THE CHURCHES AND EDUCATED MEN tihvavy of t:he t:heolo0ical ^eminarjp PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY FROM THE LIBRARY OF ROBERT ELLIOTT SPEER BV 4447 .H3 1904 Hardy, Edwin Noah, 1861- The churches and educated men .■^'^H OF mrJc) fFB 6 195! The Churches an(t Jones' Life of Ashbel Green, pp. 132, 133. "^ Dorchester's Christianity in the United States, p. 287. 56 The Churches and Educated Men In Hampden Sydney College, religion was at ebb-tide for a number of years before the great revival of 1787. " The state of things in col- lege during 1787 was peculiarly interesting : the flax was smoking, and soon burnt into a flame. While a few children of pious parents treated the subject of religion respectfully, yet of all the students in college, about eighty in number, there was not one who was known to be any way serious and thoughtful upon the subject of religion. They were generally very vicious and profane and treated religion and religious persons with great contempt ; though attentive to their studies and the acquaintance of knowledge." ^ The religious life in Hampden Sydney Col- lege is pictured in strong colors by Sprague in his biographical sketch of Dr. William Hill : "In 1785, he entered Hampden Sydney Col- lege, then under the presidency of the Eev. John Blair Smith. So low was the state of relig- ion in the college at that time, that there was not a student who evinced any regard for it, nor one who was known to possess a Bible. Dur- ing the early part of his collegiate course, he endeavored to banish all thoughts of religion, and indulged in the vices common to his un- godly associates ; but even then he had his * Rev. Wm. H. Foote, D. D., Sketches of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 413. The Spiritual Ebb-Tide 57 moments of reflection, when he was haunted by the remembrance of his mother's counsels and praj^ers. Nearly two years elapsed, after he entered college, before his character seemed to undergo a radical change. After his mind had, for some time, been turned inward upon itself in silent and anxious thought, he retired to a secluded spot, where he gave vent to the agony of his spirit in earnest cries for the di- vine mercy, and was enabled, as he believed, to dev^ote himself without reserve to the service of God. Shortly after, two other young men connected with the college experienced a simi- lar change of views and feelings, and associated themselves with him in a private devotional service, which, as it became known, excited the most bitter opposition from their fellow stu- dents, and even drew forth threats of venge- ance, unless it was discontinued. This brought the matter to the ears of the president, who assured them not only that they should be protected in their rights, but that they should have the privilege of holding their meeting in his parlor, and that he would himself be pres- ent and assist in conducting it. A revival now commenced, which soon included among its subjects half of the students in the college. The revival extended into neighboring churches and then into those which were more remote, and was more extensive and powerful than had 58 The Churches and Educated Men been experienced in Virginia since the days of President Davies." ^ In singular confirmation of the statements just made, and as a possible and probable reference to the two students mentioned, another citation is made from Sprague respecting the religious experience of Dr. James Blythe who entered Hampden Sydney in 1785 : " He was a professor of religion before he went to college. So adverse to the culture of the spiritual mind were all the influences by which he was then surrounded that he cut loose from the restraints of a Chris- tian profession, and passed among his gay as- sociates for a thorough devotee to worldly vanities. It was a singular circumstance by which he was brought to reflection, and recov- ered from his wanderings. A student in col- lege with whom he was intimate and whom he had known as a companion in levity and sin, had become deeply impressed with the impor- tance of religion, and had shut himself up in his room for the purpose of reading his Bible, and supplicating the renewing influence of the Holy Spirit. While he was thus engaged in these secret exercises, young Blythe came to the door and knocked, and as he received no answer, he continued knocking, and with so much violence that his comrade within feared * Annals of the American Pulpit, Vol. 3, pp. 563, 564. The Spiritual Ebb-Tide 59 that the door would be forced open ; and there- fore, he unlocked it, and let him in. As he entered the room he took up a book which lay upon the bed, and found that it was the Bible. ' Do you read such a book as this ? ' was Blythe's inquiry. His friend was strongly tempted for the moment to conceal his convic- tion, and to turn the whole into ridicule ; but he summoned resolution to acknowledge the truth, which was that his conscience was heavily burdened with a sense of his sinfulness. Blythe burst into tears, and told him that there was much more hope for him than for himself ; for that he had been, for some time, a professor of religion, and had been living in open violation of his Christian obligations. From that time, however, Blythe broke away from the influences which had ensnared him, and engaged heartily and efficiently in the dis- charge of his various Christian duties ; and this event marked the commencement of an exten- sive revival of religion." ^ Chancellor Kent (1765-1847) who was gradu- ated from Yale in 1781, and who was for years an instructor in Columbia College, said in the latter part of his life : " In my younger days there were very few professional men that were not infidels ; or at least they were so inclined to infidelity that they could ' Annals of the American Pulpit, pp. 591-594. 6o The Churches and Educated Men not be called believers in the truth of the Bible." ' Sufficient evidence has been presented to show quite conclusively the extremely low state of religion in the various colleges of the country. In the earlier part of the period there were several religious awakenings which have already been indicated, but these periods of interest became less frequent, of shorter duration, and less extensive. It is noteworthy that, in those rare instances of special spiritual quickening in a few institutions of which so much has been written, no more of the stu- dents were reached than the average number of Christians in all the colleges in our own time. It was considered most remarkable if under the most favorable circumstances one- half of the students in one of these signally blessed colleges became professing Christians. This by contrast throws much light on the or- dinary religious conditions of the colleges. It is a reasonable inference that the spiritual affairs were in a deplorable condition in those institutions which present no records of revival interest for this period. The religious trend for the twenty-five years con- sidered w^as decidedly downward. Where in- fidelity did not prevail there was a lifeless indifference almost as bad. It is our impres- ^ Trumbull's Yale Lectures on the Sunday-School, p. 167. The Spiritual Ebb-Tide 61 sion that, were the conditions thoroughly un- derstood, the picture would be darker than we have shown by the facts and figures presented. There were other colleges concerning which no facts worthy of record have been found. In respect to the religious life in these it is re- peatedly said, " The conditions were no better," " The state of religion was deplorably low," or, " The school was given up to infidelity," or similar generalizations of little absolute value save only as they indicate the prevalence of skepticism. The impression deepens, however, the better one becomes acquainted with the histories of these institutions, that in them the religious conditions were even more adverse to the higher spiritual interests than in the more prosperous colleges. Inasmuch as there was the most intense desire for spiritual results in the colleges and every favorable sign was care- fully noted and widely proclaimed, the natural inference from the prolonged and painful sil- ence concerning spiritual awakening is that the religious life was not only on the ebb-tide, but had run exceedingly low. It is a well-estab- lished fact that the influence of infidelity was most deeply felt outside of 'New England. It certainly made a most profound impression upon the South. It will be noted that this investigation has considered only the larger colleges. Most of 62 The Churches and Educated Men those which have not been examined were so decidedly weak and small that they would not in any case materially affect the results already obtained. All things considered, the religious life in the colleges for the period under treatment was in a state of decided declension, here and there relieved, it is true, by gracious spiritual re- freshings, but these become more and more in- frequent as the end of the century draws near. The deeper and more sympathetic the study of the period the stronger grows the conviction that the real conditions were even worse than appear from the meager statements herein presented. At the same time the admiration grows deeper for the few students of heroic mold who could not be ridiculed out of their honest and earnest convictions, and who by their consecration, perseverance and unwaver- ing faith were, by the grace of God, yet to win the college for Christ and his Church. Let the reader not fail to note that there is abundance of material to prove that the relig- ious conditions which prevailed among the men in the colleges but reflected the conditions which obtained among the men in the churches. Indeed, it would not be diiflcult to demonstrate with a long array of facts that, aside from ex- ceptional communities, taking the country as a whole, there was more stolid, religious indiffer- The Spiritual Ebb-Tide 63 ence, and a more definite lack of spiritual sen- sitiveness among the men outside than inside the college. The forms of Christianity may have been observed more submissively, and the tenets of infidelity less warmly welcomed and advocated by those outside the college, but if, according to the Spirit's message to the church of the Laodiceans, lukewarmness is more to be condemned than open opposition, then we be- lieve that the deadly indifference of the men of the churches outside the college was farther removed from spiritual truth than the more conspicuous infidelity which prevailed among the collegians. In any case, all church histo- rians are agreed that the Eevolutionary period marks the ebb-tide of American religious life. THE KEIGK OF INFIDELITY, OK THE PERIOD OF RAPID DECLENSION 1795-1800 ** The French Revolution inspired the enemies of religion for a time with the confident expectations of a speedy tri- umph. The minds of multitudes were unsettled, and there was a breaking away from the old creeds. ' Wild and vague expectations were everywhere entertained, especially among the young, of a new order of things about to commence, in which Christianity would be laid aside as an obsolete sys- tem.' It was confidently asserted by some that in two gen- erations Christianity would altogether disappear. Such was the skepticism that prevailed at the close of the last century and the beginning of the present. The growth of Christian- ity in this country since these vain predictions has been the most marvelous ever known in any land or any age." — Daniel Dorchester, D. D. , Cliristianity in United States, p. 324. "The relations of the Church and of the college are funda- mental and intimate. In prosperity the one rises with the other; in adversity the one with the other declines. If the piety of the Church is warm and aggressive, the college halls will be filled with throngs of young men assiduously devot- ing themselves to Christian self-culture. If the piety of the Church runs low, the college will at once feel the baneful influence of religious indifference. . . . The college and the Church thus act and react upon each other. . . . The college fosters that wisdom and discipline required for the efficiency and stability of the Church, the Church fosters the material and religious interests of the college. The Church helps to make the college, and the college the Church." — President Charles F. Thioing, Within College EalU, p. 138. " Few men abandon a life of vice or begin a life of virtue after they reach twenty -one years of age. ' ' — Horace Mann. CHAPTEE ly THE RETGN OF INFIDELITY, OR THE PE- RIOD OF RAPID DECLENSION OisT the one side there is nothing to differ- entiate this period from that which preceded it. The same influences are at work, but as the storm-tossed waves sometimes seem to gather tliemselves for one supreme effort, and carry the debris farther inland, so the wave of in- fidelity rose higher in its destructive strength and influence in this period, and then suddenly and somewhat mysteriously subsided. But the storm-cloud of skepticism shadowed the land for a score of years longer before its darkness and force were broken. From the viewpoint of external conditions, this is the darkest period in the religious annals of our American colleges. From the viewpoint of the inner spiritual life of the students, I am inclined to think that it is in nowise so dark and depress- ing as the latter part of the period preceding. We shall not restrict ourselves to the exact time limit of the period, but the year 1800 has been chosen for its convenience as the time which nearest approaches the average date for 67 68 The Churches and Educated Men the great spiritual awakening that began as early as 1797 in the churches, but which did not outwardly affect the colleges for four or five years later. It is well, however, to bear in mind that a new religious spirit was work- ing powerfully in the colleges for nearly two years before it became externally apparent. In respect to this period no college has been so often or so justly quoted as Yale. If we are correct in our conclusions, in Yale, more than elsewhere, may be traced the evolution of " The Student Movement," which in our day has reached such dimensions and powder. As we have already observed, two movements with a common initiative are discoverable in nearly all the colleges. The initiative was spiritual independence for the undergraduate. The one movement was towards infidelity, the other towards spiritual fidelity to the great ideals of the Christian faith. The former showed itself in the grosser forms of skepti- cism, ridicule, persecution and immorality ; the latter in the fruits of the Spirit, in sporadic attempts at organized effort, in personal work and strict morality. In Yale matters went from bad to worse till Dr. Timothy D wight became president in 1Y95. America has produced no w^orthier champion of the cross. For seven years the fray was on, but in the first year infidelity was The Reign of Infidelity 69 conquered though not banished from the field. ^' It seems probable that, during the college year 1794-95, the Christian life of Yale was in a most perilous condition. The students ex- posed to the subtle influences of French infi- delity, and wholly without such restraints and incentives as sympathetic pastoral guidance and vigorous appeal to the conscience from the pulpit, naturally found little to enlist their in- terest in the almost defunct college church. Among the one hundred, or more, young men enrolled at Yale (actual number one hundred and twenty-five) certainly not more than one in ten openly professed religion. The prob- lems in the Christian life of the student body which confronted the successor of President Stiles were, it can thus be readily seen, grave ones. No man of ordinary powers and faith could have successfully met and mastered them." 1 There has been so much controversy over the low state of religion at Yale at this time, and so much interest centers in the facts, that we shall summon several witnesses to present their individual testimony. Professor Chaun- cey A. Goodrich, than whom there is hardly a better authority, writing in 1838 concerning revivals of religion in Yale, makes the follow- ing statement : " The religious state of the * Two Centuries of Christian Activity at Yale, p. 51. yo The Churches and Educated Men college was extremely low at the close of Dr. Stiles' presidency in 1795. It is not true, how- ever, as has sometimes been supposed, that the college church at that time was almost extinct. The names of eleven undergraduates have been pointed out to me by persons then in college, who are known to have been professors of re- ligion in 1795. About four years later the number was reditced to four or five y and at one communion only a single undergraduate was present, the others being out of town. This fact has given rise to an erroneous inference that the church at this time contained only a single undergraduate."^ From him, then, we learn that in 1795 there were eleven pro- fessors of religion and that a few years later the number was reduced to four or five. The single communicant at the Lord's Supper has no particular bearing on the subject, the ex- planatory note of Professor Goodrich show- ing the fallacy of the well- worked myth. In the Memoir of Bennet Tyler, D. D., is found this interesting semiautobiographical statement : " He entered Yale College in the autumn of 1800. Some years before that time the Christian religion had been a frequent sub- ject of ridicule among the undergraduates ; in- fidelity imported from France had poisoned the minds of many students, and strict piety 1 Quarterly Register, 1838, p. 289. The Reign of Infidelity 71 was generally looked upon as unfitted for the freedom of youth. At one time, near the close of the last century, there was but one pro- fessor of religion in the freshman class, not one in the sophomore, only one in the junior, and not more than ten in the senior. So far was scoffing at sacred things carried, that on one communion Sabbath, some of the students in the dining-hall cut the bread in pieces to repre- sent the sacred emblem of Christ's body, and impiously offered it to a solitary professor who was dining with them ; intending thereby to wound the feelings of the youth just from the table of the Lord. Though such impiety had been greatly restrained at the opening of the century, yet the religious influence of Yale was not then positive and pervading, as after the revival of 1802."^ Dr. Lyman Beecher is our next witness. In his autobiography he says : " Before he came, the college was in a most ungodly state. The college church was almost extinct. Most of the students were skeptical, and rowdies w^ere plenty. Wine and liquors were kept in many rooms. Intemperance, profanity, gambling, and licentiousness were common. . . . That was the day of the infidelity of the Paine school. Boys that dressed flax in the ^ Memoir of Benuet Tyler, D. D., by Dr. Nahum Gale, p. 15. 72 The Churches and Educated Men barn, as I used to, read Tom Paine and believed him. I read and fought him all the way. I never had any propensity to infidelity. But most of the class before me were infidels, and called each other Yoltaire, Kousseau, D'Alem- bert, etc., etc." Professor Williston Walker says : " The first labor of President D wight, when he became President of Yale, was to combat the all but universal infidelity of the students of his new charge. Indeed so far had the matter gone at New Haven that many of the Senior class had assumed the names of the principal English and French infidels and were generally known by these nicknames through the college." ^ " In the darkest time, just at the close of the century, there was only about one professor of religion to a class." ^ Dr. Frank Eussell, of the Bible IS'ormal Col- lege, Hartford, Connecticut, grants me per- mission to quote him in this statement: " When the elder D wight was called to the Presidency of Yale, there were one hundred and fourteen undergraduates. Dr. D wight some time after made a careful investigation and could find but two students willing to confess that they were Christians." This was also afiirmed by Dr. E. E". Kirk of Boston and by ^ Ten New England Leaders, p. 367. 2 Prayer for Colleges, W. S. Tyler, p. 47. The Reign of Infidelity 73 many others not given to extravagant expres- sions, but I have been unable to verify it from the college records. The general impression is that the statement came from President D wight himself. JSTo more discriminating picture of the period under consideration has been drawn than that by Ebenezer Baldwin : " The establishment of American independence had not been effected without the moral contamination always the result of protracted wars. Licentiousness, both in conduct and sentiment, had followed, and in the exultation of political emancipation, infidel philosophers found ready listeners, when they represented the restraints of re- ligion as fetters of conscience, and moral obli- gation as shackles imposed by bigotry and priestcraft. Dr. D wight adopted the most ef- fectual means to destroy these growing evils. He permitted the class to select the following subject of discussion, 'Are the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments the word of God ? ' and encouraged them to exercise their full powers in a free but decorous debate on which side of the question their inclination would direct them to engage. IsTearly the whole class of those who took part in the de- bate supported the cause of infidelity. After their arguments were concluded the president examined the whole ground, pointed out the 74 The Churches and Educated Men fallacy of their reasoning and vindicated in an argument of overwhelming power and elo- quence the authenticity of the Scriptures. The effect is described as astonishing, not only con- viction followed, but the pride of the infidelity was broken." ^ *'The AVar of the Revolution had left the piety of the country in a very depressed condi- tion. The shallow and contemptuous infidelity of the French school was widely diffused and was mingled in the cultured class with the most plausible theories of English deism and the skeptical speculation of Hume. Unbelief had become prevalent and respectable in college ; the number of professing Christians had dwin- dled to eight or ten." ^ Possibly too much space has been given to this gloomy chapter of college life. But the conditions at Yale were characteristic of all the colleges respecting religious declension, and yet they were unique, as we shall immediately indicate. The loyalty and devotion to the highest ideals of the Christian faith which we have traced from the days of Brainerd became conspicuous at the close of the century. While externally infidelity seemed to sweep every- thing before it, there was internally at work a ^ Annals of Yale College, Ebenezer Baldwin, p, 145, ' Fisher's Commemorative of the Ilistory of Christ Church in Yale College, p. 33. The Reign of Infidelity y^ spiritual force of the most sterling and sturdy nature. A discovery of peculiar interest and real importance was made by Henry B. Wright in gathering the material for " Two Centuries of Christian Activity at Yale." The writer, searching the college library, found two dusty, worn record books whose stained pages and ofttimes well-nigh illegible script gave evidence of great age. They bore the name of the Kecords of the Moral Society. This organization, founded April 6, 1797, in- cluded twenty-five charter members — four sophomores, six juniors, twelve seniors and three post-graduates. No member of the faculty or any of the tutors were concerned with its con- ception, or were associated with the organiza- tion for eighteen years. This society seems to merit the distinction of being the first success- ful organization of undergraduates for definite moral and religious purposes. The society was -secret, and the following vow was taken on initiation : * ' You, and each of you, promise in the presence of these witnesses, that you will never, either directly or indi- rectly, reveal any part of what you are now to be informed." He who divulged the officers, rules or proceedings of the order was expelled. The whole was kept secret to such an extent that there is no reason to think that Dr. D wight was even acquainted with the character 76 The Churches and Educated Men and proceedings of the society. The vow of secrecy doubtless explains the silence of the earlier historians concerning this organization. The purpose of the society is thus stated in the preamble of the constitution : " Since Mo- rality is essential to happiness in this life and in that which is to come, and since it is equally necessary to the usefulness and respectability of all human institutions, the formation of a society for its promotion in this Seminary must be considered an object of high importance. Influenced by these considerations, the under- signed do hereby form themselves into a so- ciety for the promotion and preservation of morality among the members of this Univer- sity to be known by the name of the Moral Society of Yale College." Each candidate for membership was compelled to assent to the fol- lowing questions : (1) Will you endeavor to regulate your con- duct by the rules of morality contained in the Bible ? (2) Will you endeavor by all prudent means to suppress vice and promote the interests of morality in this Seminary ? (3) Will you as long as you continue a member of this society wholly refrain from every kind of profane language ? (4) Will 3^ou never be guilty of playing any game in which property is concerned : and will The Reign of Infidelity yy you also refrain entirely from playing cards whilst you continue a member of this society ? Meetings were held once in three weeks. At each meeting an oration was given and a debate, with three disputants on each side, on some moral or religious subject. The record of subjects debated clearly shows the de- cidedly religious character of the society. The decisions indicate that the outcome was almost invariably evangelical rather than infidel. At these meetings the opportunity was given for public confession of wrongs committed since the last meeting. ]^ot only did they keep an open eye on each other but they became the moral censors of the whole college. The character of the membership and this high purpose made the organization most influential in stamping out long-standing im- moral practices. During the four years pre- ceding the great revival of 1802, the Moral So- ciety included from one-third to one-half of all the students in its membership. It is also in- teresting to note that in this record book is a very plausible explanation of the famous state- ment concerning the presence of only that sol- itary undergraduate at a certain communion. There was a college recess which had so scat- tered the students that the regular meeting of the society could not be held on the Monday evening following the day in question. Pre- 78 The Churches and Educated Men sumablj, then, the few Christian students connected with the institution were out of town. All this is exceedingly interesting and surely proves Avhat has already been intimated that the real dark day of religious concerns at Yale was rather earlier, than later, than 1795. The Moral Society acts as the intermediate step from infidelity to the great revival interest of 1802. The decisive character of the revival is convincing evidence that the Moral Society served as the ethical preparation for the spirit- ual quickening which followed and from which it should be distinctly differentiated. The Moral Society by its very existence and its tone indi- cates a true spirit of inquiry which, however, failed for more than four years to register it- self in open allegiance to the faith. Mean- while the number of avowed professors of re- ligion dwindled to four or five, as w^e have shown. This very definite religious transition from skepticism to faith at Yale is found in other colleges in a less degree. In fact there is hardly a college of any considerable size at the opening of the nineteenth century which does not show this same leaven at work. Sooner or later nearly every college passed through an experience similar to that of Yale until the in- cubus of the prevailing infidelity was thrown The Reign of Infidelity yg off. Leaving out of consideration the sources of initial influence, it would seem as if the strength of skepticism was overcome as much by the new spiritual awakening of the students as by the persistent attacks of the college fac- ulties. We have treated this spiritual revolu- tion, or, better, evolution of Yale, somewhat at length because it accentuates those marked characteristics common to the movement in all of the colleges. In most of the institutions ) these sporadic attempts at the solution of the ? perplexing problem of student religious initia- \ tive took organized form without the advice } and generally without the knowledge of the \ faculty. While unwilling to underestimate the \ powerful influence exerted, directly and in- directly, by the great educators who must be credited with arousing these initial forces which led to the higher spiritual life, it is most inter- esting to note that the exact form in which the longed-for revival came was from within the student body, and was a great surprise in many cases to the college leaders. From Yale we next turn to Harvard. In Lawrence's biographical sketch of Dr. Leonard Woods is this interesting statement : " He en- tered Harvard in 1792. His college life drew him from the salutary influence of the home, and brought him into new trials of his princi- ples and new temptations to swerve from them. 8o The Churches and Educated Men It was, too, the darkest period morally in the history of our country. The infidelity which had made France a seething caldron of malig- nant passions had stretched across the ocean and was settling thick as night on all the land. It entered the institutions of learning and the lights of piety went out. During a part of young Woods' collegiate course the late Dr. John H. Church was the only professor of re- ligion in the four classes." ^ Professor AYillis- ton Walker, citing a part of the above quota- tion, adds: "Eeligiously, Harvard, like Yale, was carefully observant of worship and doc- trinal instruction as far as its officers could make it so. Just twenty years before Woods entered Harvard, students had been relieved of repeating publicly heads of the sermons they had recently heard, and for eight 3^ears they had been excused from attending the more technical of the two courses of instruction given by the Hollis Professor of Divinit}^, unless they intended to enter the ministry. Yet the period of Woods' residence at Cambridge was about the ebb-tide of religion among the students of A^merican colleges. The French alliance in the Eevolutionary struggle and sympathy with France in her own Ke volution had popularized the French contempt of religion ; and able and in many ways devoted and patriotic Americans, * Congregational Quarterly, Vol. 1, p. 106. The Reign of Infidelity 81 like Franklin, Paine, Jefferson, by their exam- ple or by their writings had spread wide among the students, the young lawyers, the physicians and the politicians of the period, a state of in- difference or of hostility to revealed religion." ^ There were thirty-three who graduated with Woods in the class of 1796. The statement concerning Woods mentioned above was written in 1858, and, so far as I can discover, has remained unchallenged. There could not have been a time during Woods' un- dergraduate days when there were less than one hundred and fifty students. That so care- ful a historian as Professor Walker gives cre- dence and currency to the statement that " While Woods was at Harvard there was at one time only one professing Christian among the un- dergraduates," is sufficient proof of its general accuracy. But allowing that there were many others who w^ere secretly Christian, still the ratio of the professors to the non-professors must have been exceedingly small. It is quite improbable that any such internal conditions existed at Harvard at this time, as those noted in Yale and many other colleges. We have the most trustworthy evidence con^ cerning the religious life at Williams College during this period. The college was founded in 1793. Rev. Jedediah Bushnell, a member 1 Ten New Euglaud Leaders, pp. 366, 367. 