in the church of Jesus Christ. All of my colleaguesof whom I have spoken sought earnestly to do this verything, but none of them, I believe, surpassed ProfessorWoolley in this respect.

Paul Woolley has to a large extent worked behind thescenes in all these years. Working behind the scenes he wasat the helm. Through many a storm he was largely respon­sible for keeping the Seminary on an even keel. The goodname of Westminster, academically and otherwise, is largelydue to his tireless labors.

Edward Joseph YoungDr. Young's passing is so recent that I shall only quote a

short passage from the faculty memorial minute for him.Speaking of one of his numerous works, it says: "In ThyWord Is Truth Dr. Young explains and defends the uniqueinspiration and consequent inerrancy of the Bible in itsoriginal manuscripts" (July 1, 1968).

Edward J. Young replaced Dr. Allis as head of the OldTestament department. I have written a brief memorial forhim for the Evangelical Society, which I shall not repeat.Dr. Young was my student; he became my colleague andfinally my teacher by way of example in diligence of labor,simplicity of faith and kindliness of manner.

(concluded on page 70)

The Presbyterian Guardian

T he Board of Trustees of Westminster Theologi~al Seminary, o~ theoccasion of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Seminary

and in gratitude to God, honors ...

Cornelius Van Ti~ Th.M., Ph.D., D.D.,who has served as Professor of Apologetics since the inception of theSeminary in 1929. . .

From the beginning of his professorial career Dr. Cornelius Van Ttl hasexhibited the highest proficiency as a scholar. Beginning as an instructorat Princeton Theological Seminary and continuing as a professor at West­minister, Dr. Van Til developed a Biblical apologetic which has provided asolid foundation for Westminster's firm adherence to and enthusiasticexposition of the theology of the Holy Scriptures. Learned in both theologyand philosophy, he has been a rugged exponent of Christian Theism andhas masterfully defended it against every compromise with the variousconstructions of humanistic philosophy. From Dr. Van Til's pen classsyllabi and many other volumes have come into the hands of theologiansand students across the world. By this means students from East and Westhave been drawn to Westminster Seminary, and in diverse cultures manywho have not been privileged to hear his energetic and unique classroompresentations have been influenced by his written words.

.......Hundreds of his students are deeply apprecratrve that Dr. Van Til

was always approachable and ready to give Christian counsel, alwaysgentle, always compassionate. His understanding and concern, outside aswell as in the classroom have endeared him greatly and have contributedimmeasurably to the growth of men and the forming of stalwart ministersof Jesus Christ.

To salute his competency as a scholar and his congeniality as amentor, however, is an empty gesture unless from the heart acknowledg­ment is made of the vital force that made Cornelius Van Til the kind ofperson he is. Never a man of boastful pride, he has given evidence incountless ways of his humble faith in the triune God, the Creator of theworld, the Redeemer of man, and the Sanctifier of sinners reborn bysovereign grace. Every word he spoke made plain that he realized hiswisdom and ability were not his own, but were learned from the HolyScriptures and impressed upon him constantly by the renewing andenlightening of the Holy Spirit through the saving merits of Jesus, the Sonof God.

Thanks be to God for the faithful service of Cornelius Van Til toWestminster Theological Seminary.

May, 1969

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69

A Final WordFinally, my hope and prayer for my younger colleagues

is that they may see ever more clearly the vision that Dr.Machen saw. He was a man of great determination. Theflag of the self-attesting and all-conquering Christ must beplanted on the top of the mountains, for friend and foe

John SkiltonAnd wha~ shall I say of John Skilton? Speaking at the

~une~al serv!ce for Dr. Stonehouse, he said; "He so closelyidentified himself with the work of our Seminary and sofreely spent himself for our benefit that we may say thathe truly belonged to us" (Presbyterian Guardian, December1962, p. 164). These words may be applied to Dr. Skiltonhimself.

Yet ~ mus~ speak of a crisis of which none of you knowbut which might have terminated the Seminary's existence.And who or what was the cause of this scarcely avertedcalamity? It sprang from the kindly smile of John Skilton.

As I was about to enter the faculty room from the hallon~ ~aturday m~rning, there was John Skilton. Bowing andsmiling, he motioned for me to enter first. Conscious of myneed to learn the ways of courtesy, I demurred and sug­gested that he go first. Then he backed up and again sug­gested that I go first. Thinking this was the thing to do, Ibacked up farther t?an he, and soon we were both with ourbacks to the bulletin board. I stepped forward boldly andJohn stepped forward boldly. Again we were at the door.Now neither of us moved.

All the faculty members were waiting to enter the roomfor a faculty meeting. Without faculty meetings, no boardmeetings. Without board meetings, no graduations. With­out graduations, no students. Without students, no seminary !

At last I gave up and walked in and John followed after.If all men were as polite as John Skilton society wouldcome to a standstill.

