716
VALE: ALUMNI owWEEkiuy
DR. JOHN BROWN’S LECTURES.
Something About the Theme and
Scope of the Talks of the Great
Bunyan Scholar—A Charac-
terization of the Man.
[By Professor Benjamin W. Bacon.]
Another notable character has en-
riched the annals of the Yale Lyman
Beecher lectureship on preaching, and
for the third time in as many years the
incumbent has been chosen from among
our brethren beyond the sea. Dr. John
Brown of Bedford (Eng.), however, was
no stranger. Two previous visits had
familiarized many of his American pul-
pit colleagues with his noble face and
presence, strongly recalling to many New
Haveners the honored features of Leon-
ard Bacon, and all. had known him
through his historical and biographical
works, especially his Pilgrim Fathers and
their Puritan Successors, and his Life
of Bunyan. ‘The latter, in particular, has
DR. JOHN BROWN.
not merely the virtues one would expect
from an author who for thirty-five years
has been pastor of Bunyan’s Church,
and during all that time a devoted student
of Bunyan and the great Puritan move-
ment, but above and beyond this some-
thing of the old vigor, earnestness and
directness of Puritan speech, the rare
quality of plain and pithy English, which
makes it a model of biography.
In such hands the subject of Puritan
Preaching in England was _ peculiarly
well placed. After the brilliant lectures
of Drs. Watson and Geo. Adam Smith,
reviewing the function of the pastor and
preacher from the standpoint of the
student of men and the student of the
Prophets, it was a specially felicitous
time for the new departure of a histori-
cal and biographical treatment of the
subject, and those who attended the lec-
tures will bear witness that the interpre-
tation of men and history was worthy
of the succession.
Side by side with the much abused
“apostolic succession,’ whose pettiness,
when interpreted in the childish sense
too prevalent, Dr. Brown himself has
done his full share to expose, he traces
for us a real succession of the Spirit, ex-
tending back through successive genera-
tions of men on whom the tongue of
flame had rested; a succession which
reaches not merely to the Reformation,
but beyond it to the itinerant preaching
orders of Franciscan and Dominican
monks, those reformers before the Re-
formation in whom the ignorance of the
masses revealed by the dawning light
of the Renaissance awakened a Christ-
like compassion. Seeing the multitudes
they were moved with compassion, be-
cause they were as sheep having no
shepherd, and they set about teaching
them many things. Wyclif was the dis-
ciple and successor of the preaching
friars, and the Lollards perpetuated the
leaven which wrought the Reformation
in England.
Such a succession need not stop.with
the Renaissance, nor the missions of the
age of Charlemagne, nor with the
apostles themselves. It reaches back to
- meetings.
the great prophets of Israel, the educa-
tors of the people and champions of
religious liberty against sacerdotalism
and usurpation, whether by priest or
king. ;
But the subject called rather to the
later history. The period of the Refor-
mation was marked by the preaching of
Colet and Latimer, peculiarly Scriptural
in type; for the living springs, so long
sealed up, had but just been uncovered,
and from them the progressive, Protes-
tant element of the Church of England
drew its inspiration, till the old bottles
could no longer contain the new wine,
and the founding of New England and
the Puritan Revolution gave room to the
ferment. “Theologicallv and spiritually
the Pilgrim Fathers stood in the ranks
with Cromwell’s Ironsides.”
But Puritan preaching was the reverse
of ignorant fanaticism. Born of the
new enlightenment of the Renaissance,
matured by the revived study of the
Scriptures produced by the Reformation,
its home in England became more and
more the great universities, particularly
the University of Cambridge. Here
Ezekiel Culverwell inspired John Win-
throp, William Perkins set John Cotton
of Boston on fire, and became the
honored teacher of John Robinson. A
great succession went parallel with that
of the. Colonies through all the dark
and stormy days of the Restoration,
and in it shine forth the great names
of John Bunyan and Richard Baxter.
The period of the early seventeenth
century was the scholastic period of
Puritanism. Scriptural preaching gave
place to doctrinal. Dr. Brown desig-
nates it the period of the Cambridge
Platonists. The great dreamer of Bed-
ford, on the other hand, gives his ideal
of the Christian minister in the charac-
ters of the Evangelist, the Interpreter
and Mr. Greatheart. Preaching was
brought back to reality. The consecra-
tion of Baxter made godless Kidder-
minster in like manner a garden of God.
