"An Impossibility" William Robertson Smith. IV.

William Robertson Smith's case was to be considered by the College committee. On the committee were men who were neutral in the case, who were cautious as to what to do with the young professor. There were also some decided supporters of Robertson Smith, men who believed that if Smith was condemned, academic freedom in the Free Church would suffer. And there were men who were decidedly hostile to Robertson Smith and his views of the Bible.

All recognised that Smith was neither a sceptic nor a rationalist, but Dr. Smeaton astutely warned Robertson Smith: "The pupils go further than the teacher... would you like to hear one of your own pupils saying from the pulpit that Mattew was 'non-apostolic' and subsequently of no authority because not an eye-witness?" (Quoted In John Sutherland Black and George Chrystal, Life of William Robertson Smith [London, Adam and Charles Black, 1912] P. 201). Principal Brown of Aberdeen liked Robertson Smith as a person, and he initially supported him. Reading through Smith's article, however, he was appalled. Robertson Smith was reporting as fact unfounded speculations! What was worse, he was representing these speculations as 'assured results of scientific criticism' to the general public in the most irresponsible manner. From that moment, Brown became convinced that, for the good of the Church, he had to oppose his own professor. Although Robertson Smith felt no such conflict between his views and a full confidence in the Bible, the views tended to shake the confidence of others in the Scripture.

After much deliberation the College Committee referred the case to the Presbytery of Aberdeen, to wich Smith belonged. Robertson Smith could see, in his mind's eye, the case being kicked around as a football for years, all the wile leaving vague rumours of heresy hanging over his head. If Principal Rainy thought that the peace of the Free Church could best be served in such a manner, so be it. Robertson Smith would not have it. He demanded that his accusers 'put up or shut up', that they serve a 'libel' on him, a formal indictment on which a heresy trial would be founded.

We shall look briefly at the 'libel' and its progress in the Presbytery next time, God willing.