82 The Churches and Educated Men of the first freshman class, thus describes the religious conditions : " Kespecting the religious state of things in college during my residence in it, I have no very favorable account to give. It was the time of the French Revolution, which was, at that time, very popular with almost all the in- mates of college, and with almost all people in that part of the country. French infidelity and French philosophy poured in upon us like a flood and seemed to sweep almost everything serious before it. J^ot that I believe, or ever did believe, that the greater part of the students were in theory settled infidels ; but I did fear at that time, and now as much fear, that a number of talented young men, of the several classes, did fix down on these infidel principles from which they never afterwards were recov- ered. Some, however, who thus made Yolney their oracle and openly professed it, have re- nounced it since, and become pious and useful men. But French principles at college had a commanding influence, and bore the multitude onward in its course. The influence w^as so great that it was very unpopular for a sinner to be convicted of sin or be converted, or say or do anything on the subject of experimental piety. There were two or three old professors of religion, w^iom the wicked very rarely treated with indignity ; but the moment a sin- The Reign of Infidelity 83 ner began to have serious thoughts the wicked would load him with ridicule and shocking abuse. This spirit ran so high that none dare manifest seriousness except those whom God had truly made serious. Kespecting the mor- als of the college, some infidels were moral men according to the common acceptance of that term ; but as a general rule, the college suf- fered as much in morals as it did in the theory of religion ; comparatively with the colleges now in New England I think they were quite immoral. Notwithstanding this state of things, there was a redeeming spirit in the college as long as I was a member of the institution. There was some solid active piety in a few which remained unmoved. The number of professors of religion was very few. But one in my class (1Y9T) at that time belonged to any church, — none in the higher classes. The classes which entered afterwards were larger and contained several professors of religion ; one or two instances of decided piety. This spirit of piety, though limited to a small num- ber, had an enlightening and restraining influ- ence on many at times beyond what is easily imagined, so that it gave comfort and hope. About three or four were deeply convicted or hopefully converted while I was a member of the college. Others have informed me since that they received impressions then which were 84 The Churches and Educated Men never effaced from their minds until they found the salvation of the Lord. " But that which in my judgment had the most influence of all things under God, was a prayer-meeting every evening in the week at the ringing of nine o'clock bell. One of the students opened his room for the prayer-meet- ing. The meeting was much in the form of our usual family prayers. We read the Scrip- tures, commented on the truth, exhorted one another and closed by prayer. Our number hardly ever exceeded twelve, sometimes nine or ten, commonly six or seven or eight. We usually spent twelve to fourteen minutes in this meeting. All were invited to come who wished. Some non-professors came, some of them w^ould come for awhile and then retire for a season, and then others would come. These meetings were sustained uniformly for four years, during my whole college life (1Y93- 1797) and I believe will be remembered with joy in another world. These meetings were solemn and sometimes soul-refreshing, and they constituted a rendezvous for any serious mind in college. As wicked as we were at the time, I do not recall a single insult in the room dur- ing the time of our devotions or where we held these pra^^er-meetings during the space of four years." ^ ^ Durfee's History of Williams College, pp. 110-112. The Reign of Infidelity 85 Some very important facts and figures were given, in 1828, by the first president, Dr. Grifiin. It is well to bear in mind that Dr. Griffin was one of the most successful evang-el- ists of his day, and was certainly well qualified to estimate the religious status of the college : " The year 1792, it has often been said, ushered a new era into the world. In that year the first blood was drawn in that mighty struggle, which for more than twenty years convulsed Europe. In that year the first of those insti- tutions which modern charity has planned and which cover the whole face of the Protestant world arose in England. And in that year commenced that series of revivals in America which has never been interrupted, night or day, and which never will be until the earth is full of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. For many years I supposed I had been permitted to see, in my native neigh- borhood and in my father's house, the first re- vival in the series. But it was with deeply affecting associations that I learned the other day, that the vice-president of the college was allowed to take a part in two revivals that same year, one of which was certainly earlier than that which I witnessed. " During the first seven years of the exist- ence of the college (in which ninety-three graduated in six classes) there were but five 86 The Churches and Educated Men professors of religion, exclusive of two who seven months before the close of that period, were brought into the church by the revivals in Litchfield County. The seven men were Jedediah Bushnell, who graduated in 1797; Gideon Bent and Nathan Turner, who gradu- ated in 1798 ; a member of one of these classes who never graduated here, Caleb Knight and Isaac Knapp, who graduated in 1800, and James W. Kobbins. The last two were those who made the profession in Litchfield County. They were both of Norfolk, both obtained their hope at home, in the fall vacation of 1799, and both joined the church in the winter vacation. " In three of these classes just named, there was not a single professor of religion. From the commencement in 1798 till February, 1800, there was but one professor of religion in col- lege. From the fall of that year, in the four classes, which afterward sent out eighty graduates, there were but two professors, and both of them had obtained their hopes in the revivals in Litchfield County and its vicinity. These two young men labored hard, and with many discouragements through the winter, to establish a prayer-meeting. , But the next spring the religious character of the college received an important change from the acces- sion to the freshman class of four young men from Litchfield County — two from Torrington The Reign of Infidelity 87 and two from Norfolk. In this way the influ- ence of the new era gradually crept upon the college, which from this time began to rise up to the sacred distinction of being the birthplace of American missions." ^ These citations admirably reveal the relig- ious conditions of the college. There is much in these accounts to remind one of the religious history of Yale. The same outward depression caused by infidel influence continued longer and was more marked. The same student initiative in religious matters which reached small numbers and exerted but a limited in- fluence, is, however, truly noteworthy in its registration of the progress reached and is an index pointing to the greater things to come. Here again we note the half -successful attempt at student organization for definite religious purposes. A little acquaintance with the deep spiritual fervor, strength of character and heart yearnings for spiritual quickening so conspicu- ous in President Fitch clearly indicates how deeply intrenched skepticism and religious in- difference must have been. Even granting that the statistical estimate may not fairly represent the actual religious condition, there still remains the incontrovertible fact that the religious life nearly ebbed away during the ^ Sermon by Edward Dorr Griffin at the dedication of the Chapel, September 2, 1828. 88 The Churches and Educated Men closing years of the century. It is doubtless true that, under the incubus of ridicule and persecution, some would conceal their real con- viction. Though we grant this, it is well-nigh offset by the corresponding conclusion that the indifference must have been very outspoken and powerful to so thoroughly repress or sup- press the religious sentiments of the class of students whom we know as undergraduates in those days. In Dartmouth, we have no reason to think that the conditions were more favorable. Right in the middle of a long period of religious de- clension, we believe the general silence of the college historian best interpreted as indicative of a dearth of facts of religious interest. In Sprague's Annals is found the following bio- graphical item concerning Rev. Abijah Wines : " In the spring of 1Y92 he became a member of the sophomore class of Dartmouth College. During his connection with that institution he sustained a highly respectable standing as a scholar, and in the midst of a very general in- difference to religion maintained an exemplary Christian character." ^ Professor M. D. Bisbee, college librarian, in- forms me that in the class which graduated in 1Y99 there was only one publicly known as a professing Christian, though at the time there * Sprague's Anuals of the American Pulpit, Vol. 2, p. 373. The Reign of Infidelity 89 was a small but devoted band of underclass- men earnestly seeking the truth and holding meetings in private. These young men be- came effectual workers as they neared the close of their collegiate course and did much in preparation for the revival of religious inter- est which marked the early years of the new century. Chancellor Kent, who graduated from Yale in 1Y81, and who was for years an instructor in Columbia College, said, in the latter part of his life, " In my younger days there were very few professional men that were not infidels ; or at least they were so far inclined to infidel- ity that they could not be called believers in the truth of the Bible." ^ Dr. Dorchester having spoken of the marked spiritual declension at Yale when the number of professing Christians ^vas reduced to four or five, adds : " Princeton College was no better, and William and Mary's College was called a hotbed of infidelity. Transylvania University in Kentucky, founded by the Pres- byterians, was wrested from them by the infidels." ^ In this period the witnesses have in many cases testified to much more than the religious condition of the colleges. It should be noted ^ Trumbull's Yale Lectures on the Sunday-school, p. 167. 3 Problem of Religious Progress, p. 107. 90 The Churches and Educated Men that their statements not infrequently include all professional men. Thus we have definite light thrown upon the religious conditions of the brain-workers and the intellectual leaders of that day. By the data herewith presented we are able to reduce to statistical estimates and reasonable ratios the religious status of a very considerable class of the intellectual lead- ers represented by the college men. This cer- tainly is worth much in determining the influence of the Church upon the men of edu- cation. This influence at the close of the eighteenth century was without question de- plorably low. The writer has in his possession an abundance of evidence which confirms the allusions made above concerning the low re- ligious status among men outside of college halls. We call special attention to these facts, that by comparison and contrast greater em- phasis may be laid upon the splendid results wrought in the past century by the Church in her work for men. Such a conspicuous and notable extension of influence and power by the Church among the intellectual leaders of the country is one of the most marked char- acteristics of a century of Christian effort. THE KELIGIOUS EEXAISSANCE, OK THE PEKIOD OF EECOYERY 1800-1810 " He fought his donbts and gathered strength, He would not make his judgment blind, He faced the spectres of the mind And laid them : thus he came at length To find a stronger faith his own." — 'Tennyson. ' ' At the very beginning of this century, the religious de- pression was at the lowest as measured by formal outward acts : but an internal process was going on, destined under the Providence of God to bring relief." — I. N. Tarbox in Kingsley^s Yale College, Vol. 1, p. 273. "For never was a period in the history of the higher edu- cation when these principles and vices which are frequently denominated French had so large an influence among Amer- ican students as the opening of the century. The records show that the students of the time were defiant of authority, in conduct immoral, and in religion skeptical. A general spirit of insubordination prevailed. ... A wave of immorality and of irreligion had for a time submerged all the colleges. "—Pres. Charles F. Thwing, The American Col- lege in American Life^ pp. 9, 10. CHAPTER Y THE RELIGIOUS RENAISSANCE, OR THE PERIOD OF RECOVERY We have already noted that just at the close of the eighteenth century the fires of a new revival interest were kindled here and there throughout the country. Like detached forest fires this interest spread, increased in volume, gained in strength till in the first decade of the new century it reached the greater part of the country. Like forest fires, too, this interest burned intensely for awhile and in many places as quickly died out. So closely does the religious life of the college correspond with that of the churches, that whatever affects the one will erelong leave its impress upon the other. Naturally the influ- ence of infidelity was more manifest in college than elsewhere and the recovery from it more retarded. There is a wide divergence of opin- ion concerning the origin of the college revi- vals. The spiritual awakening certainly ap- peared in the churches some years before it was in evidence in college halls. Notwith- standing, the leaven of the new life, as already 93 94 The Churches and Educated Men observed, was powerfully working among the students for some time before it was outwardly manifest. While in some of the colleges the quickened interest is directly traceable to the matriculation of certain consecrated students, there were other colleges which exerted a most powerful spiritual influence upon the communities in touch with them. The preva- lence of infidelity and the woful declension of religion in both the colleges and the churches is painfully apparent in the fact that, after the glorious revival which marked the opening of the century, the proportion of church members to the total population was less than one-third, and the ratio of Christian students in the colleges less than one-fourth of that of the present. This should be kept in mind lest there be an erroneous impression respecting the grip of infidelity and the Her- culean task involved in the spiritual emanci- pation and the long sustained effort required in the process of recovery. In this period the student initiative became more conspicuous, revealing itself most defi- nitely and prominently in the famous haystack meeting at Williamstown. Its manifestation is apparent in nearly all of the colleges. Be- hind the facts and the figures presented is dis- covered the surprisingly interesting and vastly important evolution of the student religious The Religious Renaissance 95 life. At the dawn of the century the student movement was decidedly imperfect. It was, so to speak, the adolescent stage, the earnest and promise of the coming Christian manhood. There were frequent and painful clashes of interests. The old paternal regime, accepted and so much respected in the earlier days, did not always easily and gracefully yield to the new order of things. Then, too, the students ofttimes most sadly failed in the correct inter- pretation and the rightful exercise of their newly found religious freedom. Liberty, too, frequently degenerated into license in this transitional stage. It took scores of years for the new movement to work itself out, and while the process went on, sudden changes of religious sentiment and marked interruptions of the spiritual progress were to be ex- pected. Dr. Emerson Davis, writing just fifty years ago of the religious life in the colleges at the opening of the nineteenth century, says: " There have been considerable changes in the mode of government in these institutions. It is now more paternal and less monarchical. There is less attempt to overawe the students by adhering to customs that had been handed down from the dark ages. There is not that wide separation between the classes that once existed. There has been, also, a great im- 96 The Churches and Educated Men provement in the moral and the religious char- acter of the young men that are collected in these seminaries. Fifty years ago infidelity was exceedingly prevalent. A pious young man was often the butt of ridicule. Some- times not a tenth of the students were pious ; and if those who were met for prayer, it was, often, at a private house in the town, to pre- vent being annoyed by their fellow students. The change in this respect has been so great, that some will be slow to believe the state- ments I have made." ^ I think that Dr. Davis' estimate "that sometimes not a tenth of the students were pious " will hold true of all the American col- leges at the opening of the century ; the facts in hand indicate a considerably smaller ratio. But the force of infidelity was broken and soon the fact showed itself in the slow but healthful recovery of vigorous spiritual life. We emphasize in passing the remarkable change wrought within the century — at the beginning, one Christian student in ten ; at the end, one in two ; a fivefold gain. At Yale until 1802 the outward conditions remained much the same, so far as religion was concerned, though there had been a marked improvement in morals. The revival interest which had begun in Connecticut as early as ^The Half Century, Emerson Davis, D. D., p. 78. The Religious Renaissance 97 1^97 had gradually spread over the whole country and the colleges began to feel the up- lift. At Yale, a few students thus awakened, were matriculated. They were thoroughly in earnest, met daily for prayer and conference and labored definitely for a spiritual quicken- ing among their classmates. In the early spring of 1802, something very unusual oc- curred. Several students presented themselves for membership in the college church. The number increased with each communion till Jeremiah Everts, a college leader from the senior class, came forward. After this the re- vival spread throughout the college. There were no special services, no outside help. It was to a large degree a student movement, though the power and influence of President D wight may have given the first impulse. Certainly no one did more to give permanency and value to the awakening. The revival con- tinued for about six months. Sixty-three joined the college church and many others united with their home churches. " It was preeminently an awakening of the students of Yale from a moral to a religious life. Twenty -five members of the senior class, no one of whom had ever been 'expelled, rusticated, or publicly admonished,' united with the college church on the Sabbath before graduation. The Moral Society had served its 98 The Churches and Educated Men purpose well with them in introducing them to a deeper life, the needs of which only the Church of God and its ordinances could meet." ^ It is estimated that about one-half the students were converted in this revival. It is well to bear in mind in this connection that even after this great revival, so famous in the religious annals of Yale, the ratio of students enumer- ated as professing Christians was considerably less than the average for the last decade in the same institution. In 1808 there was another revival of shorter duration and less extent, with an ingathering of about thirty converts. It has been esti- mated that the first revival in Yale under the presidency of Dr. D wight raised up ministers who were instrumental in the conversion of fifty thousand souls in one generation. A dis- tinguished writer, referring to D wight's en- counter with infidelity, has expressed the opinion that, " No man except the Father of his country has conferred greater benefits on our nation than President D wight." The influence of these two revivals, which cannot be discounted, was not so continuous as one would expect. There were about one-half of the students who were not deeply affected, and following these revivals were marked periods of declension when again the religious * Two Centuries of Christian Activity at Yale, p. 65. The Religious Renaissance gg life sank very low. Professor Goodrich notes this in the following statement : " But whatever may have been the cause, it is a striking fact, that within five years from the close of that most remarkable eif usion of the Holy Spirit (1802), the college church was reduced to a lower state than before : since, at the commencement of the collegiate year 1807-1808, the number of professing Chris- tians in all the classes did not exceed fifteen." ^ Corroborating evidence concerning the marked ebb of religious interest in the interim between these two revivals at Yale already considered, and the indirect but significant testimony respecting the tone of the spiritual life in the homes and the churches is found in the statement from the Memoir of Dr. JSTettle- ton, the noted evangelist. " When Mr. JSTettle- ton entered college he was the only professor of religion in his class." ^ He entered Yale in the middle of the fall term of the year 1805. And he continued to be the only professor of religion till the latter part of the year, when two or three others entered the class. As there were not less than fifty matriculated in this class the small number of professors of re- 1 Narrative of Eevivals of Eeligion in Yale, Quarterly Register, p. 297. •^Menioir of Kev. Asahel Nettleton, D. D., by Bennet Tyler, D. D., p. 28. loo The Churches and Educated Men ligion is remarkable. Inasmuch as JSTettleton was a leader in the spiritual affairs of the col- lege in the revival which followed two and a half years later, his testimony has a deal of significance. The author of the memoir se- cured these facts from personal interviews with Dr. ]^ettleton and committed them to writing then and there. A carefully drawn picture of the religious life of Bowdoin College is herewith pre- sented in full because of its accuracy and in- terest : " For playing cards, for staying away from his room at night, for failing to observe study hours, for walking or driving unnecessarily on the Sabbath, and for other similar offences definite penalties were fixed and imposed. Unfortunately, delinquencies of this sort, while they occupy page after page of the records of the executive government, were not the only ones punished. The habits of society at that time and the circumstance that the students, for the first twenty years of the college ex- istence, were mostly from the wealthier class in the community, made intemperance a formidable foe to college order and morality. The temptation to drink to excess, if opportu- nity be considered a part of temptation, was surely far greater than at the present day, while the personal oversight conscientiously The Religious Renaissance loi exercised by the college officers living in the buildings, made every shortcoming known. " On one occasion a young man, who after- wards became a faithful and honored pastor, was publicly admonished for having been over- come with liquor. There is no reason to be- lieve that intemperance and kindred vices were more prevalent at Bowdoin than at other col- leges, at that period, but it seems proper to mention the earnest and open measures taken to check them." ^ The college was founded in 1794 and was opened for school purposes in 1802. Dr. Mc- Keen was president from 1802 to 1807. " Dur- ing President McKeen's brief administration religious life and activity existed among the teachers, not among the students. For a longer time than would be supposed in view of the earnest efforts put forth from the first, this continued to be the case under President Appleton. The Theological Society, with a membership of seventeen, was organized in 1808, and its meetings continued to be held with greater or less regularity for forty years. Its object, however, was the friendly discus- sion of doctrinal and ethical questions rather than the direct promotion of Christian living. Though its influence for practical piety was not manifest at the time of its organization, it ' History of Bowdoin College, p. 44. 102 The Churches and Educated Men is a significant fact that nine of the seventeen became earnest Christians in after life." ^ "In the first classes at Bowdoin college," says Pro- fessor Smith, " I can learn of but one student who may have been deemed at the time of ad- mission hopefully pious." ^ " Religion," writes one who was then a member of the college, " was connected with the college only in the person of President McKeen." During the first three years of President Appleton's administration (1807-1810), there is much evidence that there was not a single pro- fessor of religion in college. His diary is filled with sad allusions to the terribly low state of religious interest. Graduates of the period testify to the strenuous effort made in their behalf, which, however, was unavailing. It was a day of great rejoicing when one Christian student entered the college. "When there was not a professing Christian among the students, he was greatly encouraged by the admission of a student in 1810, who to highly respectable scholarship added the charms of a deep piety, fervent, yet unobtrusive. Alone among his fellow students, he yet sustained, in the midst of thoughtlessness and at times open immorality, a Christian character without reproach to the end of his college course, which * History of Bowdoin College, p. 48. ^ Tyler's Prayer for Colleges, p. 226. The Religious Renaissance 103 was to him ahnost the end of life, as he almost literally descended from the commencement platform to the grave. The memory of Cargill was long cherished with respect and affection by contemporaries in college." ^ At Williams the religious conditions were just about as bad as they could well be. The institution was founded in 1Y93. " During the first seven years of the existence of the college (in which ninety-three graduated in six classes) there were but five professors of religion in the institution, exclusive of two who seven months before the close of that period were brought into the church by the revivals in Litchfield County." Following the list of names of these professors and certain further particulars, is the following statement : " In three of the classes just named there was not a single professor of religion. From the commencement in 1Y98 till February, 1800, there was but one professor of religion in college. From the fall of that year, in the four classes, which afterward sent out eighty graduates, there were but two pro- fessors and both of them had obtained their hopes in the revivals in Litchfield County and its vicinity." ^ * History of Bowdoin College, Nehemiah Cleaveland, p. 16. ^ Sermon preached at the dedication of the Chapel, 1828, by President E. D. Griffin. 