COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Columbia, s. C. THE COLUMBIA SEMINARY BULLETIN Published Quarterly by the Seminary Vol. XIX JULY, 1926 Nc Entered as Second Class Matter Julu Hth, 1908, at the 'Posto&ce at Columbia. South Carolina, under the Act of Julu 16th, 1894 A STRONG FACULTY DR. McPHEETERS WORDS OF APPROVAL "From the day of that learned and holy man, Dr. Tadlock, down to Rich- ard T. Gillespie, now President, I have known the professors of Columbia Theological Seminary. They have always been good men, full of virtue, piety and learning, and have had complete devotion to the Word of God, and the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. The scholarship of the present teaching force is very high. Their ability as instructors is shown in the first-rate men that are sent out as ministers, as well as in the spirit and life of these profes- sors themselves." Dudley Jones, Clinton, S. C. "Columbia Seminary has done and is doing a valuable work for our Church. The removal to Atlanta gives this historic school of the prophets a strategic position second to no other Seminary in the country. Columbia de- serves and will receive the enthusiastic support of the five controlling Synods in the very heart of which she will be located." Dpnbah H. Ogden, Mobile, Ala. "The Faculty of Columbia Seminary is admirable in its combination of scholarship and personal touch with the modern problems of the Church. The personnel of the faculty represents the several types of leadership in the Church, and cannot be too highly commended to a candidate for the ministry." E. L. Hnx, Athens, Georgia "In my judgment the Faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary consists wholly of men of approved piety, soundness in the faith once for all delivered to the saints, aptness to teach, and of a pleasing personality. They are at once conservative in thought and principle, and progressive in method of teaching." A. A. Little, Meridian, Miss. "Columbia Seminary can well commend its Faculty to the Church as com- posed of men well qualified to teach her ministerial students. This ancient school of the prophets has always attracted some of the foremost and leading men of the Church to her professorships, and now, as in the past, the faculty is ripe in scholarly attainments, vigorous and strong in theological leadership, and true to those high standards of quality and service that Columbia has always given to the Church." Robert H. McCaslin, Jacksonville, Fla. DR. WHITE DR. GREEN DR. TAYLOR DR. MURCHISON DR. GILLESPIE DR. MCNEILL The Graduating Class at Columbia, 1925-1926 WHAT COLUMBIA SEMINARY HAS MEANT TO ME As I look Imck over the three years spent in Columbia I find that I have grown in knowledge, knowledge of the things funda- mental in the Christian religion. As I sat in the classrooms and heard these men of God explain the things of God, as I saw the scholarship exhibited by them, there came over me a sense of my great need for just these things. I was inspired to reach up and out for a broader scholarship, a more complete knowledge of those things of God which would be useful to those whom I would be called to serve. But Columbia has not only caused me to grow in knowledge, it has also helped me to grow in efficiency. The men who leave Columbia are efficient men; trained to lead men, but to follow Christ. Knowledge is one thing; the ability to use it is another. The example of efficiency set for me by the faculty has been a great help to me. It has made me strive to be a more capable servant of my King. Columbia, however, has meant more to me than growth in knowledge and efficiency. I believe, yea I know, that the influence of Columbia has caused me to grow in grace. This I consider my greatest gain, for the first two without the last would be of little value to the true minis- ter of Christ. Columbia's faculty is composed of scholars; they are efficient scholars, but what impressed me most was their humility and deep sense of the dignity and responsibility of the Christian minister, and their endeavor to impress the student with these truths. I consider my- self most fortunate to have received my theological training at Columula. Samuel Pbessly Bowles, Pastor, Jacksonvill-e, Fla. A SOURCE OF VISION AND INSPIRATION To me Columbia Seminary has been a training school for development for the larg- est service in the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through the instruction given in the classroom, the personal influence of the faculty and stu- dent body, the enlargement of ideals, a deep- ening of the spiritual life and through de- velopment of a deeper devotion to the cause of Christ. The needs of the Kingdom are presented in such a way that a new vision is given of the work, inspiration to greater diligence afforded, and greater con- secration to the task brought to the individ- ual student. I have found the deep, warm fellowship of the student body to be one of the fine things at the Seminary and it has meant much in the development of the Christian graces. Close friendships were established, which resulted in the strengthening of Christian character. The campus spirit, the prayer life, the social con- tacts were of the highest type and were directed toward the promotion of a more Christlike spirit among the students themselves. The members of the faculty I have found to be men of faith, consecra- ted to the work to which they have been called, willingly and cheerfully giving their time and energy to the task of developing and training men for the ministry of the Master. They are men of firm convictions, hold- ing fast to the fundamentals of the Christian religion, students