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About Yale Alumni Magazine | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1899)
A UNIVERSITY CHURCH. Suggested Solution of Vale's Chapel Problem. To the Editor of YALE ALUMNI WEEKLY: The present opportunity is a favorable one for discussing important Yale mat- ters without embarrassment to either the outgoing or the incoming adminis- tration, and with possible advantage to the University. One of the matters which will probably demand attention before long is a re-adjustment of the relations of the College church to the University. _In several directions the administra- tion of Yale has been broadened so as to promote as symmetrically as possible the interests of its various departments, and efforts have been made to make their members all feel that they are. sharers together of a common Univer- sity life. A marked exception to this enlightened policy has been the absence of official provision for the religious needs of students who are not in the Academical Department. The College church was organized at the middle of the last century, when there was only one department to be provided for, and it has remained ever since simply a college church. A build- ing was put up large enough to accom- modate the students at the beginning, and two other chapels have been built, - each larger than the one before, but always with reference to the size of the College alone. Meanwhile, other de- partments have been organized, and have grown in size and importance, un- til now their membership amounts to one half that of the whole University. For these students, no church with its opportunities for worship and instruc- tion has been provided. They would of course be welcomed at the Chapel, but there is no room for them, and that results from the practise of requiring the attendance of the Academic stu- dents. These alone fill the building. To them the College has faithfully discharged its duty according to its light, but in such a way that it has been obliged to neglect others, in large num- bers, who equally need religious instruc- tion. The Sheffield School alone is now larger than the College was at any time during its first hundred and fifty years. ‘In the Law and Medical Schools are numbers of young men of the same age as many in the upper classes in College. To all these Yale owes the same religious duty that it owes to its Academic students. But this duty cannot be discharged in the traditional way of required attendance. To say nothing of the size of the audi- ence room which would be required to — accommodate the students of all de- partments, other adverse considerations would prevail. Now while required attendance of all is out of the question, voluntary attend- ance offered to all is entirely feasible, for the Chapel is large enough for a congregation made up of willing wor- shippers from all sections of the Uni- versity. With proper attention to the quality of the preaching and of the music, it cannot be doubted that a good congregation could be gathered, and Yale would then discharge its duty to those of its students who are now ex- cluded from the advantages of its re- ligious instruction. Is it not the mis- sion of the College church to become, in this, the only possible way, a trtte University church? GRADUATE. <><» ~~ Compulsory Chapel. In a recent number of the Yale News the question of compulsory Chapel at- tendance was laid before the University and the desire expressed that there be a discussion of its benefits and disad- vantages. The News believes it is one of the most important questions, from an undergraduate standpoint, that the new administration will have to decide and opened the discussion with letters on the subject from President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard, and President M. Woolsey Stryker of Hamilton College. The letters are printed below: PRESIDENT ELIOT’S LETTER. Harvard University, Cambridge, Apr. 21, 1890. I am happy to answer briefly, from the Harvard point of view, your ques- ‘It is ungentlemanly not to. “taught her to go.” tions of April 20th, about the “College Pastor” and “Compulsory Chapel.” Harvard College abolished compul- sory attendance at prayers in 1886, and so far as I know, opinion here is unan- imous that the change has been an unqualified gain. Among the preachers to the University who have conducted the chapel exercises since 1886, there has been only one opinion—namely, that the cause of religion in the College has been greatly served by the substi- tution of voluntary attendance for com- pulsory. As to the expediency of having one College pastor, our experience indicates that for us it is better to have each year a variety of preachers representing several denominations. year a board of five preachers, each serving about six weeks, and in addi- tion our Professor of Christian Morals acts as a preacher, and makes all the arrangements for the services in Ap- pleton Chapel during the year. He is, as it were, a permanent chairman of a board, the membership of -which changes rather rapidly, most of the preachers serving for not more than three years in succession. I believe that an arrangement of this sort is more interesting to our students and better for the University than the employment of a single College preacher. CHARLES W. ELIOT. The other letter is from President Stryker of Hamilton College, who re- cently spoke in Battell Chapel, and is a strong plea for the continuance of the present system. PRESIDENT STRYKER’S LETTER. Hamilton College, Clinton, N. Y. Apr. 29, 1899. I have queried whether it would be in good taste for me to express my views for a Yale publication upon all the matters involved in your note and request. But I concluded that it can- not be instrusive for me to answer in part. Frankly, and as to the main question, I believe thoroughly in required attend- ance upon the simple religious exercises of our college chapels. I believe in having such exercises. Worship and prayer should go with study and with all the concentrated, abounding and formative life of the college years. Nothing in God’s world is merely secu- lar—not language nor history nor phil- osophy. Each has to face the wonders of His works. I do not beg the ques- tion—I answer it, and say that rever- ence and its social affirmation is indis- pensably connected with criticism, in- vestigation and research. It becomes a great school to make God the syn- thesis of all its striving. Deliver me from one that does not. The word “compulsory” is invidious; but requirement which covers regularity, and standing, may as justly cover a daily convening to acknowledge and en- treat the Giver of all good. . Nor should, nor need be, this exercise perfunctory. It should be simple, short, alive and general. It is manly to pray. nget Praise, too, is an instinct to wise men. The influence of this gathering is far greater than is recognized. It has hold upon thoughts that are deeper than words. It becomes a great scholarly corporation to own Him that begot and blesses it. Moreover, the social side of. college prayers is of great value—it has a morale of its own. If religion were abandoned it would be well still to gather a college at the head of-the day —“compelled,” if you prefer it, if no more than to read maxims from Aure- lius and to sing “Hail, Columbia’! The solidarity of a student body counts. This daily affirms and augments that. Fortunately we are not shut up to choose only between secularity and sectarianism. What is genuine in Christianity claims all honest hearts. Such an exercise should and can affirm this. God is not an elective! It would be a sorry double centennial for Yale that should date the surrender of the cor- porate act of praise and petition, the whole, daily and cheerful acknowledg- ment of His “eminent domain” who It would be a'sur- render and a recantation. Bear with my plainness. Yours very sincerely, M. Wootsey STRYKER. We have each From one end of the land to the other, wherever men who demand the best are found, Fownes’ Gloves are the recognized standard of merit and fashion. 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