104 '^^^ Churches and Educated Men In 1801 the spiritual apathy was somewhat counteracted by the persistent and manly efforts of four freshmen who entered college with positive religious convictions which they were not ashamed to acknowledge before their classmates. These students, like those men- tioned above, came from the famous Litchfield County, Connecticut. The detailed statements concerning the religious life at Williams pre- cludes any discounting of the facts presented. It is well to remember that this deplorable state of religion in the college indicates a cor- respondingly low condition in the churches, for otherwise the students would have been pro- fessing Christians on entering the school. There is also evidence that President Fitch and the faculty were doing all in their power to break the chains of infidelity and indifference. Eev. Seth Swift, the village pastor, was also untiring in his efforts to quicken the religious interest of the community ; parents were pray- ing that the revival interest so refreshing else- where might extend to Williamstown. After twelve years of the most severe religious drought the showers of blessing descended upon the college, producing an encouraging spiritual harvest. The interest was first noted in the spring of the year 1805 and continued throughout the summer. It was largely con- fined, however, to the professors of religion, The Religious Renaissance 105 and about the only effect it had upon others was in the deepening of their opposition. Personal effort on the part of the few Chris- tian students met with coarse ridicule and rebuff. But the conditions were such that wherever the opposition did not suppress the spiritual convictions they became character- istically pronounced. The religious leader of the time seems to have been a student by the name of Bailey. Of him and his work the college historian thus speaks : " This young man, with several others, set up a meeting in the summer of 1805, at a dis- tance from the college, it not being deemed prudent to meet for such a purpose in the college buildings, as at that period we could hardly have held a prayer-meeting in college without ridicule and interruption. This meet- ing was somewhat secret. I^umbers however rallied around the standard and the meeting filled up, though the house was a considerable way off. ' This was a blessed meeting,' says one who was a member of it, *and there I always thought the revival began.' About the same time another meeting was set up, also private, and out of college, probably for the same reason."^ These religious forces continued to operate for a year before there was any marked spir- ^ History of Williams College, Durfee, p. 115. io6 The Churches and Educated Men itual interest among the unconverted in the college. There was an extensive revival in the village church which affected the whole com- munity. Within the college the struggle had been protracted "amidst much contention." There was less violent opposition and more spiritual zeal, though outwardly the conditions remain practically unchanged. "The spring of 1806 was made memorable to the college by the admission to its bosom of these two distin- guished youths, Gordon Hall and Samuel J. Mills, — the former to the sophomore class, the latter to the freshman." Such is the state- ment of President Griffin. These men w^ith a half dozen companions, before the conclusion of their college course, inaugurated one of the grandest movements of the nineteenth century. On entering college Gordon was not a decided Christian and did not participate in some of the earlier meetings of Mills and his cowork- ers, though later he was in the most hearty accord with them. Mills came from Torrington, Connecticut, from a Christian home where he was devoted to the cause of missions from his birth by parental dedication, a consecration which he eventually made his own. When a youth he was deeply impressed at the revival meetings of 1798, but did not till some years later pub- licl}^ avow his allegiance to Christ. For four The Religious Renaissance 107 years previous to his admission to college he was a zealous and fearless Christian worker. On entering college he found a small but very devoted band of Christians of like spirit. The little company of believers, so much the stronger by these notable accessions, exerted a wide and powerful influence which soon shook the whole college. The freshman class came more particularly under the influence of the revival, but the sophomore and the senior classes were also deeply moved. Here again we note that the chief credit for the spiritual awakening is given to the students by the most accurate historians of the college. It would be manifestly unfair to leave out of consideration the spiritual leadership of the devoted president and the prayerful solicitude of the many friends of the institution. Not- withstanding, the operation of the student ini- tiative was very pronounced but became more marked in that which follows. Mills came to college fired with zeal for mis- sions ; a remarkable fact when one remembers that he lived one hundred years ago, when the cause of missions was so little considered. Brainerd was his ideal and hero, the story of whose life he had heard again and again from the lips of his mother. It is a significant fact that American missions, both foreign and domestic, received their chief initial io8 The Churches and Educated Men impulse from college men. Mills was a ma- ture Christian when he entered college, with convictions for his life-work carefully formu- lated. This great purpose in life was to carry the blessings of the gospel to those who had never heard it. At first he thought only of the Indians and for them he meditated and prayed. Later, with a map of the world before him, the need of foreign lands flashed in upon him. He prayed and reflected much over the great need which had thus been revealed to him. How should it be met ? from whence the means ? who would go ? Such were the queries of his active and consecrated mind. For months he pondered over the matter alone, but at length he determined to unburden his mind by confiding in two or three of his fellow students. He led them out into the grove where he was accustomed to retire for meditation and prayer, and where there would be little likeli- hood of interruption and little exposure to obser- vation. Driven by a shower, the little group sought the shelter of a near-by haystack. There he made known his plans, and the day was spent in prayer and fasting. It is not our purpose to dwell upon this memorable meeting under the haystack, when the great decision was made to organize for the evangeli- zation of the heathen. The secret society with The Religious Renaissance 109 its solemn, pledge to the foreign work and the careful consideration of ways and means of best advancing their project, are well known. The object of the organization was " to effect in the person of its members a mission to the heathen," and the constitution was drawn up in cipher, " public opinion being opposed to us " and, " lest we should be thought rashly imprudent, and so should injure the cause we wish to promote." With extraordinary fore- sight and wisdom their missionary purpose was wrought out. They interviewed leading clergymen and secured their endorsement and aid ; they searched out, published and distrib- uted sermons, tracts and other work on mis- sionary subjects; they commenced an inter- collegiate correspondence on missions ; they visited and addressed the students of the col- leges. There were no missteps, few mistakes ; and so quietly, wisely, from a half dozen stu- dents of Williams College, American missions had their rise. The slogan of Mills, sounded forth from beneath the haystack to his hesi- tating companions, " We can" do it if we WILL," has been the battle-cry of the soldiers of the cross through a century of missionary progress and success. These young men were so much in advance of their age that it should occasion no surprise that their plan failed in the colleges and met 1 10 The Churches and Educated Men with only slight encouragement from the churches at first. The chasm between infidelity and missionary zeal is a wide one and is not taken at a single bound. But we call attention to the striking resemblance between what Mills, Hall and their companions attempted to do in the colleges and that which is now being actu- ally done by the Volunteer Movement. That this work of Mills and his followers is a fair sample of the religious condition of the col- leges of the time is farthest from the truth. Even in Williams the indifference was such that the meetings were kept secret, and even after the great revival, a large proportion of the students were not professing Christians. In the other colleges the religious life was still very low. Concerning Harvard, Brown and Dartmouth, no facts of interest have been gleaned. The impression is that these colleges, like those out- side of 'New England, were still laboring with the burden of indifference, and that infidelity in many of the smaller colleges was still very evident. Further evidence of the low religious state of the college students of this period, and espe- cially for the years just preceding, is indicated by the notable decrease in the percentage of graduates preparing for the ministry. From 1795 to 1810 there was a loss of more than The Religious Renaissance 1 1 1 twenty-five per cent. Inasmuch as there was during this period a deplorable lack of properly trained men for the guidance of the churches, and such a scarcity of ministers that many self-supporting parishes were shepherdless, it is apparent that something was wanting in the religious zeal of the churches and the con- secration of the college men. In this connec- tion it should be noted that for nearly a score of years there had been a growing dissatisfaction over the quantity and the quality of religious instruction in the colleges. This disaffection led directly to a most radical and important departure from the old educational regime and also to a readjustment of the purpose and plan of a college education. The establishment of the theological seminary and other technical schools have wrought far-reaching results. At Andover, in 1808, the first theological seminary in America was founded. As Dr. Bacon observed in 1858, " Half a century ago it was generally assumed — though, if it had ever been true, it was not true then — that a college graduate was of course acquainted with theology, at least as much as with any other branch of learning. "Within little more than a hundred years past, the colleges have ceased to be the theological seminaries which they once were, and have become exclusively and merely seats of liberal education. Such a 1 12 The Churches and Educated Men change — and it was ahuost completed fifty years ago — involved the necessity of a new col- lege, devoted to the teaching of theology and the theological sciences, unless the original de- sign of the fathers who founded Harvard and Yale in the wilderness, was to be relinquished." ^ There were other marked changes in the char- acter of the curriculum which it is not in our province to discuss, but which exerted their in- fluence on the religious life of the college. With the founding of Andover Seminary was introduced a differentiation in educational mat- ters which has now reached many other fields of learning. In this period, then, we note several well- defined revivals, the missionary enterprise at Williams and the rise of theological seminaries. From the spiritual viewpoint there is a marked progress towards better things in spite of the generally prevalent religious indifference. Care should be taken lest the exceptional relig- ious interest at Yale in 1802 and the mission- ary zeal at Williams in 1807 be taken as the measure of the religious life in all the colleges. In fact in neither of these institutions under the most favorable conditions, so famed in his- tory, did the ratio of professing Christians reach the normal of the same colleges for the ^ Commemorative Discomse, Andover Seminary, 1858, Dr. Leonard Bacon. The Religious Renaissance 1 1 3 present day. Objection may be raised that only a few of the colleges are considered in this period. Most of the institutions to which no reference is made enrolled but few students. In some, as at Middlebury, for instance, the religious conditions were more favorable, but especially in the Southern institutions the spiritual decadence was far more marked than in the E'ew England colleges. One hundred years ago nearly all the edu- cational institutions, save a possible half dozen, were most closely identified with the commu- nities in which they were located. AVilliams, Dartmouth, Brown, Bowdoin, Middlebury and nearly all the smaller institutions in their early history sustained no separate religious institu- tion, but became an integral part of the village church in matters of public worship and spirit- ual ministrations. Consequently, far more than to-day, the state of religion in college fur- nishes the key to the religious situation in edu- cational centers. Almost every one acquainted with the subject recognizes the fact that these college communities were peculiarly fortunate concerning religious interests. In them the most strenuous effort was put forth to deepen the spiritual life. There, too, were found some of the ablest preachers and most devoted Chris- tians. Certainly the spiritual privileges in such communities were superior to those found 114 The Churches and Educated Men elsewhere. The fact that so large a propor- tion of the students entered college opposed or mdifferent to the established principles of the Christian faith indicates at least that there was something the matter with the religious life of the Church and home. In these churches little or nothing was done to reach the young men, and in the membership of many there were practically no young men. Would that we possessed something of " the transmigratory art " of which Charles Reade writes, so that we might put ourseh^es in the place of the college student one hundred years ago ! The use of intoxicating liquors was well- nigh universal. Even ministerial associations, as we learn from Dr. L^nnan Beecher and others, during the period under consideration, imbibed freely at their meetings from the tempting array of " hard drinkables," and some- times bore the evidence in staggering steps and maudlin speech. Impurity, profanity and Sabbath desecration, as might be expected with so much intemperance, were distressingly preva- lent. Should the reader question the state- ments respecting the immorality, suggestive and rewarding reading may be found in the earlier reports of the various temperance or- ganizations, the parish records of the old churches and the biographies of eminent men in the service of the Church and State. There The Religious Renaissance 115 were no men's organizations within the Church, no young people's societies for religious pur- poses, no Young Men's Christian Associations, no weekly prayer-meeting excepting in the larger churches, no Sunday-schools, save here and there one started experimentally and gen- erally in opposition to the church. Such were those good old times. This explains why such a large proportion of the students entered college before their conversion. Great credit is due the colleges, however, that so many graduated with a firm and fixed religious faith. The college in the first decade of the nineteenth century was training the reformers who in after years inaugurated the great moral reforms and religious movements which wrought revo- lutions in thought and custom, and which have made possible the higher life here and in other lands. EDDIES AND CEOSS-CUEEENTS, OE THE PEEIOD OF TEA:NSITI0]S' 1810-1820 "The worth of a civilization is the worth of the man at the center.^' — President Boosevelt. " Take heart ! — the Master builds again, — A charmed life old Goodness hath : The tares may perish, — but the grain Is not for death. God works in all things ; all obey His first propulsion from the night : Wake thou and watch ! — the world is gray With morning light! " — WhUtier, ** A religion that fails to identify itself with the intelli- gence, science, and the best progress of the age can have no hold upon the future. It is the mission of Christianity to enlighten." — Dr. Daniel Dorchester. CHAPTER YI EDDIES AND CROSS CURRENTS, OR THE PERIOD OF TRANSITION 1810-1820 More than any other this is the period in which certain changes already observed in the inner life of the college become outwardly manifest. As a whole there is religious de- clension at the beginning, sinking lowest about the middle of the second decade, slowly rising never again to fall so low for the re- mainder of the century. From this period the proportion of professing Christians to the whole student body has steadil}^ risen. The most conspicuous cause of religious disturb- ance was the war with England, which with its antecedents and consequences centered in- terest upon political rather than religious topics. One turns from the study of these years with a deal of dissatisfaction. There is little of special importance or interest. Peculiar fluc- tuations of religious thought abound ; college curricula are being changed and a general un- settled condition prevails in Church and State. The pendulum swings from revival zeal to religious indifference with a lower average of 119 120 The Churches and Educated Men spiritual interest for the first five years since the opening of the century. It should ever be kept in mind that the great revivals of the beginning of the century were in most localities of brief duration, covered only a limited area of the whole country, and were followed by the most distressing spiritual drought. Here and there were places with specially favorable conditions where the spirit- ual awakening was permanent, but they were exceedingly rare. Infidelity, which had been so effectually silenced in the first decade, reap- peared with new vitality and voice by the mid- dle of the second. And it is stated on good authority that, between 1817 and 1830, five million seven hundred and sixty-eight thou- sand nine hundred volumes of the works of Yoltaire, Kousseau and other infidel writers were circulated here in America.^ There is also abundance of evidence to prove that vast districts on the Western and Southern frontiers were practically destitute of churches, minis- ters, and the most common religious influences. In 1815 the American Society for the Edu- cating of the Pious Youth for the Gospel Ministry was organized. The demand for such an organization and the hearty reception given to it are prima facie evidence of the low re- ligious condition of the churches as well as of ^ American Register, August, 1830. Eddies and Cross-Currents 121 the country at large. The early reports of this society are replete with interesting data respecting religious destitution. The charac- ter of the men identified with the movement is the sufficient guarantee of the accuracy of the representations made. In the first address introductory to a long list of facts this state- ment is made : " But to thoughtful Christians the reflection is, that in less than two hundred years, the descendants of the Pilgrims, who encountered the hardships of the deep and the privations of exile to enjoy the gospel, being multiplied to millions, have so far degenerated from the piety of their ancestors that most of them are at present unprovided with a learned gospel ministry." Then follows the " Appeal to Facts " which shows not only the scarcity of trained leaders, but as well the prevailing religious indifference. These old reports would make most rewarding reading for some of the modern alarmists and pessimists, who forget the thought of the poet : "Idly as thou, in that old day Thou mournest, did thy sire repine ; So, in his time, thy child grown gray Shall sigh for thine. " But life shall on and upward go ; The eternal step of Progress beats To that great anthem, calm and slow, Which God repeats." 122 The Churches and Educated Men Again would we call the reader's attention to the fact that the college man is a fair rep- resentative of the man of brains in the com- munity. For it would be exceedingly easy to prove that the fluctuations of religious inter- est noted among college men are equally char- acteristic of the thoughtful men outside of college. And, without analyzing the relation- ship, somehow there is the most faithful repro- duction of the college man's interest or indif- ference among the leaders outside; so that the conviction deepens that the college man embodies the current and common spiritual ideals for each successive period and furnishes a most accurate index of spiritual culture among the mind-leaders of the age. The inti- mate association of college interests with those of the churches and community at the begin- ning of the last century make such conclusions almost inevitable. At Yale there was a series of revivals so following each other that no class graduated without experiencing a special spiritual uplift. In 1812-1813 there was an extensive revival which was distinctively marked as a student movement. The death of Tom Paine, the in- fidel, as a common drunkard in 1809, certainly weakened the forces of infidelity. The Moral Society for these years seems to have reached the acme of its influence. The student initia- Eddies and Cross-Currents 123 tive was so marked in the conversion and ex- perience of Elias Cornelius that we direct special attention to it. " In the winter of 1812- 1813 several members of the senior class, one of whom was librarian of the Moral Society, mostly unknown to one another, engaged in prayer for this spiritual awakening. When the revival was first thought of, Elias Cornelius, then a senior, was agreed upon as the man that was most likely to oppose it. Special prayers were offered by a number for his conversion. The change in this man soon after was sudden and complete, and made a great impression upon the college. ' I perfectly recollect,' wrote one of his classmates, ^ of his making his first entrance into the Moral Library of which I was librarian and drawing the Memoir of Susanna Anthony.' He broke soon after with his evil company and profanity. In time he became fully conscious of Christ's power and presence, and was the happy instrument of leading nearly twenty members of his own class to accept the Christian faith before graduation, a class in which previously not over four had been openly professors of relig- ion. By his labors, between eighty and one hundred students of all classes were awakened to a new sense of their Christian responsi- bility." ' ' Edwards, Memoir of Elias Cornelius, pp. 22-25. 1 24 The Churches and Educated Men Two years later, in 1815, the last revival during the administration of President D wight took place. There had been a secret prayer- meeting held every Sunday morning for some time previous. Many were praying for a special blessing, and at length the answer came in a very peculiar manner. It was the custom to call upon the senior class alphabetic- ally to read at the vesper service a short ser- mon or some devotional selection chosen by the faculty. In the first week in April, 1815, the person assigned for the reading was far from being seriously inclined towards religious matters. The appointed selection was an ac- count of the death of Sir Francis Newport. " The solemn recital of this narrative which he had never before seen affected his mind so deeply, that he read with increasing emotion as he advanced, at last ending in a faltering accent and with tears. Such an exhibition of tears where it was least expected operated at once with a kind of electric power on the whole body of students. Nearly every indi- vidual in the college became anxious for the salvation of his soul ; and those who had been most thoughtless seemed to be the most af- fected."^ During the year about eighty men publicly avowed their allegiance to Christ. Two years after this revival, in 1817, Presi- ' Goodrich, Quarterly Register, 1838, p. 301. Eddies and Cross-Currents 125 dent D wight passed away. For nearly a quar- ter of a century his commanding Christian personality had impressed itself upon every man who had entered Yale. His influence was powerfully felt for another generation and still marks the religious life at Yale. From Yale we turn to Princeton where we find interesting material awaiting us. There were apparently about forty years (1773-1813) of spiritual drought in Princeton. If there were revivals of any note they have not come to the attention of the writer. So careful a historian as Dr. Dorchester affirms that there were none. In 1813, however, there was a re- markable spiritual awakening, a description of which serves the double purpose of showing the previous religious indifference and the re- sults which followed: "The few pious youth who were members of the college before the revival were happily instrumental in promoting it. They had for more than a year been earnestly engaged in prayer for the event, when they perceived the general and increasing seriousness which had been noticed. Several of them made an agree- ment to speak privately and tenderly to their particular friends and acquaintances on the subject of religion." ^ * Ashbel Green, A report to the Trustees of the College of New Jersey relative to a I\e\ival of Religiou, p. 12. 126 The Churches and Educated Men "The whole number of students in the classes of the college is one hundred and live ; of whom twelve were professors of religion when the revival began. . , . Thus of the students now in college, a majority may be viewed as hopefully pious ; and a large propor- tion of the residue appear to possess much ten- derness of conscience, and show a very desirable regard to religious duties and obligations." ^ We observe, then, that previous to the re- vival only about eleven per cent, of the under- graduates were professing Christians, and that after the revival only about one-half were thus enrolled. Many if not most of the subjects of the revival belonged to the senior class ; con- sequently after their graduation the proportion of professing Christians was again sadly re- duced. The new accessions to the college were more numerous than usual, but of a totally different moral and religious character. The hope of another spiritual awakening was not realized. Troubles between faculty and stu- dents arose and again the religious conditions sank very low. In the year 1812 Princeton Theological Seminary was founded, and from that time has been a power for good in the college communit3\ Turning our attention next to the Berk- ^ Ashbel Green, A report to the Trustees of the College of New Jersey relative to a Eevival of Religion, p. 9. Eddies and Cross-Currents 127 shires, where, considering the famous haystack incident, we would most naturally expect to find a high state of spiritual activity, we dis- cover quite the reverse. The religious interest aroused in the revival of 1806-1807 seems to have left the institution with the graduates of the upper classes. " Following the revival lax morality and want of religion crept in, and grew more pow- erful till in 1811 the number of professing Chris- tians was again reduced to twenty in the whole college (about fifteen per cent.), and these mostly in the senior class, much apprehension was felt, but a revival sprung up in 1812."^ Kev. Charles Jenkins of Portland whites : "The revival of 1812 of which you request an account was an interesting work. Its fruits remain to this day. As I entered one year in advance, the class of 1810 were serious during my first year. That class contained a good proportion of pious students and the interests of religion until they left were pretty well sustained. In the next class there was a less amount of active, ardent piety. Keligion was in a low and languishing state. It was a period of much political excitement. Wicked- ness abounded and the love of many w^axed cold, ' scrapes ' were frequent, and some of a very daring character, the Chapel Bible was ^ Hopkius ill Durfee's History of Williams College, p. 127. 128 The Churches and Educated Men several times removed or nailed to the seat. Once at least, it was supposed to be burned. There was some intemperance ; I had not the means of knowing how much. In one carousal, I was credibly informed, there was a mock celebration of the Lord's Supper. In my class nearly one-third were professors of religion, but the state of religious feeling was very low. Almost everything around me seemed hostile to a state of living piety. Some of the forms of godliness remained, but its power and life had fled. In the class after me, previous to the revival, there were but two or three pro- fessors of religion. The low and declining state of religion was truly alarming. In the fall of 1811, Mr. ISTott, one of the first mis- sionaries to India was employed to preach at Williamstown. His labors were greatly blessed. An interesting revival of religion commenced among the inhabitants. But the college at this time was like the mountain of Gilboa on which fell neither dew nor rain. It was a scene of so much noise and confusion that I seriously contemplated hiring a room in some private house where I might prosecute my studies with less interruption. A retired senior of the class of 1812 gathered about him the Christian men and they met on the Sab- bath and on Thursday eve. After much dis- couragement and perseverance the deadlock Eddies and Cross-Currents 129 yielded and a revival of thirty or forty re- sulted." 1 ISTo less than four of the accredited histori- ans of Williams mention in the most emphatic terms the prevalence of intemperance during this period. We consider this phase of immo- rality in connection with this institution, not because it reached greater depths there than elsewhere, but because there are trustworthy witnesses who in testifying for the one col- lege speak for all. Emery Washburn affirms : " Everybody at that day drank, and so be it excited the animal spirits, it mattered not much what the liquor was. Some kept it in their rooms and indulged in its use in their convivial meetings without concealment and disgrace. As I look back upon the history of the past there are few things more obvious in the management of colleges than the most favorable change in the matter of intoxica- tion." ^ "As a natural result of the worldly con- formity in church, various species of immoral- ity became prevalent, the general habit of drinking wine and brandy on all extraordinary occasions, the habit of treating on the election of officers, or of the two societies. In fact at most of the meetings, at the close of the term, J Durfee's History of Williams College, pp. 127, 128. 2 Ibid., lutro., p. 24. 