Tribute by Van Til (from page 68)

The late professors Stonehouse and Young

alike to see. He pleaded with his friends to join him ingoing up to the highest peak. When they became dis­couraged by the noise of the foe, Dr. Machen continuedonward and upward alone. At last he had to go all alone.

The Lord of glory has greatly blessed that effort. If menin and outside the church today understand who the Christof the Scriptures is in distinction from every false Christraised by the heretics of the day, it is largely becauseMachen's followers have followed his example.

It will be a subtle temptation for those who follow thefirst generation of teachers to seek cooperation for a com­mon program of action with those whose commitment to thesovereign grace of God is not all-absorbing and all-inclusive.When Christ comes, will he find faith on the earth? Hewill! Thanks be to God.

JOHN H. SKILTON IN A CLASS SESSION

The Presbyterian Guardian

]. Gresham Machen and Westminster Seminary

The HeritageHENRY W. CORAY

J. GRESHAM MACHEN(1881-1937)

proposed reorganization on the groundthat such a step would remove theSeminary from its historic evangelicalfoundation.

Lefferts A. Loetscher in his book,The Broadening Church, has a causticcomment on Machen's speech. "Ac­cording to one account," he writes,quoting from a magazine article,'many listened to the contention withwondering incredulity." How naivecan one be? The quotation was fromthe notoriously far-out PresbyterianBanner, June 6, 1929. From that organwhat would you expect, orchids, for­sooth?

Biting historical irony resides in thefact that the newly constituted Boardof Princeton promptly issued a state­ment to the effect that it felt that-sithad "a sacred mandate from the As­sembly to continue urrchanged the his­toric policy of the Seminary to <, donothing whatever to alter the distinc­tive traditional policy which the Sem­inary has maintained throughout itsentire history."

ErosionThis would" be comi~al were it not

so tragic. The erosion of "the distinc­tive policy of the Seminary," beginningwith the appointment of Dr. John

The sign, lit atnight, was agift by theclass of 1966.

the reorganization, Princeton fell intotheir power. Great was the fall thereof!It is not without significance that twoof the new members elected to theBoard were signers of the miserableAuburn Affirmation of 1923.

WarningsJ. Gresham Machen had feared just

such action, had written articles inchurch magazines and delivered publicmessages warning Presbyterians of thesad consequences if the Seminary ad­ministration were reorganized. In aletter to his Mother, June 2, 1929, hesaid, "Something must be done atonce. I still think that if the churchcould be made to take some thought,we might prevent the crime."

He himself was sent to the Assemblyas a delegate. When the issue came up,he rose to argue vigorously against the

Mr. Coray, missionary, author, andpresent pastor of Calvary OrthodoxPresbyterian Church, Glenside, Pa.,entered Westminster in the fall of1929 as a middler, graduating in 1931.He is now a member of its Board ofTrustees and president of the AlumniAssociation.

One of the tragic developments inthe history of American Presby­

terianism is the story of the decline andfall of Princeton Theological Seminary.Until 1929 Princeton had stood like amighty bastion for the faith once forall delivered to the saints, and as agreat breakwater against the treacher­ous tides of unbelief.

Historically Princeton had operated,according to the terms of its charter,under the control of two bodies: aBoard of Directors in charge of itsadministrative functions and educa­tional program, and a Board of Trust­ees, which supervised the property intrust. The crisis came in the spring of1929. At the General Assembly of thePresbyterian Church in the U.S.A. thecommissioners voted to dissolve theBoard of Directors and place the fullauthority for administrative, educa­tional, and property matters under thecontrol of a single thirty-three manBoard of Trustees.

The action represented a sweepingvictory for the liberal wing of thechurch under the pretense of seekingto reflect all shades of opinion. Foryears the liberals had worked hard tosecure control of the last conservativeSeminary in the denomination. With

May, 1969 71

Dr. Van Til with Eritrean Missionary Clarence Duff and Orthodox PresbyterianPastor Everett DeVelde, the latter a member of the first graduating class

in 1930.

1528 Pine Street, Philadelphia, as it appears today.The lone tree on the original campus still survives.

jump on the bandwagon" (letter to hisMother, June 23).

"Meeting of seventy at CentralYM.CA. Thursday. It was determinedthat a new Seminary ought to beginnext fall, and almost $20,000 areguaranteed toward running expenses.A committee is being appointed"(letter to his Mother, July 21).

"Dick Wilson has actually moved toPhiladelphia, giving up his prospectsof a pension. He certainly deservescredit for his heroism . . . Good newsabout Van Til. His change of mind(regarding his invitation to teach) wasentirely unexpected" (letter to hisMother, September 1).

"Paul Woolley reports that 38 stu­dents have written to him that they arecoming to us" (letter to his Mother,September 15).

September 1929On September 25, 1929, Westmin­

ster Theological Seminary began itsfirst academic year with an enrollmentof fifty students. The four professorswho had resigned from Princeton con­stituted the nucleus of the faculty. Inaddition, R. B. Kuiper, a minister inthe Christian Reformed Church, AllanA. MacRae, Ned Stonehouse and PaulWoolley, the latter three graduates ofPrinceton Seminary, were added to theteaching staff. One year later JohnMurray cast his lot with the newproject.

