Justin Taylor displays a newly colorized photo and explains how and by whom the work was done. For historians and Machen fans, this picture is just about priceless. Among other things, it includes a young Alan MacRae, who would side with McIntire against Machen, become one of the founders of Faith Theological Seminary, and then break with Machen to found Biblical Theological Seminary. MacRae is a largely forgotten figure and a bit of a paradox. He insisted until his death that he was a faithful covenant theologian, but served as one of the editors for the New Scofield Reference Bible. MacRae was also active in the American Council of Christian Churches–he was a genuine fundamentalist in the best sense of the term.
It’s also interesting to me that Machen is wearing boots instead of dress shoes in this photograph. They’re well worn, indicating that this was probably his standard footwear. But then, Machen was a mountaineer. Maybe that has something to do with it.
The photos also includes the Ned Stonehouse, Paul Wooley, and Cornelius Van Til–all very young men at the time. It does not include Carl McIntire, who was still a student. Van Til once remarked, however, that there would have been no Westminster Theological Seminary had it not been for Carl McIntire.