130 The Churches and Educated Men or the commencement of a term, wine and spirits were freely used. It was customary with some to keep them in their rooms. In- temperance was a crying sin in those days, and it was no uncommon thing for professors of re- ligion to be found mingled with the multitude partaking and even encouraging it." ^ At Bowdoin after years of depression there followed a period of revival in religious mat- ters. We have already noted the great joy of President Appleton, when in 1810 James Car- gill entered the freshman class at a time " when there was not a professing Christian among the students." But for a year or two Cargill apparently stood alone. In 1812 Frederic Southgate, one of the tutors, came out as a Christian. Cargill and Southgate were the means of establishing meetings for prayer and the promotion of personal righteousness among the students, which have been since maintained without interruption. In 1813 there were a few professing Christians in the entering class. And slowly though surely the forces of righteousness gained in power till the spiritual awakening of 1816. Concerning this an extract from the diary of President Apple- ton will be of interest : "Nov. 28, 1816: God has been pleased I trust to visit several of the students with his ' Quarterly Register, 1841, p. 462. Eddies and Cross-Currents 131 saving health. We do hope that at least six of the number have been transformed by the renewing of the mind. This is a great thing, a very great thing. A third of the students, or very nearly that proportion, it is now hoped is pious. It is but a little while since we had none of this description." A year later he writes : " As to the college God has shown us new favors. Not only have a considerable number of serious students entered, but there have recently been three or four individuals converted to the Lord. This is a great thing, an unexpected mercy that God should have returned to us so soon. Those students w^ho were thought to have experienced religion a year ago, have by divine grace done well. They appear to be good, sound, judicious and zealous Christians. This is a glorious thing, religion seems to have obtained a strong foot- ing in Bowdoin College."^ While we might present much more evidence of interesting and convincing character, we feel that what has been adduced fairly reveals the religious condition of all the American col- leges for the period. There is every reason to think that were all considered the picture would be far darker and more depressing. For we have gathered our material from those institutions which have ever been most con- ' History of Bowdoiu College, pp. 102-107. 132 The Churches and Educated Men spicuous for morality and religion. Possibly in some of the smaller institutions there may have been more favorable conditions, but in many we know that it was quite otherwise. Numerically the students in the colleges con- sidered embrace the large proportion of the total enrolment for the period. For the fifty years from 1770 to 1820 the religious life in American colleges sank so low that it might well be called the Dark Age of Eeligion. Throw out half of the material presented, put the most liberal construction on the remain- der, and still the facts are such as to convince the most skeptical, if open to enlightenment, that the Church of to-day is reaching the men of intellect with a measure of success abso- lutely unknown a century ago. As has been intimated, the marked charac- teristic of this period was the suddenness of the fluctuations of religious interest. The pendu- lum swung from the extreme of indifference, and in some cases open infidelity, to violent and sensational outbursts of religious senti- ment. Mighty forces were working in both Church and State, the full effect of which was not discerned nor understood till many years later. The student of the characteristic move- ments of the nineteenth century will find this period peculiarly interesting. The first score of years was significantly marked by the agi- Eddies and Cross-Currents 133 tation for and inception of some of the greatest missionary, reform and philanthropic agencies of modern times. A spirit of unrest prevailed, not ominous of disaster but the earnest of bet- ter things. With such a prodigious amount of agitation and the gradual crystallization of new thought, the overthrow of some cherished customs and preconceived ideas was inevitable. In such a time some lost their bearings and the result is apparent in the apostasy of not a few in college halls who failed to make the proper adjustment of early training to later and newer thought. It was, however, a period peculiarly fitted for the discovery of spiritual and intel- lectual leaders and afforded ample field for ef- fectual influence and originality. The fluctuation of religious interest is most clearly revealed in the church and parish rec- ords. For years there would be very small ac- cessions and every indication of indifference; then suddenly there comes a reversal of condi- tions and a notable increase in membership. At such times the men show an interest not apparent when religious interest is at low ebb. This is observed in the rising ratio of males to females in the church-membership. Again from these old records there is little indication that the young men were reached. The change- able character of the early years of the century gives occasion for serious misunderstanding and 134 The Churches and Educated Men opposing views of the religious condition. And this is just what would be most naturally expected. There were communities and times which considered alone would furnish material for almost any kind of opinion. Our endeavor has been to present, in a form as accurate as possible, a true and comprehensive view of the state of religion not only in the colleges but for the whole country. The commendable features should not divert our attention from the actual conditions of the spiritual life. After the war of 1812 political and material interests were in the ascendency with a corre- sponding loss in religious matters. While in most respects the consideration of the period is unsatisfactory, one turns from it with a very strong conviction that a new and vigorous faith has taken deep root. Especially is this true in college life. From this time on there is a steady development of Christian fiber and force. It is well to remember, however, that the ratio of professing Christians to the whole body of students was very low and much less than half what it is to-day. We have rea- son to believe that a similar ratio would obtain among the intellectual leaders outside the col- lege. In that day there surely was some oc- casion for the charge that the Church was fail- ino: to reach and hold the men of intellect. We are unwilling to conclude our study of this Eddies and Cross-Currents 135 decade without an expression of sincere appre- ciation for the excellent work wrought by a small but devoted band of positive, leal-hearted Christian workers. THE GEEAT INGATHERIJSTG, OK THE PERIOD OF EEYIVALS 1820-1850 " The revivals in college, both ancient and recent, have been under the guidance of experienced and discriminating men. They have not been seasons of mere agitation, but times when religious instruction has been carefully imparted. They have proved to be genuine by the improvement in morals, which has invariably followed in their train. And they have supplied the churches of the land with a body of ministers whose ability and devotion to their work are be- yond a question." — Fisher, History of Church of Christ in Yale College, p. 35. *'The third period in the development of the American college dates from about the close of the first quarter of the present century. This period deserves an epithet no less broad than the word human. The college has become in this period an agency for preparing its students for life. Its purpose is no less than the fitting of a man to achieve all purposes which he may worthily set before himself." — Pres. C. Thwing, The American College in American Life, p. 10. CHAPTER VII THE GREAT INGATHERING, OR THE PERIOD OF REVIVALS 1 820-1 850 Dr. Tyler declares that the year 1820 " introduced a new era in the history of col- leges generally, and particularly of revivals in colleo^es." We believe this to be true. The transition through which the colleges were passing in the last period reviewed ended quite definitely with the beginning of the third dec- ade. The octopus grasp of infidelity had been thoroughly broken ; the student movement had developed wisdom as well as strength ; faculty supervision had radically changed and the era of construction, in religious sentiment and ideal, had been fairly ushered in. Outside of the college there were in the polit- ical world the formative forces operating which produced the American commonwealth. The people were homogeneous in blood and pur- pose. The great moral reforms rooted in the preceding periods began to exert a tremendous influence. The temperance movement accom- plished a world of good. In the Church there were unusual spiritual activity, a burning zeal for missions and a newly awakened interest in 139 140 The Churches and Educated Men education. It is in no wise strange that the constructive spirit animated the colleges for the second quarter of the century, for it was peculiarly the period of organization in Amer- ican history. Inasmuch as the change already indicated introduced the modern college spirit, it will be unnecessary for us to do more than to note the degree of success attained and such additional observations as shall indicate the evolution of ^ this religious life. Great interest centered in I the " Day of Prayer for Colleges." " The last Thursday of February, 1823, was set apart by many friends of Zion as a season of fasting and special prayer, that God would pour out his Spirit on the colleges of our country the pres- ent year more powerfully than ever before." ^ In many of the colleges that day never passed without special blessing. The concentration of interest in the churches on the colleges could have no other than a beneficial result. In the colleges there was more of organization of religious forces, more personal work, less friction between faculty and students. In con- trast with the preceding years, the religious life was most encouraging compared with the present ; however, it still falls far below the normal. In our treatment of this period we make a » Tyler, Prayer for Colleges, pp. 149, 150. The Great Ingathering 141 radical change, and for good and sufficient reasons. Hitherto we have dealt largely with the individual college, for the conditions in the one were largely duplicated in all the rest, and also because a proper consideration of the evo- lution of the student movement necessitated the individualistic treatment. This has been traced at sufficient length to determine the trend at least of the religious life in the college and to forecast the type of college religion a half century later. Then, too, the number of educational institutions increased with surpris- ing rapidity during the period under considera- tion. Furthermore, the fluctuations of revival interest lessen the comparative value of the statistics of the individual college while en- hancing the worth of statements and estimates involving large groups of institutions at any given time. Gradually a very marked change was taking place. In former years the connec- tion of the college to the community in which it was situated was most intimate and vital ; later on the college developed a communal environment peculiarly its own. It became more and more differentiated from its local surroundings, and consequently not so de- cidedly affected by the rise or fall of religious sentiment about it. This change meant far more than might at first be thought and throws considerable light upon existing conditions. 142 The Churches and Educated Men Fortunately we have now reached the period of statistics. And while not giving undue importance to figures, and recognizing how misleading they frequently are, yet we place more confidence in these statistical evidences than in the witness of any individual or group of persons. And while it is true that some of the enrolled professors of religion were unworthy of the name Christian, we believe that the number would be offset and about equalized by the number of those who were genuinely religious and sincerely Christian, even though no public profession had been made. Inasmuch as these two classes, hypo- critical professors of religion and those who were the silent and secret followers of our Lord, will just about balance each other in those earlier times as well as to-day, statistics covering long periods of years are, for purposes of comparison, of the greatest value. Early in the second decade of the century there was an alarming dearth of ministers, and the churches became painfully conscious of the fact through their inability to furnish trained men for some of the stronger churches, to say nothing of the lack in the small, remote and frontier communities. To meet this need, edu- cational societies were formed to encourage consecrated, worthy, studious young men to prepare for the ministry and to provide such The Great Ingathering 143 financial assistance as they might require. The American Society for Educating Pious Youth was instituted in 1815. There were perhaps two state organizations of the same kind antedating this society by a few months. Marked results of this organization appear before the end of the decade. (1) Agents of these societies made the most careful and painstaking investigation of the religious life of young men in the Church and in the college, and statistics were gathered with conscientious thoroughness. (2) The number of professing Christians was greatly increased in the colleges and the ratio between professors and non-pro- fessors correspondingly lowered. There could have been no other result from the energetic effort of pastors and churches thus definitely di- rected. Figures indicate a surprising increase. (3) There was a general stimulus given to every Christian activity, at home, in Cliurch and col- lege, directed to the religious life of young men. This word of explanation is given to account for the statistics herewith presented and to show why so much confidence is placed in them. The earliest and most interesting of these statistical tables which we have seen, are found in " The Christian Almanac of the Year of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 1822." The first volume of a series which has been con- tinued down to the present, was issued in 1821. 144 The Churches and Educated Men It was published by Lincoln & Edmands, 53 Cornhill, Boston, for the JSTew England Tract Society. Though anonymously edited, we haye it on good authority that Eufus Ander- son, then a young man, afterwards to become one of the most distinguished divines of the Congregational denomination, was the editor for the first ten years. His name is a guar- antee of accuracy and conseryative statement. In the early issues of this quaint little publica- tion is much material bearing upon the subject in hand. As these issues are exceedingly rare we think it worth while to present in full two of the tables giyen. TABULAR VIEW OF THE COLLEGES TAKEN EKOM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS '^^ 1^1 5%^ Names of Colleges i ^^ 1. Harvard University 291 17 15 2. Yale College 316 97 46 3. Princeton College 116 25 11 4. Dartmouth College 146 65 43 5. Williams College 83 42 24 6. Middlebury College 100 48 22 7. Union College 255 66 32 8. Brown University 151 59 18 9. Bowdoiu College 101 23 7 10. North Carolina University 135 10 11. Hamilton College 92 48 34 12. Vermont University 35 9 1 1821 509 253 The Great Ingathering 145 " In these colleges," says Mr. Anderson, " we find 509 professing religion. A large propor- tion of these we may hope will enter the min- istry. Of these 253 are charity students and are all studying wath exclusive reference to the ministry." We cite this statement because it shows that one-half of the professing Chris- tians in the colleges were of the charity class, and presumably but a small proportion of them would have entered college had they not been strongly urged so to do, and had not means been furnished for their support. It is noted that three-fourths of these col- leges are in JSTew England where the religious interests were the deepest, as all are agreed. The colleges outside of 'New England men- tioned in the list are the four in which we would expect the highest ratio of professing Christians. And yet, according to this tabula- tion, comprising colleges likely to make the very best showing in religious statistics, less than twenty-eight per cent, were professing Christians. In the group of eight New Eng- land colleges just about thirty per cent, were professing Christians. In the group outside of New England the number was less than twenty-five per cent. From statistics gleaned from the large number of colleges, not included in the above tabulation five and six years later, and from what we know of these col- 146 The Churches and Educated Men leges from other sources, we are perfectly safe in estimating the percentage several points lower than in either of the groups above men- tioned. From the figures, estimates and bio- graphical material in hand, one may conserva- tively estimate the number of professing Chris- tians at from twenty to twenty-five per cent, of the total student enrolment. It is interest- ing to note that this estimate is considerably larger than that given by trustworthy and au- thoritative statisticians of the Education So- ciety as recorded in the Quarterly Register for the years 1827-30. They declare that 'HTie 2)ro])ortion was only one-fifth or one-sixth,^'* placing their whole estimate lower than our minimum estimate. Now while we realize that figures are not in- fallible, and sometimes grievously mislead the seeker after truth, we hold that till some evi- dence to the contrary is adduced there is no valid reason for discounting these general esti- mates. Certainly men whose business it was to study religious conditions in the colleges, who were visiting these institutions and were acquainted with both faculties and students, who were acting for the churches for the very purpose of studying the college religious life, ought to be trustworthy witnesses. And we believe these men were as unbiased in their in- vestigation as any men would be, and that the The Great Ingathering 147 estimates which they made are reasonably ac- curate. In the third issue of the Christian Almanac published in the year 1823 is found a most in- teresting and significant statement : " There are in our several American colleges something like two thousand students, about one-fourth of which are professors of religion. JS'early three-fourths of the students are confessedly not pious though many of them are the sons of pious parents." It is to be noted that this condition of things existed nearly eight years after the formation of the Education Society, and after the most strenuous effort had been exerted on the part of the churches to increase the number of students studying for the min- istry. It must have been much lower before the Society began its work. In the year 1824 there appears in the almanac another tabu- lated view of the colleges which we present verbatim : COLLEGE STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR BEGIN- NING 1824 Names of Colleges Number of Professing students Christians Bowdoin, Me. 120 20 Waterville, Me. 21 J 11 Dartmouth, N. H. 138 63 Burlington, Vt. 42 10 Middlebury, Vt. 87 58 148 The Churches and Educated Men Williams, Mass. 78 39 Harvard Uni., Camb.,Mass. 302 9 Brown Uni., Prov., R. I. 156 39 Yale, New Haven, Conn. 373 115 Union, Schenectady, N. Y. 234 66 Columbia, New York City. 123 Hamilton, Paris, N. Y. 107 45 Princeton, N. J. 127 18 Jefferson, Canonsb., Pa. 100 23 Dickinson, Carlisle, Pa. 75 40 "Western Uni., Pittsburg, Pa. 15 Columbian, Dist. of Col. 62 18 Hampden, Sydney, Va. 104 24 Washington, Lex., Va. 60 N. C. Uni., Chapel Hill 106 6 S. C. College, Columbia 120 Franklin, Athens. Georgia 120 8 Greenville, Tenn. 50 Transylvania, Lex., Ky. 221 16 Ohio Uni., Athens, 0. 70 3011 628 If from the total number of students we de- duct those in colleges giving no returns respect- ing the number of professing Christians, the figures are : Total number of students 2573 ; number of professing Christians 628, which would be somewhat less than twenty-five per cent., or one-fourth of the whole number. The number of colleges listed indicates at once the thoroughness of the investigation. In com- paring the same colleges in the two lists, we find that the percentage is slightly smaller in the last. If we separate this group of twelve colleges, common to both lists by the boundary of New England, it is further found that the The Great Ingathering 149 percentage drops slightly in the New England group and remains practically the same in the colleges considered outside of New England. While there is apparently a slight gain when all the colleges are considered, it is probably due to the fact that the wave of revival interest which swept the eastern colleges early in the third decade manifests itself in a more marked degree in the colleges outside of New England later on. STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1827.^ ,7. ^ r, 77 Number of Professors of Name of College ^^^^^J _g^; -^ .^,^ Harvard, 199 Yale, 329 87 Dartmouth, 165 55 Williams, 85 45 Bowdoin, 110 28 Middlebury, 87 46 Vermont University, 44 Brown, 97 14 Amherst, 170 115 1286 390 In connection with this statistical estimate there is a very important and interesting state- ment : " In addition to those who are pro- fessors of religion there are more than fifty others in several of the colleges who have, it is hoped, recently become pious. Of those who ^ Quarterly Register, Vol. 1, p. 26. 150 The Churches and Educated Men have graduated the present year one-third are professors of religion and most of them will go into the ministry. A few years ago this pro- jpOTtion was only one-fifth or one-sixth; the dif- ference is owing to the efforts of the Education Society." ^ It is to be noted that this estimate embraces only the colleges for New England. Of the undergraduates of these colleges a little over one-third were professors of religion. The next year, 1828, reports were received from nearly all of the colleges of the country. In the following list we have omitted those col- leges making partial returns. For the year 1828 the following list is given : College Students Professors of Religion Waterville, 36 11 Bowdoiii, 96 28 Dartmouth, 142 53 Middlebury, 81 41 W^illiams, 86 34 Amherst, 209 126 Brown, 100 16 Yale, 335 72 Washington, Conn. 71 12 University of Vt., 40 20 Union, 205 60 Hamilton, 90 45 Rutgers, 71 9 Princeton, 79 20 Columbian, 57 12 University of Va,, 31 3 University of N. C., 77 4 Charleston, 18 1 Quarterly Register, 1827, Vol. 1, p. 28. The Great Ingathering 151 Geneva, 26 4 Dickinson, 109 12 Jefferson, 101 43 Washington, Pa. 39 9 Western, 50 7 Alleghany, 12 1 University of Ga., 102 40 Miami, 54 20 2317 703 This explanatory note is appended to the list : " It was stated, as many of you will re- member, in the last number of the Journal^ that about one-third of the young men in the New England colleges are professors of re- ligion. Our information from the middle, southern and western colleges is much less par- ticular, but we fear that not more than six or seven hundred of the whole three thousand in- cluded in our present estimate are now on the Lord's side ; more than three to one are still his enemies^^ This and subsequent statements made in the Register^ with corroborating evi- dence from many sources, completely confirms the opinion already advanced in this chapter that the state of religion in ]^ew England was much higher than in institutions elsewhere. The variation in the proportion of professing Christians in the various colleges is easily ex- plained by the presence or lack of revival in- terest in these institutions. 1 Quarterly Register, 1828, p. 38. 152 The Churches and Educated Men This long period of thirty years is replete with interesting facts incident to the era of re- vivals. In some institutions these periodic spiritual awakenings so followed each other that scarcely a class graduated without the characteristic uplift and inspiration. There was less personal work among the students, surely fewer Christian students matriculated, and there was little definite organization for spiritual purposes. Without discounting the beneficent results of these revivals, it is appar- ent that their spasmodic and ofttimes sensa- tional nature produced abnormal conditions. Infidelity seemed very largely conquered, and a frank and honest responsiveness took its place. The religious problem was simpler ; there were fewer denominations, greater democracy of spirit, a similarity in home and church train- ing, and a homogeneity of blood and custom absolutely unknown to-day. The general prosperity was uninterrupted by serious polit- ical changes. Immigration had not perceptibly a£Pected the religious life. The conditions in general were exceedingly favorable to the deepening of the spiritual life. We have shown in the two preceding chap- ters that the opening years of the new century were signally marked by unrest and agitation. The second quarter of the century was charac- terized by the spirit of organization. There The Great Ingathering 153 was a precipitation and crystallization of senti- ment which formed the basis of an organic de- velopment seen in nearly every department of thought and activity. The temperance move- ment was carefully organized and accomplished a result hardly short of a revolution. The missionary agencies multiplied and grew effi- cient. The church, which formerly was opened only on the first day of the week, be- came the center of many new interests in the community. The lyceum and debating clubs sprang into existence in almost every commu- nity. Commercial interests yielded to the spirit of the age, and the era of individualism in mechanical industries rapidly waned, though combinations of capital and divisions of labor were still concerns of the morrow. Political and religious affairs were again assuming a set- tled condition, and the future looked bright. Though the actual ratio of professing Chris- tians in this period falls somewhat below what it is at present, it was steadily rising, and there was the brightest prospect that the favorable conditions would long continue. It was ex- tremely fortunate that such a period of recov- ery and development preceded the troublesome times which followed. Amid these more favor- able conditions the leaders were in training for the problems, perplexities and perils of a new era. PEEPLEXIISTG PEOBLEMS AISTD PECUL- IAR PERILS, OR THE PERIOD OF ADAPTATIOJST 1850-1876 " These characteristics of the period may fitly be borne in mind as we consider the religious life of these days, and esj)ecially as we view it in comparison with that of the most recent years. There was, at that time, more individuality and less of the combination of forces, than there is to-day ; more of private effort directed to personal development, I think, and less of organized working for the common well- being ; more, certainly of limitation, both in thought and labor, to the world within academic walls, and less of the outgoing of both towards the needs of the world just beyond these walls. There was more of Christian thoughtfulness as compared with Christian activity, and, so far as I can rely upon my memory and impressions, more of serious reflec- tion on the inner life and its growth and progress. But there was less of the freeness and largeness of Christian love as compared with the bondage of law, and less of the confi- dence and joyousness of Christian hope in its contrast to self -examining questionings and self -distrustful fears." — Timothy Dwight, " The College 3Ian^s Religion Half a Century Ago,'' The Sunday School Times, Sept. 21, 1901. "There is no nobler chapter in the history of the Ameri- can college than the chapter which tells in glowing phrases of the college boys who went forth from college hall to the camp : who marched from the Commencement platform to the field of battle. One may read the record of them in the Memorial Halls of Cambridge and at Brunswick, and one may read the song memorial of them in the Commemoration Ode. It was not alone from the North that these men went forth. One reads in the catalogues of the colleges of Vir- ginia name after name upon page after page having the simple record : wounded in The Wilderness : killed at Ma- nassas : killed at Cold Harbor." — Fres. C. F. Thwing, The American College in American Life, p. 306. CHAPTEE YIII PERPLEXING PROBLEMS AND PECULIAR PERILS, OR THE PERIOD OF ADAPTATION For the first fifty years of the new century, uniformity chiefly characterized the religious life of the American colleges. There were many and important changes largely incident to the normal development of the student ini- tiative, the increasing power and prestige of the college, the results of the ethical and re- ligious movements of the earlier years, and the organic growth of political institutions. Do- mestic and social life were comparatively simple. The population was scattered and largely rural. Means of communication were few and imperfect. The local town and county papers exerted a powerful influence. Considering the country as a whole the people were largely Protestant, American and homo- geneous. The few Catholics were widely dis- persed and possessed but little power. Immi- gration had been small for many years and generally from those peoples most in sympathy with the purposes and aims of the old-time settlers. Side by side stood the schoolhouse 157 158 The Churches and Educated Men and the meeting-house, with the town house near by, the exemplification of the civil and religious liberties of the people. The Church had gathered strength with the passage of the years, new zeal had been kindled by frequent revivals, and successful results had crowned the labors of the leaders of reform and relig- ious movements. The writers of the period give frequent expression to the prevalent optimism. Such in general were the condi- tions which obtained at the beginning of the second half of the century. The