The beginning of the present century
witnessed a sorely needed revival. The
old fire of living reality in preaching
had gone out. Formality had destroyed
the vital connection between the spirit-
ual life of Scripture and present human
experience. Binney, Spurgeon, Dale of
Birmingham and Maclaren of Manches-
ter, are the great English succession of
our own century who restored it. With
varying talents and characteristics, these
truly great preachers have brought the
Gospel before the minds of our age as
reality. Binney, the teacher of Maclaren,
was “a devotional man talking intellec-
tually.” Spurgeon won his way by a
tremendous personality. Dale was an
independent and constructive theologian.
Of Maclaren, Dr. Brown says, “If ever
a prophet of God in this modern nine-
teenth century had the burden of God
on his heart, and a ‘thus saith the Lord’
on his lips, that man is Alexander
Maclaren.”’
If we may characterize the lecturer in
two words, we should emphasize Dr.
Brown’s sincerity and spirituality. Not
a great orator, he impressed by a quiet
and engaging frankness of demeanor,
enlivened not seldom by a touch of
humor. Greater men have preceded
him, but of few of them we shall carry
away a more lasting and a more grate-
ful impression.
> dn
~~,
Debating in the Wnion.
The meeting a fortnight ago, brought
about by the Yale Debating Association
for the purpose of raising the interest
in debate, at which President Hadley
and Prof. Sumner spoke to a large as-
sembly of students, seems to have had
the desired result. The two debates of
the Union already held have been well
attended and there appears to be much
more enthusiasm manifested by the
members of this body than has been
seen for some time. The sharpness and
vigor of the contests showed that there
is first-class material here and all efforts
from now on will be bent to its develop-
ment for the Harvard and Princeton
It is quite likely that a very
strong team. can be produced. The two
questions debated were: “Resolved,
That Great Britain was justified in her
demands on the Transvaal,” won by the
negative; and “Resolved, That the
Presidents should be elected for a term
of six years and should be ineligible for
re-election,” also decided in favor of
the negative.
These new men have been elected
members of the Union: 1900—A. N. But-
ler. 1I90I—E. B. Christie, J. M. Patter-
son, W. M. Maltbie, Ray Morris, W. B.
Howe, F. D. Bonner, M. D. Cahn, G. G.
Henry. P. D. Moody, P. T. Gilbert, T.
W. Russell, R. L. Atkinson, and J. A.
Keppelman. 1902—-Paul Jones, K.
Spaulding, P. M. Howe, J. C. Higgins,
H. E. Colton, R. B. Nisbet, A. Roraback,
Ki. Reed, Py Ve DD Gott, Be Gz Tee
S. Newman, E. Lehman, C. A. Roberts,
A. F. Escher, A. B. Clark, Mason Trow-
bridge, L. H. Talcott, W. T. Garrett,
F. H. Sincerbeaux, and E. G. Norman.
The present officers of the Union are:
President, A. D. Leavitt, 1900; Vice-
President, R. H. Edwards, 1901; Secre-
tary, P. C. Walcott, 1900; Treasurer,
R. O. Wells, 1901. The Executive Com-
mittee consists of W. S. Coffin, 1900; K.
Bruce, 1900, and W. H. Hutchins, root.
a> >»
a
Bicycle Squad ‘Begins Work.
About thirty candidates for the Uni-
versity Bicycle Team reported to Cap-
tain E. A. Strong, 1900S., November
2, to begin the preliminary Fall practice.
The squad will continue to ride from ten
to twelve miles on the road two days
in the week, until December 1. In spite
of the moderate pace set, it has already
cut the squad down to twenty-five. No
definite arrangements have yet been
made about a coach, but in all prob-
ability G. H. Collett, who had charge
of the team last year, will again act as
coach in the Spring.
The Spring training will be started
in February, when there will be daily
work in the Gymnasium, and later track
and road riding. Captain Tweedy of
last year’s team is the only one of the
better riders in the University who
did not «return to College this year.
The men who are now in training are:
We 4:-42nrien, 1000:S.* Lo He Strouse,
19005) 7 a. VV Pasiey, 1001 5.* P.. I.
