State of the
Seminary

JULY 10, 1906.

The report of the President and Treasurer to the Board of Directors at its recent Commencement meeting showed a most gratifying condition of the Seminary. All of the money is invested. With the exception of some old investments, which are an inheritance from the past, all of the investments are good and profitable. The income from investments was a trifle over five per cent. About $60,000 has been given to the Seminary during the year in cash and pledges. All obligations have

been met and invested funds have been increased.

The organization for administrative purposes has been improved by the creation of the office of Registrar, and that of Curator of Grounds and Buildings. Prof. Reed has been appointed to the former and Mr. Gates to the latter. The one will have charge of the records pertaining to the students and their standing, the other will be charged with the care and maintenance of the campus and its buildings. These changes will mean much for the more satisfactory attention to many matters which hitherto have been pretty much anybody's business.

The gift of $8,000 from Dr. Horace B. Silliman for the use of the Silliman Club House made it possible for the Seminary to purchase the old Hyde property, adjoining the Club House on the south. This is an important addition to the club property, as it gives a much needed connection with the Campus, and will be valuable for future enlargement of its plant. is being temporarily rented for a President's residence. Dr. Silliman's far-sighted generosity to the Seminary is not only

It

highly appreciated but is also furthering one of the most essential features of our work.

The vital parts of every educational institution are its Faculty and students. All else is mere equipment, valuable in its own way, but not indispensable. It is to the Faculty and student body that we must look for the real state of our Seminary. It may safely be said that no previous year has surpassed this in the amount and quality of the work done by both bodies. It has been done with enthusiasm and manifest profit. The professors have given their best and the classes have done their best. A spirit of earnestness, devotion, hearty good cheer, zeal for missions and personal piety, consecration, sanity has prevailed. The place made vacant by the death of Dr. Darling was temporarily filled by Dr. Dulles, who generously took the work of that chair in addition to that of his own chair. The Committee on the Curriculum hopes to be able to nominate to the Board at an early date, as the successor to Dr. Darling, a brilliant scholar, a capable teacher, an attractive personality, and withal a devout Christian and reverent lover of truth and men.

The best part of the present state of the Seminary is the good cheer and joy in work and confidence for the future which are born of health and soundness of body, and are noticeable in all our life. The Seminary seems to be facing a new day and to be standing on the threshold of great things. There is plenty of red blood in its body; its face is toward the sun rising; it believes in its ideals and its power to bring them to pass. The future belongs to it.

The Degree of Bachelor of Divinity

For the first time Auburn conferred this year the degree of Bachelor of Divinity. There are degrees and degrees. There are degrees conferred as the sign of definite work accomplished and proved; there are degrees conferred as a badge of dis

tinction, a recognition of merit; there are degrees conferred as an expression of gratitude for favors about to be received. It has become almost a necessity in these days to name the institution that gave it, after the degree received, in order to distinguish its value-to look on its back to see who indorses it. Auburn means to have her endorsement of the degree of Bachelor of Divinity recognized and honored.

That which it stood for in this first instance was work that occupied the whole time of one man in post-graduate study for a Seminary year, and a large part of the time of a second candidate for two years, each under the intimate supervision of a member of the Faculty. That it required hard work and plenty of it is witnessed by the fact that none of the undergraduates who assayed it, was able to accomplish it in connection with his regular Seminary course. The head of the department in which the candidate for degree elects to do his work outlines for him a course equivalent, if it were a course of the regular Seminary curriculum, to twelve hours a week for a year. This work is directed by the department and reviewed and examined by the Faculty as a whole. In addition a thesis upon a subject approved by the Faculty must be defended at length before the Faculty.

With credit to themselves and to the Seminary two recent graduates have this year met all the requirements. The standard is high but not too high. We trust never to lower it.

The General
Assembly

The commissioners from all the Presbyteries who constitute the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. met at Des Moines, Iowa, on May 17, 1906. The sermon of the Moderator (1905-1906) Dr. J. D. Moffat dealt with the "Mission of the Presbyterian Church." It differed from some that have preceded it, in not being oratorical. This was its gain and not its loss. The sermon emphasized evangelization, through the cooperation, federation and union of churches. The second part dealt with

the duty of developing the highest type of Christian character. The sermon is instructive, though not very moving.

Like the messages of the President, it evidently was meant to be a square deal, as the length certainly equalled its breadth and possibly exceeded its depth.

The usual "wigwam" procedures attended the election of a Moderator. Some day a General Assembly will decide that unless a man is sufficiently well known to all the Church so that he does not need the boosting of a half hour speech, he is not fit for Moderator, and will reduce the number and extent of nominating speeches. The sentiment attaching to foreign missions evidently exceeded the sentiment attaching to the man who fought in the Confederate Army and, therefore, Dr. Hunter Corbett was, finally, "unanimously" elected over his militant competitor Dr. Barkley.

The usual reports of the "Boards" were made and listened to, no doubt with patience, which recognizes the inevitableness of the foreordained. Some day the Assembly will do more printing and demand less time for hearing; and so save some of the seven thousand dollars a day, which is about the average expense of a General Assembly" day, if it were

divided equally.

With its usual generosity the Assembly voted a million dollars to the Home Board and a million and a half to the Foreign Board. The individual churches, somewhat remote from the influences which excite the commissioners, are to do the giving.

Much interest centered in the "Evangelistic" report. The Assembly made a new committee which will continue to stir up the churches. The work of the committee is largely paid for by one man, J. H. Converse, and so does not call for special contribution. Considering the large number of objects the pastor is required to present, this is a matter of thankful

ness.

Overtures from the Presbyteries fared as usual amid the tumult of other matters, and the calmly considered desires of