period now under consideration involves many new and interesting conditions and in- cludes many potent agencies which exerted far-reaching influences for weal or woe in the religious life of educated men. Some of these conditions and forces will be merely suggested ; others will be treated at length. The years about the middle of the century mark a very well-defined transition and hence we do well to pause in our investigation for a backward look as we take our bearings afresh. Our retrospective observations bring out in bold relief the educational importance of two great denominational forces. Had this been an ec- clesiastical history we should have long before noted the significant contribution made to the religious life of the nation by the Baptist and Methodist communions. That they have been Perplexing Problems 159 less conspicuous in this study is due alone to the fact that they did not become important educational influences till well into the second third of the nineteenth century, and conse- quently they furnish but little material for the earlier periods already treated. After the middle of the century they exert a tremendous influence. The Baptists early in the field as a denomi- nation, though now the champions of the higher Christian education, for many years gave but little attention to it. Brown Uni- versity, chartered in 1764, was at first non- sectarian, though always under Baptist control. Of this institution but little direct and trust- worthy information has been found other than the fact gleaned from the earliest statistical tables and incidental references that its per- centage of Christians was somewhat below the average. Colby University, founded in 1820, is the next permanent institution. After 1832 there were about a dozen more chartered before the end of the half century. Since that date the denomination has become one of the regnant forces in the educational world. The Methodists, one of the latest of the great denominations to take root in the soil of the new world, has enjoyed a phenomenal growth. The virile seed sown in the stormy period of the Kevolution quickly germinated, i6o The Churches and Educated Men took deep root, and soon became significantly fruitful in offsetting and counteracting the baneful influences of the prevailing infidelity. The direct and forceful inculcation of evangel- ical truth with unwavering faith and burning zeal was largely instrumental in kindling the fires of revival interest throughout the land. With the rapid increase in numbers and the widening of the field of service came the urgent demand for trained workers and lead- ers. Several small colleges were founded but were not successful. The Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, chartered in 1831, was the first permanent Methodist College. Henceforth the educational development of the denomination was surprisingly rapid. In the year 1833 two important institutions came under Methodist supervision : Dickinson Col- lege, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, founded in 1783, which had been nominally non-sectarian though actually Presbyterian, came under Methodist control, and Alleghany College at Meadville, Pennsylvania, chartered in 1817, changed, in the same year, from Presbyterian to Methodist management. Other institutions were soon established of which not less than ten became permanent. From the year 1850 the Methodists rapidly advanced in educational importance till to-day they represent one of the most aggressive forces in Christian educa- Perplexing Problems 161 tion in America and have outdistanced the other denominations, as we shall later show, in the middle and far western states. Other denominations have also made notable contributions to the cause of Christian educa- tion among men. Of these we can only say that the colleges established by them were founded in later years and that the efficient Christian service and consecration found in them are registered and included in the tabu- lations and summaries later given. The period of twenty-five years now under examination is not easily defined. For the larger part of the first decade conditions re- mained much the same, and progress in spir- itual matters steadily advanced. Eevivals came but with lessening influence and fre- quency. The ratio of professing Christians to the whole body of students slowly rose. The quality of the individual spiritual experi- ence gained rather than lost in tone and char- acter. About this time, perhaps a little earlier, there was an unusually large circulation of treatises in various forms dealing especially with the relation of young men to the Church. At least a dozen books of this type passed into many editions and exerted a powerful influ- ence. Beecher's "Lectures to Young Men," which appeared in 1845, was translated into sixteen languages and reached a circulation of l62 The Churches and Educated Men more than a million copies. From these we discover that the prevailing form of the spir- itual life was more emphatically introspective and individual. Meditation on one's motives and feelings and contemplation of spiritual things were forcibly urged. These treatises which appealed so powerfully to the young men of fifty years ago would scarcely find a reader among the same class to-day, such has been the revolution in the ideals of and in- centives to the higher life. Something has been lost but certainly much has been gained in this change of spiritual attitude. The former habits of devotion so fruitful of good results have given place to the more practical exercises of the faith. In consequence thereof many unfortunately have essayed to build the religious superstructure without the stable foundations of the spiritual life. The heart searchings, prayers and devotions of David Brainerd represent a type of religious life quite common a half century ago, but now largely a matter of history. And as one reads of the successes of Brainerd among the Indians at Stockbridge and elsewhere the query arises whether the highest type of religious life does not consist in the vital union of the old and the new in the coming knight of the cross. Suddenly there came the alarming interrup- tion of these favorable conditions. A great Perplexing Problems 163 cloud had been gathering over the Southland. The rumble of the thunders of war was heard with dismay all over the land. The darkness deepened, unrelieved save by the occasional lightning flashes of hope that the impending evil might yet be diverted, and then followed the awful hush which precedes the outbreak of the storm. A strife so intensely fraternal could have no other result than the absorption of the attention and thought of the whole people. As the war became more and more inevitable interest in religious matters began to wane. One would naturally think that such an awful national crisis would have brought the nation to its knees before God. It did produce this effect upon multitudes, but the great mass of the people for the time sub- stituted patriotism for religion. How far the two were joined it is impossible now to say. In many cases, as in the martyred president, patriotism became religion. In too many in- stances, however, the exciting scenes of the battle-field, military ambition and increasing dissipations crowded out the truer thoughts of God. Freedom from the restraints of common life opened the door to license. And the latter ushered in a pernicious and permanent train of consequences, often involving a bondage more painful and disastrous than that which the black man suffered. Anyway, the effect of the 164 The Churches and Educated Men war was registered in reduced accessions to church-membership, in the increase of religious indifference, and the partial paralysis of Chris- tian work. In making such a statement we are not forgetful of the grand work of the Christian Commission and the loyal and effi- cient service in the King's name in camp and on battle-field, nor of the positive and vigor- ous work of the churches. But the war with its antecedents and consequences spread out over a long period of years and caused the most serious interruption to the ordinary work of the Church and the college. For the time being the absorbing interest in the war was well-nigh complete. The war in itself was sufficient to check the enthusiasm and to stay the progress of spiritual affairs. But contemporaneous with the war came the rising flood-tide of immigration. The war produced the most complex and difficult problems, taxing the statesmanship of the country to the utmost. But a greater problem was involved in the proper assimilation of hordes of immigrants who came by the tens of thousands to the land of the free. From the distractions and demoralization of the civil war, time and patience would eventually work relief, but the problem of the immigrant was too intricate and far-reaching for even the promise of speedy solution. The glorious Perplexing Problems 165 ideal of our national motto, E Phcribus JJmim^ has lost nothing of its luster with the passing of the years, though its attainment civically, ethically and religiously has grown more difficult with every decade of the past fifty years. The tide of immigration set in with aston- ishing power before the century was a third past, rolling in with immense billows from 1840 to 1860. The character of the early immi- grants caused little solicitude. In many cases they made a direct contribution to the ideals and the principles of a free government. So long as they were acquainted with the lan- guage of the people and the habits and cus- toms of the time their assimilation was not difficult. But the character of the immigrant soon changed. He came to this country an alien in language, and as much so in thought and practice. The effect of the immigration was slowly realized, and with the attention diverted to the war the real import of the problem was little understood. Gradually it dawned upon the leaders that the country was face to face with a very troublesome and mo- mentous issue. Other nations have absorbed incoming peoples and, when the time has been long extended, have been the gainers thereby. Whenever the period has been short, there has come, as in the history of England, an amal- l66 The Churches and Educated Men gamation with a product unlike either con- stituent, or the absorption if not annihilation of the old, as in the case of the Eoman Em- pire. In America the immigration has been most rapid, it has been from various classes and conditions of men, and yet, happily, the distinctly American ideals have not been lost, and with a most surprising success American institutions have transformed the most hetero- geneous masses into loyal citizens. The effect religiously of this influx of strange peoples has not as yet been accurately examined nor convincingly stated, but it may be safely said that the direct and indirect in- fluences of immigration have been powerfully felt by the Church. It might most reasonably be anticipated that the incoming of multitudes of alien faith with customs respecting temper- ance, purity. Sabbath observance and many other practices in many cases violently antag- onistic to the existing order, would cause such a spiritual deterioration that it would every- where be seen. Simply from the numerical standpoint it would be expected that the ratio of professors of religion to the total popula- tion would gradually fall. These effects are surely noted but to the credit of the workers of the day in no such marked degree as might have been anticipated. The students matricu- lated in the various colleges were no longer Perplexing Problems 167 mainly from the old families of established faith. The community religion was undergo- ing a most radical change. Sects were rapidly multiplying and the greatest diversity of opin- ion prevailed. These conditions gradually ob- tained in the colleges. Of course it took some years before many of the children of the new settlers sought a college education, but the unsettled conditions made religious enterprise less successful and more difficult. The providential provision for these unseen difficulties is remarkably apparent in the " student initiative," the organization of the religiously minded students for definite per- sonal work, the spiritual activity of the boards of instruction, the "Day of Prayer for Col- leges " and the thought and the prayer of the churches for the schools. Then, too, singularly enough, just at the time when the need was not apparent but in providential preparation for it, arose the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation, an organization which has been of in- estimable value to the cause of Christ and the Church in the past half century. The char- acteristic uniformity of religious conditions for many years had given the necessary time for the crystallization of principles and the firm establishment of religious institutions. The great reforms, concerning which reference has already been made in preceding chapters, had l68 The Churches and Educated Men shaped public opinion to such a degree that there was a strong fortification against the looser morals and religious customs introduced by the immigrants. Had these conditions been otherwise how could the distinctively Ameri- can ideals have been preserved ? Certain changes within college halls should also be carefully noted. Time was when nearly every institution represented some de- nominational faith. In the earlier years many of the colleges were for all practical purposes theological seminaries, and the candidate for ordination required but a few months of resi- dent study with some acting pastor before entering the sacred office. Many of the studies were distinctively theological while almost all were such in type of thought. In the earlier days with rare exception the in- structors were recruited from the active pas- torate. The president as a matter of course and the major part of the faculty were theo- logically trained. It may safely be said that a man's theological status more largely deter- mined his appointment to, and his retention in, a college professorship than the intellectual qualifications for the special branch which he was to teach. The change in this respect began at least fifty years ago and became marked before the conclusion of the period under consideration. Perplexing Problems 169 This fact in itself is worthy of careful thought. Undoubtedly the modern regime has made large contribution to educational efficiency, notwithstanding the loss which has been sus- tained in religious proficiency. The principles of progress demand experts in the teaching corps of our colleges, yet the query arises, What is the ultimate purpose of a college edu- cation ? If trained manhood, then surely the colleges can never safely ignore the ethical and religious character of the man who teaches. What is required is both teaching power and manhood influence in the trainer of 3^oung men in the college. Happily this desired combination characterizes the teachers in many of our higher institutions, and to such wise parents will send their sons. It should be noted that most of these changes, while rooted in the latter part of the first half of the century, did not manifest themselves till about the time of the outbreak of the civil war or subsequently. Within the college halls religious conditions steadily im- proved, or at least remained much the same, till the year 1860. There is plenty of evidence to prove this were such proof necessary. In illustration it may be worth while to refer to statistics carefully gleaned from the New England colleges, by Dr. William S. Tyler, in the years 1852 and 1859 : lyo The Churches and Educated Men STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1852 ^ ^ „ Number of Professors of ^*^"^^^ Students Religion Bowdoin College 152 37 Waterville College 86 46 University of Vermont 123 30 Middlebury College 60 35 Amherst College 187 113 Williams College 207 106 Brown University 243 80 Harvard College 319 30 Yale College 446 130 Wesleyan University 103 78 Dartmouth College 237 60 Total 2,163 745 Statistics were gathered from the same col- leges seven years later. STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1859 ^ ^ „ Number of Professors of ^'^"^^^ Students Religion Bowdoin College 215 75 Waterville College 117 52 University of Vermont 91 32 Middlebury College 103 55 Amherst College 258 166 Williams College 244 149 Brown University 212 83 Harvard College 431 100 Yale College 502 299 Wesleyan University 138 112 Dartmouth College 299 100 Total 2,610 1,223 1 Prayer for Colleges, W. S. Tyler, D, D., p. 136, 2 Ibid., p. 227. Perplexing Problems 17 1 A comparison of these two tabulations is most interesting. In the former only about thirty-three per cent, are professing Christians. In the latter the percentage rises to about forty-six, indicating a most remarkable gain. Bearing in mind the fact that the colleges considered are all in New England, and that statistics from all the institutions of learning in the country would certainly lower the ratio of professing Christians, we have, then, from the best authority which the country afforded at the time, certain estimates of great value. If Dr. Tyler is anywhere near accurate in his statistics, and there is no reason to question them, then it may be quite safely assumed that not more than thirty-three per cent, of the college students of the land were enrolled as professing Christians in the year 1850. There is considerable reason to believe that this ratio is somewhat too large, but the figure is easily remembered and very convenient and will therefore be accepted with the qualifica- tions suggested. Convinced that the number of the hypocritical professors would be sub- stantially offset by the number of secret and silent followers of Christ, we believe that these estimates are reasonably satisfactory. A further study of the figures will show a remarkable gain in the ratio during the sixth decade of the century. Just before the out- 172 The Churches and Educated Men break of the civil war the percentage had risen to forty-six, and hopes were high and often expressed that the rapid increase would continue. The great changes above indicated made this absolutely impossible. For a score of years the ratio was scarcely sustained, and yet to have accomplished that, in spite of the radical changes and the great difficulties with which the college and the Church contended, is most surprising. Those who fail to take into consideration these great political and religious changes are disqualified from pro- nouncing on the religious trend in college life. That the colleges and the churches were able to meet those adverse conditions with so slight an interruption to the religious advance shows clearly the sturdy and uncompromising ad- herence to the best traditions of the past and the high ideals of the future. So radical has been the change in the past fifty years concerning the whole scope of the problem we are considering that it is far from easy for one recently in the schools to put him- self in sympathetic relationship with the type of thought, habits of life, and the spirit of the college student of ante-bellum days. It is, however, as difficult for the graduate of two- score years ago to interpret the religious life of the college of to-day. There are some men who have been in constant touch with the Perplexing Problems 173 higher institutions of learning for many years and have been students as well as observers of these fluctuating conditions. ISTo statement coming under our observation has seemed more discriminating than that which appeared in a recent periodical by Dr. Timothy D wight, Ex- president of Yale University. Certainly there is no American better qualified to speak upon the college man's religion of fifty years ago, and few better able to draw the comparison between the life then and now. We quote at length from this article because of its weight and worth : " The class of which I was a member — the class which graduated in the year 1849 — con- sisted of about a hundred members. Of these, somewhat more than one-third were professing Christians connected with different churches. • . . Probably as many as twenty of the number had already, when they came to the institution, a more or less definite thought of preparing themselves for the gospel as their profession or their life's work. The rest were equally earnest in their desire and purpose to be of service in the world as Christian disciples, although they were intending to devote their lives to other callings. As for the remainder of the company, they were, in general, young men who had been educated in childhood under religious influences, and who, though as yet 174 The Churches and Educated Men without any personal experience of its trans- forming power within themselves, were dis- posed to accept Christianity as the true system of belief. There were very few skeptics among them, and few who took any position of active hostility to the Christian doctrine. . . . The same thing, as to numbers and general charac- teristics, may be said of the classes which imme- diately preceded and followed my own. And thus what was true of our particular brother- hood may be taken as a representative of the condition of the entire student community of the period." After alluding to the fact that this was within the revival period when there was the hope and expectation that no class would graduate without being the subject of one or more such awakenings, and also noting the intense mis- sionary spirit, he follows with a very keen and discriminating estimate of the contrast between the religious life then and now : "This period, I may add, was within the limits of the era when the religious life was re- garded, more exclusively than it is at present, in its relation to the interior personality of the individual man. The God-ward side of the life was made far more prominent in Christian thought than the man-ward side. The life it- self as an abiding reality was looked for and looked at much more than any forth-puttings of Perplexing Problems 175 itself in constant activity. So truly was this the case, indeed, that even the evidential value of the forth-puttings, as proving the existence of what was so earnestly inquired after, was oftentimes not fully appreciated, and even self- examination confined itself almost wholly to sentiments and emotions rather than to their results in action. The tendency of the time accordingly was to render young men intro- vertive, and to make their consecration of themselves in the outward sphere to be a con- secration to some great work of the future, like that of the ministry or of missions, which might, by its bearings upon the lifetime, prove the truth of the sentiment which prompted it. I stated, at the beginning of what I have written, that of the members of my class some- what more than one-third were Christians in the years of their college course. Thirty years later, two-thirds of the brotherhood were Chris- tian believers, having the Christian hope and life. As I now look backward over half a cen- tury, I know of but few who have finished the earthly career and passed into the unseen world without giving hopeful evidence of their pos- session of the faith. The influence of the col- lege years, and the lessons and experiences of the after years, have been for good to the Yale class of 1849." ^ » The Sunday School Times, Sept. 21, 1901. 176 The Churches and Educated Men Thus briefly do we summarize a few of the chief characteristics of one of the most interest- ing periods of American rehgious history. When distance permits the sane and judicial treatment of these remarkable changes, we be- lieve it will be seen that the third quarter of the nineteenth century was an epoch-making period. The more familiar one becomes with these years, the deeper grows his admiration for the work and workers in Church and State, and the more intense his surprise that the churches and the colleges met the trying ordeal so successfully. Only deeply rooted institu- tions could have withstood the stress of such a long-continued storm. The misuse of statistics of this period to prove the decay of manhood religion is so manifestly unfair and positively misleading, that one wonders that any student of history should thus make use of them. Here as elsewhere we have endeavored to interpret the meaning of the figures and statistics pre- sented. The conditions being known, the fact that the percentage of professing Christians in the colleges was sustained, and that the ratio of males to females in the membership of the Protestant churches suffered no decrease from 1860 to 1880, probably indicates as much real progress as in any period thus far considered. THE MODEKN AWAKEOTNG, OR THE PERIOD OF RECONSTRUCTION 1875-1900 " I have often thought that one of the great objects God had in view in instituting the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation was to attract from the world into the Church of Christ commercial young men, and men of education and culture : and then, having brought them to the Saviour and united them to the churches of Christ, that they should be prepared to go forth to the ends of the earth." — Sir George Williams. "It is a popular idea that a college is more wicked than other places and a company of students more corrupt than other classes in society, and that a church in college is of necessity, or in point of fact, grossly deficient in godliness. Such ideas are wholly groundless. These current notions spring out of fallacies which might easily be exposed. The career of the men who have been trained in college and in college church for the past one hundred years, one would think, might serve as an answer to such injurious charges." — Fisher, HistoYy of the Church of Christ in Yale College, " To ride abroad redressing human wrongs, To speak no slander, nor listen to it. To lead sweet lives in purest charity, To teach high thought, and amiable words And courtliness, and the desire of fame. And love of truth, and all that makes a man,^^ CHAPTEE IX THE MODERN AWAKENING, OR THE PERIOD OF RECONSTRUCTION Inasmuch as this period falls within the range of the observation and experience of so many readers, it is quite unnecessary to describe it in detail. In any case the facts are easily accessible to the ordinary student of the subject. We would, however, guard against the possible inference that the brevity of treatment indicates paucity of interesting facts. No other period is so rich in material, so encouraging in its facts, so promising in its outlook. The present is the golden age of religious life in college. In making such a statement we do not overlook existing moral evils or minimize the dangers of a college life. Neither do we forget that there are many things which sadly need correcting. We do not affirm in any way that the ideal has been attained ; nevertheless, we do believe that the present religious conditions so far surpass those of other days that we unhesitatingly style it the golden age. We are the more positive in this declaration since the most thorough students of the subject, from the 179 i8o The Churches and Educated Men liberal and the conservative sides alike, reach the same conclusions. For one who has pa- tiently traced the history of religious life in college halls for two and a half centuries, the contrast between the present and the past is so marked that it is no easy task to refrain from emphatic utterance and positive enthu- siasm. Few men have been better qualified to speak upon this subject than Mr. Moody, at least from the conservative side; few men were less likely to be deceived concerning genuine spirituality, and we find no one more outspoken in respect to the religious advance in college life, and no one more optimistic of the future. A few months before his death Mr. Moody said : " From a religious point of view I look upon the colleges as the most hopeful field in all the Avorld." His opinion is cited because his decision will mean much to a great many, and also because he had ex- ceptional opportunities for obtaining accurate information. He was a welcome speaker at the colleges. He had graduated two sons from Yale, he was personally acquainted with thousands of students who convened annually at the student conference at Northfield. Then, too, he was in the closest touch with educa- tional experts in the various institutions. His high ideals of the spiritual life would most The Modern Awakening 181 naturally demand a high standard of conse- cration. And yet measured by such ideals and by such a man, the college man of to-day was approved. And it is interesting to note that during the latter years of Mr. Moody's life his faith in the college man's religious convictions and consecration grew stronger; he never seemed happier than when in the company of the students ; he expected great things of them and apparently was not dis- appointed. More space is given to this one man's opinion because of his unexcelled oppor- tunities of gathering material for the accurate estimate of the worth of the religious life within college halls, and also because so many of the best people of the land place so much dependence upon his judgment. While it would certainly be unfair to ad- vance the opinion of Mr. Moody concerning the spiritual welfare of the college man as the embodiment of the consensus of the whole body of religious conservatives, we believe that the best informed are most generally in sub- stantial agreement with him. Notwithstand- ing, we are not unmindful of the fact that there are many who take the opposite view. Without questioning in the least the sincerity of their opinions, we hold, nevertheless, that, when all things are taken into consideration the present is marked by a very positive and l82 The Churches and Educated Men encouraging advance. It is hardly neces- sary to add that those of more liberal views are rather more emphatic in the statement of their belief that college religion is now unusually virile and vigorous. Difference of opinion is largely due to the viewpoint from which the subject is seen, and the peculiar temperament of the observer. The type of the religious life is surely changed, but whether for better or worse is a matter of opinion de- termined largely