The location of the infant institutionwas at 1528 Pine Street, in centralPhiladelphia. Dr. Allis generously do­nated the three-story building, whichtoday is close to the heart of the ghettoarea. It was not exactly a Hearst Castle

to his Mother, dated June 9, 1929:"Allis is all for the founding of anew Seminary at once, and so is FrankStevenson. It is not beyond the boundsof possibility Philadelphia will be theplace if we do it. We shall have thestudents all right if we can get themoney. It might be the beginning ofsome genuine evangelical effort totake the place of the welter of deceitin which we are ..."

Some of Machen's frustration andexuberance comes out in the correspon­dence carried on that summer. Hereare a few excerpts:

"It seems unfavorable to start a newSeminary next fall. Certain men areplaying the traitor-getting ready to

A New SchoolIn the Machen papers, the first in­

timation that a new school of theprophets might come to birth is to befound in a letter Dr. Machen wrote

Mackay as president, has continueddown to the present. Now, under theleadership of Dr. James McCord, youhave a Yale chaplain, ardent advocateof draft card burning and of civildisobedience, delivering a commence­ment address; and on the faculty menlike Dr. George Hendry, who rein­terprets the Westminster Confessionof Faith in a way that makes a sham­bles of that great document; Dr. Ed­ward Dowey, who served as chairmanfor the committee that drew up theliberal Confession of 1967; Dr. Rich­ard Shaull, who actually comes out forguerrilla warfare in order to bringabout radical social changes. Certainlya shift of Grand Canyon proportionshas taken place since the noble daysof Green, Alexander, the Hodges,Warfield, Vos and Wilson.

This, briefly, is the background ofthe occasion that called for the estab­lishment of a Seminary to perpetuatethe faith originally taught at Prince­ton. Upon the decision made by the1929 General Assembly, four profes­sors on the faculty of the New Jerseyschool tendered their resignations: Dr.Robert Dick Wilson, Dr. Oswald T.Allis, Dr. J. Gresham Machen and Dr.Cornelius Van Til. It is difficult to seewhat else they could have done.

72 The Presbyterian Guardian

in those early days, but we loved it.Real sacrifices were made in order

to found the school. Those who taughtus had turned away from many ad­vantages and material rewards. Themovement represented a cause, and webreathed the air of freedom from atyrannical and often heartless machine.God had brought the founding fathersthrough fire and water into a wealthyplace.

This is the heritage of the men ofWestminster Seminary.

Dr. Machen died on January 1, 1937.The new campus in the ChestnutHill-Laverock area was purchasedwith memorial gifts and occupiedthat fall, the main building beingdesignated Machen Memorial Hall.

The faculty a decade ago: (rear) Messrs. Sanderson, Clowney, Skilton, Knudsen, and Kline; (front) Messrs. Murray, Stone­house, Van Til, Woolley and Young.

May, 1969 73

..

George W. Mars­ton, '32, was giv­en a well-deservedt ri but e by thetrustees at theannual ba n q u e tthis spring on hisretirement afterserving the Semi­nary as field re­presentative since1952 wit h dili­gence and devo­tion in a most

difficult task.

What would life be like for students without acoffee break?

A number of married students occupy the Seminaryapartments a mile from the campus.

A memorialtablet was un­veiled at thetenth anniver­sary, a giftfrom the class­es of 1938 and

1939.

Willow Grove Avenue Gate

"Of making many books there is no end"-but that iswhat makes a librarian (Kuschke) so happy!

74 The Presbyterian Guardian

Robert W. Marsden (1905-1960), amember of the Seminary's first grad­uating class, served from 1948 untilhis death as Executive Secretary of

the institution.

This Westminster quartet sang in many churches and onthe radio in 1937-38. The two men on the left (DonaldWeiglein and William Gray) are Southern Presbyterianpastors, and the other two (Dwight Poundstone and Calvin

Busch) are Orthodox Presbyterian pastors.

\'.

May, 1969 75

THE PRESBYTERIAN GUARDIAN7401 Old York Road

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P.O. Box 95O~k13nj City. Ini. 47560

HAVEYOU HEARD?

i,.-.

76 The Presbyterian Guardian

Have you frequently heard thewords "Gift Annuities"?

Have you heard that Westmin­ster Theological Seminary reocently announced a new GiftAnnuity Program?

HAVE YOU WONDERED?Have you wondered exactly

what gift annuities are?Have you been a little uncer­

tain as to whether those ads wereinviting people to invest or ask­ing them to give?

HAVE YOU WISHED?Have you wished you had more

money to give Westminster?Have you wished you had more

financial security?

HAVE YOU WORRIED?Have you worried a little that

you might outlive your resources?

For answers to these questionssend coupon today for FreeBooklet.

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