of God's Word, and living close to the Master. The influence of the lives of these men upon the lives of the students with whom they come in con- tact is inestimable and invaluable. Truly, it was a great privilege to have been a student at Columbia Theological Seminary. John Arthur Flanagan, Pastor, Franklin, N. C. AN ABLE AND GODLY FACULTY Columbia Theological Seminary is an institution of which all of her alumni are proud, and .justly so. Who would not be proud of an institution with such a glorious history and such a promising future of even larger usefulness in the Kingdom of God? And who would not be thankful for the privilege of sitting at the feet of such able and godly men as constitute the faculty of Columbia Seminary? No one sitting in the class- rooms can fail to be impressed with the depth of their scholarship. And the indubitable evidence of their profound knowledge of the subject in hand inspires the respect of all their students. We have been led by their teaching to hunger and thirst after knowl- edge, but more really and truly have we been led by their purity of life to "hunger and thirst after righteousness." Therefore, because we have a faculty whose purity of life is an inspiration to all who come in con- tact with them, the students placed under their care, seek not only to grow in knowledge of the things of God, but strive to grow more and more into the likeness of the Son of God, even Jesus. Benjamin Alfohd Meeks, Pastor, Aberdeen, Miss. COLUMBIA'S GREATNESS IN HER FACULTY What the Officers' Training Camp is to the army, the Seminary is to the Church. There her leaders receive the training which they must have for ef- fective leadership in the Church. Colum- bia has impressed me as fully capable of giving to her students the same efficient training which an officer receives. One who has earnestly and conscientiously completed the required course can go to his work feeling that he is well equipped for his task. In her faculty lies the greatness of Columbia Seminary; men of sound doc- trine, the stamp of their own character is impressed upon the student in their classrooms. To them must be attributed in large measure the success of Columbia men. They have so completed their task that the students go out from under them fully! prepared for the work of win- ning men to the Saviour. One need I felt as a student there was the Christian fellowship be- tween the faculty and the student body. The cause of this has been the lack of proper equipment, the faculty being forced to live, in the main, off of the campus. But in Atlanta, with larger grounds and the professors' houses oruAbe campus, this need will be met. - William Salter Porter, Jr., Pastor, Washington, Oa. THE SPIRIT OF COLUMBIA MEN One of the most gratifying characteristics of the men who go out from Columbia Seminary is their willingness to labor in difficult and obscure fields. A survey of her graduates reveals the fact that they have not sought for themselves fields where they might live with most comfort, and where they could be surrounded with the conveniences of modern life. Neither have they endeavored to secure for themselves the plaudits of men. Columbia men have gone into the difficult mountain fields, into the lowly places of the city, to the ever- increasing mill districts, and to the home mission fields of our Church. The crying need for the Gospel in such places has not been unheeded by her alumni; ministering to destitute and needy fields is looked upon as our greatest privilege. It is a tribute to the spirit of her men that they can be used so graetly in such work. Practically every one of her graduates for this year has entered a home mission field and is now laboring in home mission work. As long as Columbia graduates men with this sacrificial spirit, our Church need not fear for the future supply of ministers for these needy fields. Marshall Coleman Dendy, Supt. Home Missions, Crawfordville, Oa. MY IMPRESSIONS OF COLUMBIA SEMINARY During my stay at Columbia Seminary I came to realize that there existed in the classrooms and on the campus an ideal to- ward which the Seminary, as a great insti- tution of the Church, bends its every effort. I believe that the ideal of Columbia Semin- ary is to produce men who are "thoroughly furnished unto every good work." Its greatest hope is that its men will fill the places to which they are called competently and joyously, and that each one will prove himself "A workman that needeth not to be ashamed." This ideal is in the mind of the faculty before the student comes to the Seminary, and they, therefore, urge him to fully pre- pare himself by completing, wherever pos- sible, his academic work before beginning his Seminary course. This gives to the stu- dent a good foundation upon which he can base his future studies. It has been with this ideal in mind that the members of the Faculty have been chosen. They are men of scholarly attainments, masters in their lines, and their sole ambition and desire is to give to their pupils those principles of study, and that attitude of mind which will enable the student to render the most acceptable service to the Master. This ideal is manifested in the spirit of the student body on the campus. The genuine devotion to Him who has called them into His service is expressed in the wholesome fellowship which exists among the students. Helpful, kind, considerate, lovable these ire characteristics of Columbia students. It is with this ideal in view that the plans for Columbia Seminary in Atlanta are being made, and in its new location the principles which have governed its life for almost a century will be maintained. Bob Shiver Hodges, Jr., Pastor, Batesburg, 