by the viewpoint. Then, too, one will discover in all probability that for which he specially looks. The pessimist will see everything through a darkened glass, and consequently will see inaccurately. The habitual optimist is every whit as much dis- qualified, for he, too, will suffer from distorted vision. In making an estimate of the quality and quantity of religious interest in college to-day, certain things should ever be kept in mind. The age of exuberant animal spirits is more marked by excesses than any other in the human life. The period of adolescence and the years which immediately follow are recognized by experts as the stress period of life. On the one side there is freedom from domestic, parental and certain social restraints and restrictions ; on the other band there is the sobering effect of actual contact with the The Modern Awakening 183 serious realities and responsibilities of life which come when college days are over. Between these two limits is the age when the animal spirits act most imperiously, before the better self has been enthroned as master. Consequently many students, victims of ex- cesses and indiscretions in college days, after- wards become the most reliable of citizens and the most sincere advocates and earnest pro- moters of every worthy cause. The college man is not the only one who suffers occasional lapse from that which is true and noble, but because of his position his failure is far more conspicuous. Again it should be remembered that the college man is in nowise as bad as he is gen- erally represented to be. This is recognized by those in touch with the student life, but the great mass of the people draw their con- clusions from hearsay and press reports. Now every college escapade is published broadcast over the land. The dozen dissipated students furnish more reportorial material for the metropolitan newspapers than one hundred men faithfully and quietly doing their routine work. Of the latter little or nothing is heard of striking interest during the college period, though a score of years later they will be the makers and leaders of public opinion. The former cut a large figure in the current news 184 The Churches and Educated Men of the day, are conspicuous on all occasions, but in after years are listed among the un- knowns, if they fail to reform ; or if coming to themselves and laboriously winning a good name and fair fame, their relation to the college is subsequently forgotten. It is con- ceded that there is no particular reason for repeated publication of facts concerning the scores of consecrated men who under regular appointment go forth from our colleges in deputations to minister to the needy in insti- tutes, chapels and mission halls. Such work is not advertised under " scare lines " in the newspapers. The ordinary patron does not purchase his paper for such information, and if his attention is directed to it, it fails to make a deep impression. The result is that the reading public is grossly misled by the fre- quency and exciting character of the reports of student excesses and at length estimates all college men by the type with which it is most familiar. This is exceedingly unfortu- nate, and every friend of higher education should exercise his power to correct this false impression. In all probability there is no place away from home, where a young man is safer, his whole welfare being taken into consideration, than at college. Another characteristic of the modern type of college religion deserves careful consider- The Modern Awakening 185 ation. Eepeatedly has the reader been re- minded of the evolution of the "student initiative." Attention was called to the fact that in the colonial college all religious exer- cises were strictly compulsory even to require- ment respecting Bible reading and private devotions. The change from the former re- gime has been most radical and far-reaching. To-day in many of the leading institutions all religious services and exercises are voluntary. The removal of long-existing restrictions and regulations in respect to religious aifairs in college has resulted as might be expected. There have been some who have turned liberty into license, and have abused the privileges granted. ^Notwithstanding, the query arises, Would they have been the better by com- pulsory attendance at services in which they had no interest ? With many compulsion in matters of conscience works more harm than good. But surely with those who seek these services and exercises from choice, there is derived a benefit which could be secured in no other way. Whatever may be the private opinion concerning this change, it is obvious that it will soon prevail in about all the in- stitutions. This, however, may be said, that at Harvard where the change was first in- augurated, and where the experiment has been most carefully watched, the results have been l86 The Churches and Educated Men highly satisfactory. It is claimed by those best qualified to pass judgment on the volun- tary method at Harvard that there has been a positive gain in the respect and reverence for holy things, and that religion makes a more vigorous, rational and persuasive appeal to the manhood of the college. There is reason to believe that the gain in spiritual quality will far more than offset the loss in quantity. And it may yet be proven that the winsome and virile characteristics of the Christian faith may attract larger numbers than could possibly be secured under any form of compulsion. The connection between the college and the Church is not as intimate as formerly. Grad- ually for the last one hundred years has the separation widened. The teaching force is not, as was once the case, drawn largely from the active pastorate, l^ow, comparatively few are theologically trained. The ratio of under- graduates in preparation for the ministry is constantly decreasing as the opportunities for the college man increase. The student body is increasingly heterogeneous, representing every section of the country, a great variety of relig- ious beliefs, political affiliations and domestic conditions. The children of the immigrants of the earlier period are now matriculated in all our institutions. All these changes render it absolutely impossible for the large univer- The Modern Awakening 187 sity to stand sponsor to any special class, sect or party. Consequently the college has created its own peculiar environment, with community interests quite unlike those which elsewhere exist. And thus a correct estimate of the re- ligious strength of the colleges of the land grows more difficult. There is another change w^hich is the occasion of encouragement. Every year the proportion of students who are Christians when entering college rises. The modern methods of cate- chetical instruction in the leading churches are fruitful in reaching the prospective member of the church at an earlier age. And this work will surely claim increasing attention from the churches in the future. Another change closely connected with that already mentioned and possibly an outgrowth from it is the decadence of the revival. Fifty years ago it was exceed- ingly rare for a college class to graduate with- out the uplift of such a spiritual awakening. [N'ow, save in the smaller institutions, the revival is very unusual. But the revival is disappear- ing from the Church 'in much the same way. Whether it shall again mark the religious life in college and Church it is not for us to deter- mine. Neither do we undertake to explain the loss of power in this form of religious activity, once so efficacious. But we record the fact in passing as one of the conspicuous characteristics l88 The Churches and Educated Men of the problem we are considering. It should be noted, however, that while the old-time revival has disappeared, the average annual number of conversions in our colleges is to the total enrolment of the students proportionally larger. There is a peculiar trick of the memory by which we forget the evils of the past while the good things grow more conspicuous. This ap- plies all the way from mother's cooking to matters of Church and State. The reverse seems to obtain in regard to the present, and vices are more easily discerned than virtues. The probability is that the long-range view is the more accurate. But this chapter deals with the present, and lest some may be unacquainted with the surprising activity in the practical ap- plication of spiritual consecration, we shall mention in order some of the more marked re- ligious characteristics of this period, consider- ing them in contrast with the Christian efforts of other days. In place of the sporadic attempts at organi- zation, already noted in former periods, has arisen the college Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation. There are various religious societies organized for special purposes to be found here and there in the earlier history of the colleges. In many of the societies one department of work would be vigorously and effectively cul- The Modern Awakening 189 tivated, while others would be neglected. For example, in some colleges special work was done in systematic Bible study while the mis- sionary cause was almost forgotten. Excellent results were often obtained by the restriction of religious activity to a single channel, while much of the field of spiritual endeavor was al- most unwatered and untouched. There was no intercollegiate communication respecting relig- ious matters. With the appearance of the Christian Association all this was changed. This whole work has been systematized and so carefully organized that every phase of the religious life receives its due share of attention. Then, too, whatever of helpful information is derived either from success or failure through the intercollegiate movement becomes the com- mon property of all. The Y. M. C. A., with its complicated organization, not only greets the incoming student, but anticipates his com- ing by correspondence, and it follows him through college life, surrounding him with a wholesome atmosphere, placing before him a very practical, vital and real spirituality, not infrequently exemplified in the best athletes and the first scholars of the college. In the larger institutions. Association buildings of commanding appearance give evidence of the substantial character of the work done, form- ing a center for the undergraduate religious igo The Churches and Educated Men activity, serving the twofold purpose of con- centration and distribution of spiritual forces. We recall that famous haystack meeting at Williamstown, out of which the magnificent missionary organizations and successes of the past century sprung. Without detracting a single iota of praise and honor from Mills and his companions, contrast it with the student missionary demonstration in Toronto, Canada, in 1902. While these student volunteers fired their enthusiasm from Mills' torch of mission- ary zeal and the flame of Brainerd's self-sacri- fice, we do well to remember that the individ- uals and institutions affected have increased a thousandfold in a century's time. These student volunteer gatherings are the most marked religious phenomena of the age. And who are these men who now by the thousands are ringing out their challenges to the churches that they stand ready to give life, if the churches will furnish means for the imme- diate evangelization of the world ? They are the college men of whom some speak in such derogatory and disparaging terms. If so glorious in the blade, what may we not expect from the full corn in the ear I This one phase of the modern religious life of the college is sufficient in itself to prove beyond successful contradiction that the Church of to-day has not lost its hold on the men of intellect. This The Modern Awakening 191 movement has spread from this country to the colleges in all lands, and has produced a broth- erhood of Christian college men which girdles the earth. " Its watchword : 'The Evangel- ization of the world in this generation,' from being the misunderstood cry of supposed fa- natics, has become the vivifying word which is forcing Christians to face immediate respon- sibility, instead of relegating the evangeli- zation of the world to future generations and an age-long process of gradual civilization and moral improvement." In no sense unimportant is the systematic study of the Bible. In the early years of American college history Bible study and read- ing were enforced by official regulation, at a time w^hen theological studies formed no in- considerable part of the college curriculum. A century ago the removal of the requirement of Bible study and the rise of the Theological Seminary resulted in a sad negligence of the Scriptures in the colleges. Through the Chris- tian Association the students themselves have organized for the careful study of God's Word. Each year the number of Bible classes in- creases and the interest deepens. Special classes have been formed for the study of mis- sions and the lives of noted missionaries. This has also been adopted as an elective study in most colleges. 192 The Churches and Educated Men In no way can we better indicate the mag- nitude of this superb Christian enterprise than by a reference to the report of the work for the year ending December 31, 1903 : " There are now in the United States and Canada 635 associations among students (ex- clusive of Colored and Indian departments), of which sixty were organized during the past year. Of these, forty-eight are in theological seminaries, seventy-two in medical and other professional schools, and the remainder in uni- versities, colleges, and normal and preparatory schools. The membership exceeds 40,000. The total number of young men in institutions where associations exist is about 140,000. " There was an enrolment of 16,042 men in the Student Bible classes last year, an increas- ing number of whom are doing daily personal Bible study. The Bible study secretary has been in correspondence with 1,808 Bible class leaders. Over 1,400 students were en- rolled in the normal classes at the summer conferences where training for leadership was given. " Ninety -six men are employed for the whole or a part of their time as general secretaries of student associations and as student secre- taries of city, state and international work. Building movements are in progress at McGill University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Indiana The Modern Awakenlnsf 193 'to University, Iowa State College, and the Uni- versity of Wisconsin. " Six student conferences for the training of leaders of the various departments of student association work were held at JSTorthfield, Mass., Lake Geneva, Wis., Asheville, N. C, Pacific Grove, Cal., Gearhart, Oregon, and Lakeside, Ohio. The last two were held for the first time this year. A total of 1,714 students and 245 others were in attendance. " Spiritual awakenings among students in all classes of institutions and in all parts of the continent were reported. Between 3,000 and 4,000 young men were led to accept Christ. This was accomplished as a result of the Bible classes, organized personal work, the observ- ance of the week and day of prayer, and special series of meetings. " Ten student secretaries are employed by the International Committee, of whom four are engaged in general administration and of- fice work and promotion of Bible study, while six are in the field, three visiting universities and colleges in Canada and the East, the South and the West, and one each gives special at- tention to preparatory schools, theological sem- inaries and institutions for colored young men. Ten student secretaries are employed by state committees. " The missionary interests of students are 194 The Churches and Educated Men promoted in general by the student secretaries and particularly by the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions. A larger number became volunteers in 1902-3 than in any preceding year since 1894:-5. Mission study was engaged in by 6,774 students, while $61,000 were contributed through the colleges for missions." ^ It is hardly necessary here to add that the work of the college association is in nowise self-centered. One would require a chapter if not a volume to do anything like justice to the varied and manifold activities of Christian students. Have we stopped to ask why the word " college " is associated with that noblest of modern agencies for the betterment of the city slums, the Settlement ? From such insti- tutions as Harvard, deputations go out every night in the week to conduct evangelistic meetings in missions, to take charge of boys' clubs, to arrange meetings for the discussion of social questions, to visit the sick, the miser- able and the outcast. The other colleges are doing the same as they have opportunity. The college to-day is making a very decided con- tribution to the moral forces for the uplifting of humanity. It is true that there is still too much intem- ^ Report of The International Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association for 1903. The Modem Awakening 195 perance, too much vice, but one who is famil- iar with the history of our colleges is at a loss to name another period so free from these demoralizing influences. Unquestionably the college is producing a more perfect physical manhood. That in itself means the elimina- tion of many temptations and not a few vices. Some of our ablest scholars affirm that the graduates of the college of a century ago would experience no little difficulty in cred- itably passing the entrance examinations of our best colleges to-day. That is doubtless true. It would be indeed singular if educators had made no advance in a hundred years. But we have no hesitation in saying that from the facts presented from this investigation the personal advance in the deepening of the moral and spiritual life is fully as conspicuous as that in the physical and mental realm. We believe that there has been a positive gain in the all-round manhood of the college student in the past two centuries which is very marked in the past hundred years. For the sake of comparison we present the latest available statistics concerning the relig- ious life in our colleges. Each year the com- piling of the facts is made with the greatest care. These are taken by various persons in different ways. The Public Relations Com- mittee of Hartford Theological Seminary has 1 96 The Churches and Educated Men for a number of years gathered and compiled these facts. In the early part of December, 1901, the committee sent letters to about one hundred and twenty American colleges and i^iversities asking for information concerning the religious conditions in these institutions containing the following questions : (1) What progress has the religious work in your insti- tution made this year, and along what lines ? (2) Total enrolment of your institution ? (3) Total enrolment of the Y. M. C. A. ? (4) Number of men in the Senior class (Academic) ? (5) Number of professing Christians in Senior class (Academic) ? (6) How many of these are expecting to enter the min- istry ? (7) How many purjDose going into the foreign field ? Eeplies were received from sixty-eight insti- tutions. Of these forty-eight report definite progress in some form or other, or an advance on the conditions of a year before. And spe- cial gains were made in personal evangelistic work, in definite outside Christian work, in missionary activity, with the chief advance in Bible study. As a sample of the work done outside the college we quote from the report of Harvard : The Association manages a social reading room on T wharf, patronized daily by 160 fishermen. Sends fifteen men every week to teach English at a Boston Chinese Sunday-school. The Modern Awakening 197 Sends squads of three or four men on Tuesday evenings to assist at the Boston Industrial Home and the Merrimac Street Mission. Twelve men, members of entertainment troupes, visit almshouses, hospitals, etc. Over thirty men are working in connection with the juve- nile library which the Association opened in East Cambridge last year. (This year's work includes clubs and classes in sloyd, wood-carving, military drill, sewing, natural history, chemistry, physics, American history, etc., and is under the direction of a salaried superintendent. ) Seventeen members of the Association are teaching at the Prospect and Social Unions, and twenty at the Riverside Al- liance. Members are assisting at the following places : South End House, Denison House, Elizabeth Peabody House, North Bennett Street, St. Stephen's Church of the Ascen- sion, East End Christian Union. Over twenty-five men are teachers in neighboring Sunday- schools. The Statistics from these colleges indicate a very large proportion of professing Christians. The proportion of Christians to the number of male seniors appears as follows : 1900 1901 Denomination ^^^^^Q^s Per cent. Colleges Per cent. Reported Christians Reported Christians Undenominational 13 63 14 86 Congregational 14 77 12 77 Presbyterian 3 82 7 90 Methodist 7 72 10 74 Baptist 5 68 6 52 Other Denominations 5 73 7 84 State Universities 5 52 8 45 198 The Churches and Educated Men In 1901 in the sixty-four colleges thus report- ing upon the Christian men in the senior class, there were 2,265 seniors in all, of which 1,675 were professing Christians, or seventy- four per cent. In 1900, in the fifty- two col- leges thus reporting, there were 1,763 male seniors ; of these, 1,151 were Christians, or sixty-five per cent. The statistics of 1901 show a gain over the preceding year of nine per cent, in the proportion of Christians among the male seniors. In 1902 a thorough and careful census taken in three hundred and fifty -six colleges and uni- versities of I^orth America showed that of the eighty-three thousand young men, fifty- two per cent, were members of evangelical churches. Since the gathering of these sta- tistics there have been extensive spiritual awakenings in many of our larger institutions and a somewhat general revival of religious interest in the smaller colleges, so that we be- lieve that we are amply warranted in declar- ing the present percentage of evangelical Christians as at least fifty-three. But for the sake of comparison w^e shall consider the num- ber only fift}^ per cent, which is deemed by all authorities an exceedingly conservative esti- mate. An article in The Sunday School Times of April 5, 1902, by the Eev. James H. Eoss, The Modem Awakening 199 presents definite statements respecting the re- ligious condition in many colleges. For the purposes of comparison, we cite from this article the facts and figures respecting the religious life in those colleges which we have been considering in the course of this study : ''The proportion of church-members to the total number of students in the university [Yale] last year was fifty-nine per cent. Yale has the largest, most effective, and best organ- ized Young Men's Christian Association in the world, and a Christian congregation of men, meeting daily, without parallel in the world. ... In Williams College, there are a hundred and ninety-five professing Chris- tians among three hundred and fifty-five students. . . . About two-thirds of the students in Amherst college are members of churches. . . . The majority of stu- dents in Middlebury are members of Chris- tian churches. In Harvard and Dartmouth the ratio is not given but the religious condition is most encouraging. Between seventy-five and eighty-five per cent, of the students of Oberlin are professing Christians. In Marietta seventy-seven per cent, are registered as Christians; at Carleton fifty- seven per cent, and more than ninety per cent, of its graduates are Christians before leaving college. Ninety per cent, of the 200 The Churches and Educated Men students of Druiy are professing Christians; the proportion of church-members in Colorado College is a little less than seventy per cent. The number of professing Christians at Whit- man is about sixty per cent, of the total enrolment. These references are from col- leges representing the conservative civiliza- tion of the far West and from institutions founded and specially fostered by the Congre- gational denomination. Evidences are at hand to show that colleges of the other denomina- tions will not fall behind this high average. In the state institutions the proportion is somewhat smaller, and in some of the scientific schools the ratio is considerably less. Yet, making due allowance for inaccuracies and overestimates, we believe that there is no question but that the proportion of Christians of the evangelical type is somewhat more than half of the total enrolment." Mr. Eoss closes his article in these words : " Inasmuch as the investigation was so thorough and the reports are so optimistic, even when comparing col- leges and churches, the inference is inevitable that a college is a safe place for the average student of either sex, and that vast progress has been made in the state of things that existed in American colleges one hundred years ago, when unbelief and vice were com- The Modern Awakening 201 In conclusion we would call attention to the interesting and significant fact that there has been a decided enlargement of the positive Christian forces of American higher education. It is noteworthy that some of the great denominations which half a century ago exerted but a comparatively small educa- tional influence, are now in the vanguard of the movement. A conspicuous illustration of this is found in the Methodist Episcopal de- nomination which now outranks all other denominations in the Western States when number of students, number of instructors, number of institutions and material endow- ment are considered. And in the schools of the Methodists and the Baptists the percentage of Christians is unusually high. These are some of the formative forces which furnish a reason- able basis for optimism. THE PEESENT OUTLOOK "More decisions looking to the missionary service are made in college than in all previous stages of training. The college is more potent than the home in the incentives to a devoted life. Hence our colleges are the recruiting ground for all agencies which do their work at the heart of hu- manity. The unfailing appeal meets there the unfailing response. . . . Deeper than the currents of the physical life which runs at times so swiftly are the currents of the spiritual life. . . . Few men, during their college course, are out of reach of high incentives, and some man is always yielding to them. Sentiment, in the form of some clear, distinct and noble ambition, is never absent from college life. ' ' — Fres. W. J. Tucker^ The College Graduate and the Church. "A college boy is not, as many suppose, a peculiarly misguided and essentially light-minded person. He is, on the contrary, set in conditions which tempt to excellence and is peculiarly responsive to every sincere appeal to the higher life. Behind the mask of light-mindedness or self- assertion which he assumes, his interior life is wrestling with fundamental problems, as Jacob wrestled with the angel and would not let him go until he blessed him. . . . If, however, the voluntary system of religion ap- plied to university life has proved anything in these fifteen years it has proved the essentially religious nature of the normal educated young man of America. ' ' — Prof. Francis G. Feabody, The Religion of a College Student. A few months before his death Mr. Moody said : ''From a religious point of view I look upon the colleges as the most hopeful field in all the world. ' ' So nigh is grandeur to our dust, So near is God to man. When Duty whispers low, " Thou must,^* CHAPTER X THE PRESENT OUTLOOK It is worth while in conclusion very briefly to indicate the type of Christian character which the college of to-day is producing. For this purpose we shall summon experts. Rob- ert E. Speer thus defines it : " Each genera- tion of men restates the Christian ideals. The qualities of character which were emphasized by our fathers are viewed perhaps in a differ- ent proportion by us. Honesty, truthfulness, integrity abide the same, but the metaphors under which the Christian life is set forth change, and many of the characteristics of the typical Christian man of our day are unlike those of the typical Christian man of another day. Especially is this true among students. In the last twenty years a new type of college Christian man has developed, like his prede- cessor in sincerity, straightforwardness, and honor, but fonder of Paul's military meta- phors, less introspective, more joyful and merry even, and with a stronger sense of the call to a life of full Christian service, because perhaps more aware of the opportunities, while scarcely more awed by the responsibilities." * 1 Speer, A Memorial of a True Life, p. 11. 205 2o6 The Churches and Educated Men John R. Mott says : *' The colleges and uni- versities constitute, without doubt, the most religious communities in our country. Taking the young men of America as a whole, not more than one in twelve are members of evan- gelical churches. Some have placed the pro- portion as low as one in twenty. Among students, however, nearly one-half of the young men are members of evangelical churches. Among professors and instructors the percentage of evangelical Christians is far larger even than it is among the students. This is true in state and other undenomina- tional colleges, as well as in denominational institutions. . . . Generally speaking, it may be asserted that the type of religious life of American students is not traditional. They do not hold their present beliefs simply be- cause they inherited them. At the same time, they do attach great weight to the traditional facts and statements of the Christian faith. They are as a class loyal to the great verities of evangelical Christianity. Their religious belief is based upon a personal study of the Christian Scriptures and evidences. And not the least helpful in establishing their faith has been the influence of the presentation and study of the facts of Christian missions. "Their religious life, therefore, may be characterized as intellectual and spiritual. It The Present Outlook 207 is practical as well. The typical American Christian student despises cant and hypocrisy, and desires, above all else, reality in his Chris- tian experience. He is not satisfied to limit the Bible to the realm of thought and discussion ; he seeks to bring it to bear upon his life, — to help him in his battle with temptation, to en- able him to develop strong faith and a sym- metrical character. Moreover he is not con- tent to keep his religion to himself. He recog- nizes the force of Archbishop Whately's words : * If our religion is not true, we ought to change it ; if it be true, we are bound to propagate what we believe to be the truth.' Therefore he unites with his Christian fellow students in an organized movement to make Christ known in his college, in his native land, and through- out the world." ^ President Koosevelt at the installation of Dr. Butler as President of Columbia, April 21, 1902, thus addressed the students : '* I do not want to speak so much about the scholastic side of university life as that side which pro- duces service to the nation. ISTot one man in a hundred is fit to be in the highest sense a productive scholar, but the other ninety-nine can do decent work if they take the pains. If we think we can do work well without taking pains, our work amounts to very little. Intel- 1 The Sunday ScJiool Times, Jan. 19, 1901. 