Gilbert, 1901; M. Moore, 1902; S. H.
Stone, 1902; W. M. McCutchen, 1900;
R. &. Hutchinson, rooo; A. H. Carver,
190013: J, ME. Watts, 1000 S.; GH. Smith,
1900 >.>) 15. -F.2 Sttone; 1002 65° &.+ Is
Mason, 1902; G. E. Sykes, 1903; C. A.
Brady, t003; G.-G:° Durant, Jr.; 1903;
W. C. Langley, 1903; H. A: Rightmire,
1903 FF. A. Elmes, too2;..W. -L.. Lyon,
1902; N. R. Potter, 1902 S.
St 6D ae
Intercollegiate Shoot,
The annual shoot of the Intercollegiate
Gun Club will be held at Wellington,
Mass., on the morning of the Harvard-
Yale game, November 18, under the
auspices of the Harvard Gun Club.
Princeton, Pennsylvania, Harvard and
Yale Gun Clubs will send teams and
the competition should be very close.
A. silver loving cup will be given to the
winning team and a smaller cup to each
member of this team. The contestant,
regardless of team, who makes the high-
est score of the meet will receive a
special cup. The shooting will be at
clay targets, thirty to a man.
Practice is being held regularly three
times a week for the candidates of the
Yale team at Scheutzen Park, New Ha-
ven. Among the leading candidates for
the team are Captain F. M. Eastman,
ro02s| H.-L. oomis,. 1900 B; CE SB.
Spears, 1900; E. B. Knowlton, 1900 S.;
A. B.: Maynard, ro00:S. + D: C.: Palmer,
1900; C. B. Schley, 1900 S., and E. S.
Brooks, rgor S.
hs at
Owing to the time required for his
other duties, Professor George E. Beers
has been forced to resign the Secretary-
ship of the Law School. His succes-
sor, Prof William T. Foster, entered
upon his duties on November 3.
Football
Pneumonia
Don’t get it. You are going to
the Harvard game on Saturday
and no man can tell what stress
of Boston weather you may
meet. But you can be prepared
for anything. The right under-
clothing, the right sweater, a
warm rug—these are good in-
vestments just now.
CHASE & CO.
New Haven House Block.
Henry Heath Hats.
A RETURN MEET.
HMiarvard and Yale Willi Challenge
Oxford and Cambridge.
While no definite steps have yet been
taken toward the arrangement of a re-
turn dual track meet between Yale and
Harvard and the English Universities of
Oxford and Cambridge, it seems almiost
certain that the American Universities
will have an opportunity to retrieve next
Spring the defeat which they suffered in
England last year. The Yale and Har-
vard undergraduate managements are
now in communication on the subject,
and it is probable that a challenge will
soon be sent, as the initiative must be
taken by Harvard and Yale, the defeated
contestants. The meet would of course
be held on this side of the water and
would have to take place in the latter
part of April, or the first day of May,
as Faculty regulations in England make
other dates impossible. In conse-
quence of conflicting dates the Yale-
Harvard Dual Meet would have to be
postponed until a week later than it is
at present scheduled, but this would be
a matter of no moment.
If these preliminary arrangements are
brought about between the American
Universities the details will be put in the
hands of a graduate committee similar to
that of last year, consisting of two grad-
uates from both Yale and Harvard, who
will be selected by the managers and
captains of the two track teams. They
would in all probability be the same men
who acted in that capacity so admirably
last year.
——____+09—__—_
Princeton’s Increase.
The catalogue of Princeton for 18 Q9-
1900 shows a very decided increase in
the numbers of students inrolled. Last
year the totals in all departments
amounted to 1,099, while this year the
figures are I,I94, or an increase of
nearly nine per cent. The gain is
chiefly in the upper classes, as the Fresh-
man registration has fallen off twenty-—
six, the number being two hundred last
year. An improvement is looked for
however in the class entering in Igoo.
as the number of those taking prelimi-
nary examinations this Spring was ex-
ceptionally large. The total enrollment
of the Academic Department this year
was 686, as against 633 in 18990, and the
Scientific Department registration is
307, a gain of 29 over that of the pre
ceding year. In the Graduate Depart-
ment the present enrollment is tar.
which is more by 13 than that of 1899.
KNOX Hats are “Fit” allthe Season.