8. C. THE POWER OF PERSONAL INFLUENCE Paul said, "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself." The extent to which we influence others and others influence us will depend largely upon the person and upon the conditions under which we meet. In- fluence is felt more strongly when one begins a new career and we might say that one's career will depend to a great extent upon his first associates. That being the case, we do not realize what we owe to our professors at Columbia Theological Seminary until after the three years during which we are under their influence have passed. The faculty have been instruments of God used in shaping our thoughts and in making our lives and characters stronger. They have helped us to see the big things in life, while at the same time never overlooking the small things. They have taught us to feel that the weak, feeble, and underfed are as important as those who have everything that money can buy; to press on and at the same time never to neglect our duty; that the joy of service comes thru sacrifice and giving more than thru ease and receiving. The influence of these godly men will be felt long after what they taught in the classroom has been forgotten. Surely their students can say of them as it was said of the apostles, "And they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." John Coffee Neville, Pastor, Union, S. C. A RICH HERITAGE Those who are confronted with a call to the service of men in the name of Christ face the problem of preparation. There comes with a call to the ministry a feeling of responsibility for the task. There is today need of a pure gospel. We find this in Columbia Seminary. Those who have passed on have left this rich heritage. Can we over-value this blessing? No, we are deeply indebted to those who have given their lives to teaching those set apart for the Master's service. We find on the campus a spirit of fellow- ship among students and faculty. There are many strong ties sealed by the bonds of friendship. For me to express my own per- sonal gain from this is a pleasure. I can never feel that I have repaid Columbia Seminary for the great benefit which I have received by personal contact with my fel- low students and the faculty. The spirit of fellowship pervades the campus to the uplift of all who come within the pale of its warmth. Columbia Seminary has been signally blessed in the last two years by the presence of one who is altogether lovable. In the President of Columbia Seminary we find one who has been true to all to which God has called him. Through this period of transition in her history he has been the ever faithful and efficient guide of the affairs of the Seminary and a loving counsellor of the students. His friendship with the stu- dents has been felt and deeply appreciated by all. Our three years in Columbia Seminary have been pleasant ones. We have caught a clearer vision of the work that is before us. Faithfully and patiently have the principles which underlie our ministry been laid before us, that we may be better fitted to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed. William Simpson Scott, Pastor, Chesterfield, S. C. REV. WILLIAM C. ROBINSON ELECTED PROFESSOR Kev. William C. Robinson, of Gettys- burg, Pa., has been elected professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Polity to succeed the late Dr. R. C. Reed. Mr. Robinson is a son of Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Robinson, of Columbia. He has a wide circle of friends among former University and Seminary stu- dents and throughout the State who will rejoice that he is to join the fac- ulty of Columbia Seminary. Mr. Robinson has been granted leave of absence for one year that he may pursue a post graduate course in History in preparation for his work at the Seminary. He will join the faculty in Atlanta in 1927. Mr. Robinson has, throughout his career, won distinction in academic work, and has proven himself a suc- cessful pastor and preacher. He grad- uated with first honor from Columbia High School. He is an A.B. graduate with first distinction of Roanoke (Va.) College, majoring in history; received his B.D. degree from Columbia Semin- ary in 1920, and the M.A. degree, majoring in philosophy, from the Uni- versity of South Carolina. In both Columbia institutions he won distinc- tion for scholarship, and was recog- nized as a man of superior intellectual ability. After leaving Colum- bia, Mr. Robinson studied for a year at Princeton Theological Semin- ary, graduating with the degree of Master of Sacred Theology. At Princeton he majored in Systematic Theology and completed two courses in Dogmatics which dealt with the History of Doctrines, and graduated in group one standing. From 1923 to 1925 he further pursued his studies in the Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg, Pa., taking courses in History of the Reformation and American Church History. Thus it will be seen that already Mr. Robinson is well prepared for the work to which he has been called. He will, however, spend the next year at Harvard University, where he will continue his graduate work in history until he has earned his doctor's degree. For the past five years Mr. Robinson has been pastor of the Church at Gettysburg, where he has had a most successful and fruitful min- istry. In his Church he has proven his ability as a preacher and has won for himself the love of his congregation and the confidence of the leaders of the Church. No man in the Southern Church will come to his work with more thorough preparation than the new professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Polity at Columbia Seminary. REV. WILLIAM C. ROBINSON