2o8 The Churches and Educated Men lect must stand below character in value to a man. It is a good thing to have a sound body ; it is a better thing to have a sane mind ; but it is still better to have that group of decent and virile qualities which we sum up as character. If a man is strong in mind and body, but misuses that strength, he becomes a foe to the body politic, and should be hunted down by all decent men. If he is a nice man, but does n't count, you can't do much with him. In the battle of life, as in the civil war, the soldier whose tendency is to run away finds his usefulness impaired. In the strife for civic betterment there is small use for the man who means well, but means w^ell feebly. A man must be honest and courageous. The timid good man availeth little. He must have common sense ; without that he will find him- self at the mercy of those who, without his de- sire to do right, know only too well how to make the wrong effective." Professor Francis G. Peabody of Harvard University thus defines and interprets the religious life of the college student of to-day : *' The religion of a college student is marked, first of all, by a passion for reality. . . . The modern college student, while in many respects very immature, is extraordinarily alert in his discernment of anything which seems to him of the nature of indirectness or The Present Outlook 209 unreality. The first demand he makes of his companions or of his teachers is the demand for sincerity, straightforwardness and sim- plicity." The second characteristic named by Dr. Peabody in the religious life of the modern student is the demand for reasonable- ness in religion : " To reach the heart of an educated young man the message of the church must be unequivocal, uncomplicated, genuine, masculine, direct, real. . . . There is go- ing on, within the college, a restoration of religious faith through the influence of intel- lectual liberty. I have seen more than one student come to college in a mood of complete antagonism to his earlier faith, and then I have seen that same youth in four years graduate from college, and with a passionate consecration give himself to the calling of the Christian ministry which he had so lately thought superfluous and outgrown. It was the simple consequence of his discovery that the religious life is not in conflict with the interests and aims of a university, but is precisely that ideal of conduct and service to- ward which the spirit of a university logically leads." The third characteristic of religious life in college is the expression of spirituality through practical service: "The normal type of a serious-minded young man at the present time 2 1 o The Churches and Educated Men does not talk much about his religion. Some- times this reserve proceeds from self-con- sciousness and ought to be overcome, but quite as often it proceeds from modesty and ought to be reverenced. At any rate such is the college student — a person disinclined to much profession of piety, and not easy to shape into the earlier type of expressed discipleship. Yet, at the same time this young man is extraordinarily responsive to the new call for human service. I suppose that never in the history of education were so many young men and young women in our colleges profoundly stirred b}^ a sense of social responsibility and a passion for social justice." And he concludes : " These are the tests to which the Church must submit, if it would meet the religion of a college student — the tests of reality, reasonableness and practical service. A religion without reality — formal, external, technical, obscurantist ; a religion without reasonableness — omniscient, dogmatic, timid; a religion which does not greet the spirit of practical service as the spirit of Christ — a religion of such a kind may win the loyalty of emotional or theological or ecclesiastical minds, but it is not acceptable to the normal type of educated American youth. Such natures demand first a genuine, then a rational, and then a practical religion, The Present Outlook 211 and they are held to the Christian Church by no bond of sentiment or tradition which will prevent, their seeking a more religious life elsewhere. And what is this but a wholesome challenge to the Church of Christ to renew its vitality at the sources of its real power? The intellectual issues of the present time are too real to be met by artificiality and too rational to be interpreted by traditionalism ; the practical philanthropy of the present time is too absorbing and persuasive to be subordinated or ignored. It is a time for the church to dismiss all affectations and all assumptions of authority, and to give itself to the reality of rational religion and to the practical redemption of an unsanctified world. This return to simplicity and service will be at the same time a recognition of the religion of a college student and a renewal of the religion of Jesus Christ."^ In a recent address before the American Missionary Association, Kev. D wight L. Ilillis, D. D., said : " If twenty years ago it seemed as if the tides of faith were ebbing away to leave the church stranded on the beach, now the tides are returning in a flood whose volume and depth man's plummet may not sound. Gone the era of criticism and destruction. Gone the era of analysis that pulled in pieces * The Message of the College to the Church, Chapter I. 2 1 2 The Churches and Educated Men old poems, old histories, old creeds. Men see that the obligations of conscience and duty, and man's relation to Christ and God remain unaltered. Moreover, men now feel that the era of criticism was an era of mediocrity and second-rate intellect. There is a new spirit in letters, in arts and philosophy and religion. The pendulum that moved far toward doubt is now swinging back toward faith. There is a growing interest in the permanent elements and great simplicities of Christianity. And with the new faith has come a new en- thusiasm." ^ Eev. Dr. John Henry Barrows said : " It is vastly significant, and in accordance with the genius of Christianity that the religion of Christ has in this century of intellectual prog- ress, when superstitions have been dispelled by the light of truth, made more rapid and memorable conquests than in any previous period since the downfall of the Roman paganism. *' ' We live in deeds, not years ; in thoughts, not breaths ; In feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives Who thinks most — feels the noblest — acts the best.' " In many respects there is no one in the 'Rev. Newell Dwight Hillis, D. D., sermon before the American Missionary Association, 1903. The Present Outlook 213 country better qualified to pass judgment upon the spirituality of the college man than President Harper of Chicago. After a careful diagnosis of the conditions he discovers oc- casion both for alarm and encouragement. His conclusions are formulated in the answer to the question, "Is Infidelity Increasing in the Colleges ? " After facing with candor and courage certain facts respecting spiritual indif- ference and the loss of faith in college he con- cludes with this significant utterance : " If we mean to define infidelity as a general distrust of the existence of a divine Being, a downright denial of immortality and the truth of the gospel, and the refusal to bring one's life under the teaching of Jesus, I maintain that infidelity, so far from increasing, is rapidly decreasing. A comparison of the re- ligious condition of the older colleges to-day with that of the same institutions of fifty years ago will show indubitably that there is in them to-day far more sturdy belief in the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Further than this there is to be found to-day religious interest in our colleges which is absolutely unparalleled. It is not only that the Toung Men's Christian Associations and the Young Women's Associations are more prosperous and more influential than ever before, but the col- leges themselves are awakening to their re- 214 The Churches and Educated Men sponsibilities to care for the religious life of their students. Everywhere we see the estab- lishment of chairs for Biblical instruction ; the institution of preacherships especially adapted to the needs of the college mind ; the outgo- ing of the earnest life of the students in col- lege settlements ; great conventions of college men and women under the direction of relig- ious leaders. The college student who grows up among these influences is already making himself felt. From all quarters come reports of the awakening of religious earnestness be- cause of the energy and broad vision of edu- cators and students. The Religious Education Association which has just begun its work under auspicious circumstances would have been impossible ten years ago. It is unques- tionable that the life of students to-day is more natural, more wholesome, more pure than in any previous period of education. This fact speaks volumes. " Infidelity, let us thank God, so far from increasing in the colleges is being conquered there. Christian faith in some particulars is passing through a transitional period, but it is not being destroyed. . . . Let us not croak about the amount of infidelity now in our col- leges. We may well be surprised that it is not even greater in amount than it is, when we take into account the wretched conditions The Present Outlook 215 which exist as to the religious education of boys and girls who have reached the college age. We ourselves, as parents and church members, are largely responsible for such infi- delity as does exist in colleges, since, in most cases, we have failed to take even the most simple measures to prevent it. The college can hardly be expected to repair the mistakes of the home, or the teacher to overcome the indifference of irreligion of the parent." ^ In a most discriminating article on " Kelig- ion and the College Man," President Mcholas Murray Butler of Columbia College makes the following statement : " Parents generally are coming to see that when a boy leaves home, as he must, there is on the whole no place where he is so safe as in college, and that if a thousand young men be selected at random from the college, and com- pared with a thousand young men of corre- sponding ages, selected at random from those not in college, the conditions of the college men, the two groups being taken as wholes, will be found to be immensely more favorable to the best results than those of the other class. If these impressions as to the influence of college life rest upon facts it cannot be true that the college man, as such, is peculiarly in- accessible to the appeals of personal religion. 1 Christendom, April 18, 1903. 2i6 The Churches and Educated Men If the very contradictory is not true, the great movement of sympathy and money and stu- dents to the colleges is a subject for the gravest apprehension, a thing to be regarded as noth- ing short of a fatal tendency. *' What are the facts ? So far as the envi- ronment of the college man is concerned, intel- ligent judgment declares that at no time here- tofore has college life been so clean and so hos- pitable to high moral and social ideals as at this moment. There is, certainly, drinking and gambling and gross immorality among college men in college. There is indifference in some, though exceedingly little direct hostility to the appeals of religion. But these are found wher- ever young men are found. They are no more to be charged to college life as such, than they are to professional or commercial life. But the point is this : these things do not ' characterize ' the life of American students. The current sets directly against them. High intellectual, social, and spiritual ideals press upon the stu- dent's attention. They do not express them- selves always in the conventional ways familiar a generation ago. Probably fewer men than formerly regard ^ speaking in meeting ' as the ultimate or even as an important manifestation of the religious life. The little group of pious men is not so distinct a feature of college life as formerly, nor on the other hand are the pro- The Present Outlook 217 fane, obscene, and lawless. There has been a leveling up. The tone of life in college is comparatively high and generous, and its em- phasis is on the things that are true and honest and of good report. The helps to distinctively religious life are abundant and well organized. The student Christian Associations exercise a powerful influence in college and intercollegiate activities. Their members are almost uniformly among the leaders in the social, athletic, and scholastic life of the schools. And in their religious talk and living there is a refreshing and convincing note of manliness and whole- heartedness."^ Professor J. Henry Thayer of Harvard, the eminent scholar and Christian, when inter- viewed in 1901 concerning the changed attitude of academic circles tow^ard religion to-day, as contrasted with what he saw at Harvard nearly half a century before as an undergraduate de- clared himself "altogether optimistic." "As an undergraduate if he sought to be religious he had to do it in out-of-the-way corners or by ways that were covert. ]^ow the religious life of the undergraduates is open : and as for the attitude of the teachers of philosophy and science in the university, it is idealistic in the one case and theistic in its implication in the other." ^ Christendom, May 16, 1903. 2l8 The Churches and Educated Men President Hall thus states his convictions concerning personal religion in university life : " If one will approach in a temperate and can- did spirit the problem of personal religion in university life, it is the writer's belief (a belief resting upon a somewhat wide experience) that the average degree of interest in personal re- ligion will be found to be higher among col- lege students than in any other group or community of young men. . . . There is nothing more full of pathos, nothing more rich in promise, than that under-life of yearning, struggle and aspiration which is going on in tens of thousands of young undergraduates. Complex are its causes, many are its modes and currents of development. For many men it is the fierce struggle of the natural man against the restraints and the reproof of a higher knowledge ; it is the flesh lusting against the spirit. For many it is a painful process of re- adjustment from narrowing influences that warped the powers of boyhood to larger meas- ures of living and thinking encountered in the manly liberty of the university. For many it is the disturbing vision of responsibility, dimly apprehended by growing intellectual and moral powers. For many it is a vague hunger for God, for the living God ; a hunger stimulated but not appeased by the new philosophical atmosphere. For many it is the trembling ear- The Present Outlook 219 nestness of untested discipleship ; Clirist seen, adored, approached with the fresh enthusiasm of inexperience. . . . The normal influence of college life is not demoralizing. It is en- nobling. It is the most glorious opportunity that can be given to youth. It is filled with sublime possibilities. Much of the sublimity resides in its freedom, in its moral tests, in its demand upon the will. If it can be said that some men lose in college the religious impulse imparted in childhood's home, it may also be said that many men find in college a concep- tion of God, of life, of personal obligation all the more controlling because acquired under conditions of moral liberty that tested the soul as with a refiner's fire." ^ Such citations might be continued almost in- definitely. The position and character of the men quoted insure great weight to their opinions. It must not be assumed that there are no discouragements and perils, for there are many, but we are seeking definite informa- tion from which we may determine the trend of religious life at the present hour. And we affirm from the facts in hand that there is much reason for optimism. Surely conditions are in nowise such as they have been in the past. Keligion has become less theoretical and far * Personal Religion in University Life, Pres. Charles Cuth- bert Hall, D. D., The Congregatmicdist, Aug. 9, 1900. 220 The Churches and Educated Men more practical. And while fewer men pro- portionally are seeking the ministry, vastly larger numbers are seeking vocations where means and influence shall count for the most in the uplifting of humanity. Genuineness is a watchword and sincerity the demand of the best of college men. Shams and hypocrisy were never more despised. These commend- able characteristics of modern college life un- doubtedly tend to the repression of religious enthusiasm and the suppression of spiritual profession and testimony. The tendency, how- ever, is on the whole most wholesome and en- couraging. It is conceded that there is considerable loss in respect and reverence for things holy and divine. The Sabbath in college, as outside, has lost much of its former prestige and sanc- tity. There is an increasing amount of study on the part of the students on the Lord's Day, and the reiterated charge that the allotment of lessons in the latter part of the week, in some schools and with some instructors, sug- gests and gives authority for such misuse of the day. With the reconstruction of theology has come to many the dispersion of eschato- logical fears, and from higher criticism the lessened authority of the Word of God. To those students who have but a smattering of knowledge of these things injury has been The Present Outlook 221 wrought. To some of the most intellectual and conscientious there has come, however, a new revelation of the sanctity of divine law, with a new sense of the heinousness of sin and the glory of righteousness ; while the Word of God has emerged from the crucible of analysis like burnished gold. The grosser sins are becom- ing increasingly unpopular though there is still too much of licentiousness and intemperance. On the other hand, where is the place and when the " good old time " which could show such a magnificent army of educated Christian young men as to-day ? The Student Yolun- teer Movement in itself is a fact which every pessimist must face and explain before he convinces the intelligent man that there is a spiritual decadence in college life to-day. Never in the history of America was there such a large and superb body of young men of college education eagerly pressing into the hardest places of service for Christ and the Church. And this arm}^ of young people is so far in advance of the spiritual life of the churches that they are ringing out the chal- lenge that they are ready to put their lives against the means of the churches for the evangelization of the world in this generation. Some of the churches which have been looking^ for their student adherents in the rear of the procession advancing to right the wrong and 222 The Churches and Educated Men to save the world, are just discovering that they are in the van and not at the rear — are the color-bearers and not the camp-followers. Even among those who are not so conspicu- ous among the leaders of religious life and thought the colleges are furnishing the cham- pions of civic righteousness and whenever the student enters politics there is, with rare ex- ceptions, an influence in favor of justice, honor and righteousness. With the renaissance of child training in the home and in the Church, strengthened by fresh discoveries and the clearer apprehension of the character of the work, its import and influence, the whole endeavor of the Church will receive new impulse and inspiration. The inception of the forward movement in religious educa- tion so full of promise ; the quick and intelli- gent responsiveness to the spiritual appeal, of which special workers in the colleges now speak so enthusiastically ; these and many other indications point unerringly to a day of higher and nobler achievement. Christianity is neither dead nor moribund in the colleges, but keen, alert, practical, vital and exceedingly vigorous. Its appeal is most rational and per- suasive and the men going out from the col- leges of to-day far outnumber in percentage of Christians the graduates of other days, and on comparison we sincerely believe that The Present Outlook 223 they have never been outranked in quality. The increasing ratio of out-and-out Christians among those who receive their diplomas is optimistically signijBcant in itself alone, even if there be little gain in the quality. But the indications point to steady improvement in both quantity and quality of the spiritual life in the American colleges. THE COLLEGE MAN'S INFLUElSrCE "But whatever may have been in the past, or now are, the shortcomings and limitations of American colleges, they represent the mainspring of opportunity and preparation to the large majority of those who guide the destinies, domi- nate the affairs, and lead in the intellectual and artistic progress of our Nation." — John W. Leonard^ Editor of ** Who 's Who in America.^ ^ "Take the Cambridge calendar," says Macaulay, in one of his speeches in Parliament, — "take the Cambridge cal- endar, or take the Oxford calendar, for two hundred years; look at the Church, the parliament, or the bar, and it has always been the case that the men who were first in the competition of the schools, have been first in the competi- tion of life. ' ' "The civil and political history of New England and the Middle States for half a century before and after the Revo- lution may be read in the large capitals which distinguish the governors and judges, the senators and representatives in Congress, on the catalogues of Harvard, Yale, Nassau Hall and Columbia Colleges." — Dr. Willimn S. Tyler. " Eemember in general that a college education increases a young man's possibilities of reaching eminence and wealth and usefulness from three hundred and fifty to two thou- sandfold. ' ' — President J. W. Bashford. CHAPTEE XI THE COLLEGE MAN'S INFLUENCE It is absolutely impossible to accurately estimate the influence for weal or woe of any one man or group of men. Nevertheless, it is quite within the compass of possibility to reach certain conclusions which shall reason- ably satisfy and convince one of the general trend and, to a limited degree, to determine the worth and extent of individual influence. Some men are so obviously head and shoul- ders above their fellow men in attainments and achievements that they may be classified and considered by themselves. Such persons are found in the vanguard of the various profes- sions and pursuits of life. Biographical facts concerning such are easily accessible and usually reliable. Then, too, the student may readily ascertain the consensus of public opinion and the judgment of experts respect- ing the value of their achievements. Thus far we have considered the college man as a fair representative of the man of brains ; now we propose to show some reasons for this position. We recognize that at any given time only a very small proportion 227 228 The Churches and Educated Men of the whole population is college edu- cated. We are not unmindful of the fact that many men attain eminent success with- out the higher education. The college man has a place among the leaders and makers of public opinion; it shall be our endeavor to discover it. If perchance it be found that he occupies a unique position among men of distinction it will certainly afford a deal of encouragement to those who are longing for the advancement of the kingdom of God in the world. It is proved beyond all reasonable question that there has been a decided advance made in the religious life of the students of our colleges within the past century and that it was never more genuine and manly than to- day. If the college man's influence is pro- nounced and effective all out of proportion to his numbers in the community then we surely have trustworthy evidence that the Church is not losing her grip on the men of intellect. In direct corroboration of the statements made we cite the opinion of an expert scholar^ on the subject we are consider- ing : " Bismarck said that one-third of the graduates of the German universities ruled the empire, and a similar state of affairs is coming to pass in our own land. The work of the (col- lege) Associations, in helping to make these ^ F. G. Cressey, The Church and Young Men, p. 183. The College Man's Influence 229 rulers men of earnest spiritual life, is of inesti- mable value for the future welfare of the nation. Within the history of Association work, the proportion of Christians in American colleges has changed from less than one-third to more than one-half, a result due in no small degree to this agency. Over thirty thousand conver- sions of students are traceable at least in part to its work." Yery fortunately the weight of the college man's influence in the nation at large has re- ceived the most scrutinizing attention. And there is a mass of facts on the subject, already collected and classified, available to every one, and most rewarding reading for the skeptic and the agnostic. As would be naturally ex- pected the investigators first in this field of study have been the educators. These educa- tors are so uniformly reliable that few would be willing to question their conclusions ; but, happily, the results of their investigation tally so completely and exactly with the results of those studying the subject from a totally dif- ferent viewpoint that all must be satisfied. The writer began an independent investigation of these facts, but others have entered so extensively and thoroughly into the subject, and his treatment here is of necessity so limited, that it has been deemed wise to utilize the results obtained from many sources. It 230 The Churches and Educated Men should be said that through the exceeding courtesy of several students of the subject, the results of their study have been placed at the disposal of the writer, and to them full credit will be given. Probably no American has made a more careful, conscientious and concise study of this subject than President Charles F. Thwing of the Western Reserve University. In his sug- gestive and exceedingly helpful volume, " Within College Walls," a chapter is devoted to this subject. From it we make liberal quo- tations and draw many interesting facts. Under the supervision of President Thwing, a very thorough examination was made of the six volumes known as " Appleton's Cyclopaadia of American Biography." This extensive work contains sketches, more or less complete, of fifteen thousand one hundred and forty-two persons. All these persons are American and most of them are native born. The design of the cyclopaedia is to present the fifteen thousand persons who have been the most successful and distinguished in American history. Here is a thesaurus of information which, subject to obvious limitations, fur- nishes the most complete list of eminent Americans. Dr. Thwing says : "Of the 15,142 men named in the book, 5,326 are college men, or slightly more than The College Man's Influence 231 one-third. Of them also 941 are what may be called academy but not college men.^ Among the interesting questions upon which this survey sheds light is the question, In what vocations is found the largest portion of college men ? I ma}^ now say that the results of this examination were classified under seventeen professional divisions : clergymen, soldiers, lawyers, statesmen, business men, naval offi- cers, authors, physicians, artists, educators, scientists, journalists, public men, inventors, actors, explorers, or pioneers, and philan- thropists. There are 515 naval officers sketched, of whom only 49 are college men, or 2.9 per cent. Essentially the same pro- portion is found among soldiers : of no less than 1,752 names mentioned, 1,264 do not represent a college training: 436 represent only an academical training. Of the 107 actors mentioned, only 8 are college men. The percentages found in the other callings are as follows : pioneers and explorers, 3.6 per cent. ; artists, 10.4 per cent. ; inventors, 11 per cent. ; philanthropists, 16 per cent. ; business men, 17 per cent. ; public men, 18 per cent. ; statesmen, 33 per cent. ; authors, 37 per cent. ; physicians, 46 per cent. ; lawyers, 50 per cent. ; clergymen, 58 per cent. ; educators, 61 per cent.; scientists, 63 percent."^ 1 Within College Walls, p. 160. '^ Ibid, pp. 163, 164. 232 The Churches and Educated Men It will further show that while under the usual estimate only one physician in twenty has a college training, of those physicians who have done work sufficiently conspicuous to deserve a place in the cyclopaedia, nearly one-half are found to belong to this small per- centage, i. e., the five per cent, of physicians who are college men contains forty-six per cent, of those whose names are listed. The same kind of comparison respecting the legal profession indicates that the twenty per cent, of college trained lawyers contains fifty per cent, of those who reach eminence in the pro- fession. Concerning the ministry the same is true in general, though it should be borne in mind that the list includes many who have won distinction in those denominations which formerly discouraged an educated ministry. Every year the proportion of college men in the ministry increases. Seventeen per cent, of the business men who have won conspicuous success were trained in college. There were 1,105 names in the list of which 161 were college men. If it were possible to estimate the number of business men, during the period under consideration, and then find what pro- portion of them succeeded sufficiently to have their names inserted in the cyclopaedia, and then compare this result with the limited number of college men who were engaged in The College Man's Influence 233 business at the time the work was compiled, the showing for the college trained business man would be very marked. And so one might follow down throughout the list of pro- fessions and pursuits with much the same re- sult, showing conclusively that the college man for some reason distances his competitor in every field in which he enters. This war- rants the conclusion that his influence is al- together out of proportion to his numbers. It is also important to note that there is a difference in these various professions respect- ing the quality of influence. In those pro- fessions which by general consensus of opinion exert the greatest influence we find the proportion of college men unusually large. The largest per cent, of college men is found among the statesmen, authors, physicians, lawyers, editors, clergymen, educators and scientists. Most assuredly these represent those professions which are most influential in originating and forming public opinion. It is significant that the college men furnish nearly fifty per cent, of these distinguished names. Hence it follows that in a cyclopgedia listing only those persons reaching eminence in those professions which concern themselves specially with the training of the young, the directing of the affairs of church, school and state, considerably more than half would be col- 234 The Churches and Educated Men lege men. This indicates either that the college trained man possesses superior intel- lectual qualifications and consequently seeks the higher education, or receives from his col- lege course that peculiar preparation and stimulus which equips him for efficient leader- ship. In either case if there is a steady advance in the spiritual life of the college man, then surely the Church is not losing her hold on the men of intellect. Dr. Thwing has treated the subject even more fully in another volume, " The American College in American Life," to which we would refer every one w^ho would have more ample proof of the unique influence of the college man. In this book are given the results of a painstaking examination of Dr. Sprague's " Annals of the American Pulpit," in which carefully prepared and somewhat lengthy biographical sketches of eleven hundred and seventy clergymen are given. In this list of distinguished clergymen seventy-four per cent, of the Episcopalians, seventy-eight per cent, of the Presbyterians, eighty per cent, of the Con- gregationalists and ninety-seven per cent, of the IJnitarians are college graduates.^ The ratio is somewhat smaller among the Baptists, for the reason that the denomination for a long time discouraged long and special » pp. 47-49. The College Man's Influence 235 training for the ministry. Dr. Sprague issued this monumental work nearly half a century ago. Since that time there has been a decided change in all those denominations which then placed a low estimate upon the higher educa- tion. The annals of the American pulpit written to-day would certainly show a much larger ratio of collegiate educated men in the ministry as a whole. Whatever may be said concerning the influence of the minister in the community now, time was when he was the village autocrat and the superior of the people. Somewhat of this power has gradually been transferred to men of other professions. Never- theless, taking the country as a whole the influ- ence of the ministry, collectively as well.as in- dividually, places it in the vanguard of progress. One of the most interesting and significant studies of this subject has been made by John "W. Leonard, editor of Who '<§ Who in America. Certainly no other investigator has had such an unusual opportunity or such valuable ma- terial at hand for the study. The data for the study is autobiographical and consequently more decidedly accurate than any other similar compilation of facts. Then, too, the results of the study are specially valuable and convincing because of the broad interpretation of success given by the editor and his corps of workers. This question he thus raises and answers: 236 The Churches and Educated Men " What then is a fair definition of success ? It is the achievement of honest ambition in any worthy line of work, accompanied by a just recognition of that achievement by that part of society interested in such labors " — a defi- nition peculiarly happy and satisfactory. The biennial publication of Who^s Who in America gives concise and condensed biogra- phies of all the men and women *' in reputable and useful occupations who have obtained more than local prominence." The edition of Number of names in edition Furnishing educational data, general and technical Furnished no educational data Furnished general educational data— basis of computation General Education Graduates of universities and colleges conferring baccalaureate degree in letters, science or philosophy Graduates of the United States Naval Academy Graduatesof the United States Military Academy College graduates (including Army and Navy) Attended universities and colleges, but not graduated Total collegians, graduated and ungraduated Closed education in academies, seminaries and other secondary schools Finished in normal schools Have high school education only Have only common or public school education Privately educated Self-taught Educated abroad TECHNiCAii Education Graduates in medicine .• Graduates of technical schools (engineers, architects, chemists, agri- culturalists, etc.) Graduates in theology Graduates in law Naval oflScers not graduated as such Military oflScers not graduated as such (From Who 's Who in America, by permission of the author, The College Man's Influence 237 1899 contained 8,602 such biographies, that of 1901, 11,651, that of 1903, 13,204 Each list covers only living persons, and for this reason is of peculiar interest. These facts are all autobiographical and have been submitted to the writers for revision and correction. Mr. Leonard soon discerned that these personal statements might present data for special edu- cational statistics. This investigation has been followed in the last three publications with most interesting results. We call attention to PRESENT EDITION OF 1903-5 EDITION 1901-2 EDITION 1899 Men Women Total Total Total Per ct. Per ct. Per ct. Per ct. Per ct. No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of 10,618 766 11,384 8,141 6,094 13,204 1,239 14,443 11,551 8,602 11,381 844 12,325 9,760 7,295 1,723 395 2,118 1,791 1,307 10,618 100.00 766 100.00 11,384 100.00 8,141 100.00 6,029 100.00 5,815 54.77 182 23.76 5,997 52.68 4,521 55.53 3,237 53.12 174 1.69 179 1.57 121 1.49 109 1.79 203 1.91 203 1.78 168 2.06 162 2.66 6,197 58.36 182 23.76 6,379 56.03 4,810 59.08 3,508 58.16 1,589 15.05 65 8.49 1,663 14.61 965 11.85 733 12.16 7,795 73.41 247 32.25 7,942 69.76 5,775 70.94 4,241 70.. S4 1,166 10.98 233 30.42 1,399 12.29 889 10.92 693 11.49 126 1.19 45 5.87 171 1.50 117 1.44 79 1.31 353 3.32 43 5.62 396 3.48 239 2.94 171 1.41 1,078 10.15 33 4.31 1,111 9.76 886 9.92 640 10.61 281 2.65 165 21.55 446 3.92 282 3.46 185 3.07 24 0.23 24 0.21 31 0.38 20 0.33 71 23 94 336 298b 1,120 20 1,140 717 553 342 3b 545 327 265 808 3 811 494 378 976 5 981 521 336 44 44 14 9 103 103 36 35 John W. Leonard, and of the publishers, A. N. Marquis & Co.) 238 The Churches and Educated Men the editor's declaration that those who have not furnished educational data are known to be persons of not inferior educational advantages, but have simply failed to supply the desired facts. " Had they supplied the data there is every reason to believe that the relative edu- cational standing of the entire number would have shown no material change." Considering the broad interpretation of suc- cess and the large number of persons enumer- ated, the results are surprising, being remark- able not alone for the notably high ratio of college men but also for the close agreement of the three tabulations which from beginning to end were wrought out independently. The slightly rising percentage is just what the ob- server would most naturally expect from the fact there is a slight increase in the percent- age of men seeking a college education. ^' These tables," says the author, " are believed to be unique in their origin and bearings, and to present, probably in a more concrete and definite form than any statistics heretofore printed, figures that serve to illumine current inquiry as to the value of higher education." Thus from the latest, most thorough, and scientific investigation, it is discovered that over seventy-three per cent, of persons now living in America who have won conspicuous success are college educated, and, moreover, The College Man's Influence 239 that the percentage is gradually rising. This hrings our study down to date and would seem to present sufficient evidence to satisfy the most skeptical that the college man is a fair representative of the man of intellect, not only in the essentially scholastic professions, but in other pursuits which demand superior talents as well. The reader should ever keep in mind the fact that the proportion of college men to the great mass of men who compete for the prizes in these more conspicuous pur- suits of life is exceedingly small. If the Church is steadily increasing its influence upon college men, and these men secure three- fourths of the best positions in life, then it follows that the Church has not lost its hold on the makers and moulders of public opinion. Various persons at different times have made a study of those occupying the highest positions of statesmanship in our country, and it has been found that of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence, forty- two had a liberal education. Three members of the committee of five appointed to draft the Declaration were college trained. Twenty- nine of the fifty-five men composing the Con- vention of 1787, which framed the Constitu- tion, were college educated. Every chief jus- tice of the United States with one exception has been a college graduate. More than sixty 240 The Churches and Educated Men per cent, of the associate judges of the Supreme Court and of the judges of the circuit courts have been college men. At the present time every member of the Supreme Court has re- ceived a liberal education. More than fifty per cent, of the members of the national Sen- ate and House have been college bred, while a larger percentage holds in relation to presi- dents, vice-presidents and speakers of the House. College men have been notably con- spicuous in presidential cabinets, in some de- partments numbering more than seventy -five per cent. In governmental service abroad, es- pecially in the most honorable positions, the college trained man has been much in evi- dence. The same ratio obtains in all the higher positions of public life, with a gradually diminishing percentage as the public trust be- comes less important. Contrary to current opinion and the per- sonal declaration of some eminently successful men in commercial life, the college man has won some of the best prizes in the business world. In "Educational Truths for the Twentieth Century," James W. Bashford, President of the Ohio Wesleyan University has this to say concerning college men in business : "It is not sufficient to mention names. Doubtless the opponent of college education can name many, like John Jacob Astor, Car- The College Man's Influence 241 negie, Peter Cooper, Girard, Mackaye, Pull- man, Peabody, Slater and Yanderbilt who never entered a college. But we must remem- ber that, as the colleges have furnished only one person in 750 of the men competing for wealth, they are entitled to only one repre- sentative in 750 among the rich. A list of one hundred of the wealthiest men in the United States was recently compiled, and their early lives were studied as far as possible. Sketches of eighty of these men were found ; and the sketches showed that thirty of them, or thirty-seven and a half per cent, were col- lege graduates, and that twenty-two more had academic or professional training, while only twenty-eight persons out of the eighty, or thirty-five per cent, were furnished by the millions of American people having only a common school education. So far as a college training acting as a bar to wealth, according to these statistics, it gives the college graduate two hundred and seventy-seven times as many possibilities of becoming rich as his less edu- cated brother enjoys." The same writer has made an interesting study of the influence of the college man in the family, indicating how these college men of influence have been perpetuated gen- eration after generation in certain illustrious families. A few names v\'ill be sufficient to 242 The Churches and Educated Men suggest the trend of the thought. The Adamses, Quincys, Fields, Beechers, Storrs, Edwardses, D wights, and a host of other names of similar import might be added. Of the fourteen hundred and sixty-seven descendants of Jonathan Edwards, only six have shown the slightest criminal taint; and only one, Aaron Burr, became notoriously wicked. Two hundred and twenty-three of these descend- ants have been college graduates — more than one in every seven. More than sixty became clergymen, eighty-seven were eminent law- yers, four became state governors, three were United States senators and many were mem- bers of Congress, and nine became famous col- lege presidents. All this indicates that when the ameliorating influences of the nation are considered, the college man is rendering a most significant service. Having shown that the college man has been conspicuous in the higher walks of life, in fact securing much more than half of the best places at the disposal of his countrymen, and having won an equal percentage of success in the competitions of life elsewhere, we would inquire further what proportion of the popula- tion are college educated ? While this inquiry cannot be fully answered respecting the earlier periods of American history there are, however, certain data which furnish a reasonable basis The College Man's Influence 243 for general conclusions. Dr. J. W. Bashford, already quoted, in an article, " Why go to College ? " ^ makes the following estimate : " The ratio of male college graduates to the male adult population throughout the history of the United States has been one to seven hundred and fifty. But the ratio of college graduates to non-graduates throughout our his- tory has been, among Congressmen, thirty-two to sixty-eight ; among Senators, forty-six to sixty-four; among Presidents of the United States, sixty -five to thirty-five ; among judges of the Supreme Court, seventy- three to twenty- seven. Dividing the ratio of college graduates to non-graduates in Congress, etc., by the ratio in the nation, we find that a college training increases a young man's possibilities of reach- ing the House of Eepresentatives 352 times, of reaching the Senate 530 times ; of reaching the Presidency 1,392 times; of reaching the Su- preme Court of the United States 2,027 times. . . . If you forget the detailed figures men- tioned above," he adds, " remember in general that a college education increases a young man's possibilities of reaching eminence and wealth and usefulness from three hundred and fifty to two thousandfold." This same eminent writer elsewhere quotes figures from Dr. Harris, Com- missioner of Education for the United States, * Christian Endeavor World, Nov. 1, 1900. 244 The Churches and Educated Men to this effect, that the ratio of college gradu- ates to the entire population to-day is one to two hundred and eighty, and that this ratio is further reduced by the fact that only about half of the population ever reach the age of the college graduate and the active competitions of life. Hence he adds that the number of college graduates compared with the popula- tion reaching the age of twenty-one and thus entering upon the struggles of life are one to one hundred and thirty- seven. Dr. Harris further observes, that the professions, political offices, etc., are largely restricted to men, con- sequently the number of men graduating from colleges to-day as compared with the total number of men reaching twenty-one is one to ninety-one. Dr. Harris has also traced these statistics back for a quarter of a century and has discovered that the quota receiving a liberal education to-day is three times greater than it was twenty-five years ago. Hence, covering the period which is included by the age of most men now in active service and specially by those who have attained national distinction, the ratio of college men to their male com- petitors is one to two hundred and seventy- three. Dr. Bashford, after a searching study and widely extended inquiry, believes that the conservative estimate for the entire history of the United States is one college man to seven The College Man's Influence 245 hundred and fifty men who have reached twenty-one years of age. ^ There are many difficulties in the way of anything like an accurate estimate of the ratio of college men to the male population of equal age. This, however, is evident, that there is a constant rise in the percentage, and that the ratio to-day is several times larger than it was a century ago. Many different estimates have been given which vary widely to either extreme from what is given above. Several have based their enumerations solely upon the number of students in the colleges. This is obviously an insufficient basis, since there are many college graduates out in active life who must be con- sidered. On the whole, then, we believe that the estimate already given is as reasonable as any now available. Assuming, then, that there is only one college man in every seven hundred and fifty males of similar age when we consider the whole of American history, it will become at once ap- parent that the college-bred man has exerted an influence altogether out of proportion to his numerical strength. Again it should be noticed that while this ratio for the present is much larger between the college men and non-grad- uates, probably five times larger than one hun- dred years ago, there has been more than a ^ Cf. Educational Truths for the Twentieth Century. 246 The Churches and Educated Men corresponding gain of successful college men in the competitions of life. The proportion of college men has increased, but the percentage of successful college men in competition with the non-graduates has increased much the more rapidly. So long as these facts remain and the college man continues to increase in numbers and efficiency, the Church, which has been the mother of colleges, ought to rejoice. And in- asmuch as the advance of religious interest in college is developing faster than the numerical increase of students, there is great occasion for encouragement. Those who are most fearless and persistent in search for truth, who are cer- tainly a fair representative of the men of brains, are not deserting the cause of Christ and his Church, but on the other hand are ral- lying in greater numbers and truer consecra- tion under the Captain of our salvation. THE CHUECHES' EQUIPMENT FOR BEACHING MEN ' ' In the progress of the kingdom, no one thing in recent years is more significant than the aroused conscience and in- creasing interest and activity of young men in Christian work. The tide has turned. It is beating at the doors of our churches. All that it asks is a chance, — the open door. Where entrance has been given, the flow of a new life has come surging through the Church, and with irresistible power." — Rev. Geo. Whitefield Mead, Modern Blethods in Church Work, p. 162. "Many years ago the venerable Rev. Dr. McCosh said about the Student Volunteers, ' Has any such offering of living young men and women been presented in our age, in our country, in any age, in any country ? ' How much truer these words are now than when first spoken ! This great movement, born, as we must believe, of God, means more new recruits and better trained men for the foreign field : it means a new missionary spirit in the home churches." " It is no longer a drawback to a young man to be a mem- ber of a church. It is no embarrassment, it is an encour- agement. It is no longer a hindrance, it is a help." — President McKinley. ' ' Let us neither sigh for the past nor fear for the future. The new century will bring new perplexities, but they will be the problems of progress, which must ever be solved by more progress. The backward look never sees the way out. Let us face the future with courage and with faith, for of all the ages that have come and gone, not one has such hope for humanity as the twentieth century." — Josiah Strong, The Times and Young Men, p. 239. CHAPTEK XII THE CHURCHES' EQUIPMENT FOR REACHING MEN More than one-half of the college men are professing Christians and members of evangel- ical churches. The college man furnishes more than fifty per cent, of the makers and leaders of public opinion. As we have already shoAvn, the success of the churches in reaching men of intellect, from the viewpoint of the college student, is far greater than for one hundred and twenty-five years, if not for the entire period of American history back to the earliest colonial times. All things considered, the ris- ing percentage of professing Christians among college students for nearly a century and a half is most remarkable. These facts are cer- tainl}^ most encouraging. The situation viewed from within the churches is also cheering. The picket-line has been advanced, many strongholds have been taken, giants overcome, new territory added. All this is most stimulating. ^Nevertheless, the situation, viewed from outside the churches, reveals much land yet to be possessed and is decidedly depressing. The truth is that while 249 250 The Churches and Educated Men we have made actual progress and are reaching the men of intellect with a success unknown hitherto, there is still a great multitude of men unreached by the churches ; there are many of those who are interested in spiritual matters who never become self-sustaining in their re- ligious experience ; and there are compara- tively few men of commanding spiritual power in the community. Under these conditions, at once encouraging and depressing, certain questions are bound to arise concerning the religious outlook for the churches respecting men of intellect. What is the attitude of the churches toward this per- plexing problem ? What practical effort are they putting forth toward its solution ? What is the equipment of the churches for this great and glorious work? What are the religious signs of the times? The incoming tide of worldliness, increasing materialism, desecra- tion of the Lord's Day, waning respect for the authority of God's Word, small accessions to church-membership, are not auspicious indica- tions ; but there are signs, on the other hand, full of hope and encouragement. Of these favorable signs we would mention three : (1) The churches recognize the need of deeper spiritual life, more definite religious instruc- tion, and better equipment. (2) The churches and religious leaders are determined to know The Churches' Equipment 251 the exact conditions and to meet them con- scientiously and effectually. (3) Certain defi- nite religious movements have recently been inaugurated full of promise for the future. Hope always rises with the kindling of the fires of interest. It is an omen of good that the churches are awakening to their responsi- bilities, are beginning to appreciate most keenly their needs, and already are regirding themselves for the new opportunities. The first step towards the eradication of any evil is the recognition of its existence. The logical order in the process and progress of any re- form is agitation, education, organization and achievement. A conflict of interests almost invariably attends the stage of agitation, yet not infrequently it indicates intense vitality. The churches are not dead. Sensitiveness is'^a sign of life. Indifference betokens spiritual degeneration. The spirit of the churches at any time is interpreted and defined by the vital issues which are most earnestly consid- ered. There are four such issues now com- manding the attention of religious leaders with absorbing interest, namely: (1) The train- ing of the young people ; (2) organized work of men for men in the local churches ; (3) catechetical instruction for the children; (4) the application of modern pedagogic principles to the teaching of ethical and religious truth. 252 The Churches and Educated Mqn Each of these issues deals directly with the relation of the men to the churches. There has already been an immense amount of agitation with the corresponding education of the people. Organization has quickly fol- lowed the awakening in every instance. Con- sequently the churches were never better equipped than to-day for the work before them. We shall further consider these four issues in their bearing upon the subject under discussion. The training of the young people in the churches is a very modern enterprise. Pos- sibly it was not so much needed when con- ditions were more homogeneous and w^hen parental training around the family hearth- stone was so different. Sporadic attempts here and there indicated the growing need of a well-equipped young people's organiza- tion in every church. And for this, as for every great movement, God prepares his leader. The first permanent organization of the young people, capable of perpetuating and propagat- ing itself, was the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. The first society was formed at Portland, Maine, in 1881, by the Rev. Francis E. Clark, pastor of the Williston Con- gregational Church. As if by divine appoint- ment the essential principles found in that first society characterize the movement which now • The Churches' Equipment 253 numbers tens of thousands of societies and millions of members. Other organizations closely patterned after the Christian Endeavor soon sprang into existence so that to-day few- churches can be found without an organiza- tion for the young people. The Christian Endeavor has been a train- ing-school for many of the most efficient of the younger leaders in Christian work. The movement has been of inestimable value to the churches. The plan of the organization, when faithfully followed, produces an intelli- gent and enthusiastic devotion to " Christ and his Church." ]^o organization is a panacea for all spiritual ills. Incompetent and in- different leadership in pulpit and pew has made success impossible in some places. But wherever there has been sane and sympathetic guidance there have been spiritual progress and development. This movement is too w^ell known to require any further w^ord of expla- nation here. There is now a mass of literature accessible to every one interested in special work for and among the young people. The denominational barriers have been effectually lowered by this organization. Indeed, there is hardly an advance movement of the Church which is not ardently supported by the young people. Missions, temperance, good citizen- ship, Bible study. Sabbath observance and 254 The Churches and Educated Men many kindred religious enterprises have re- ceived a mighty impetus from the organized effort of Endeavorers. And the work is but just begun. The splendid achievements of the Ep worth League, Baptist Union and other kindred de- nominational societies truly deserve an ex- tended consideration, but the working prin- ciples of these various societies, the plan of organization, and the results accomplished are so similar to those of the Christian Endeavor and so well known that it seems unnecessary to define them here. The Epworth League alone now numbers only a little short of two millions of children and j^oung people. There are thus in these organizations mighty hosts of young people in training for Christ and his Church w^ho will eventually become the makers and leaders of public opinion. The special Christian work for men may be best considered under two heads : — the Young Men's Christian Association, and men's fra- ternal organizations in the local churches. We shall first consider the Association. It seems hardly possible that fifty years ago there was almost no organized Christian effort to reach men. Of course here and there a single or- ganization or a small group of societies may be discovered by a perusal of old church his- tories. But there was no organized effort The Churches' Equipment 255 worthy of the name till the formation of the Y. M. C. A. in 1851. Its timely appearance, hearty reception and phenomenal growth in- dicate the urgency of the need and the splen- did adaptability of the association to the highest interests of the community. The great jubilee meeting in Boston in 1901 gave such publicity to the various departments of Association work that no extended charac- terization of this mighty Christian enterprise is here needed. The tri-unity of purpose which animates this great organization is well ex- pressed by its seal in triangular form bearing respectively on its three sides the words body, mind and soul. In the gymnasiums physical soundness is preached and produced. In the educational classes mental fiber and force is developed. In the religious work the char- acter is molded and patterned after the divine ideal. Social life is fostered amid a whole- some environment. The virile qualities of high-class manhood, ever in evidence, are the practical exponents of the spiritual life. The Association has been a boon of incalculable worth to the young man away from home. And its open doors are ever the protest against a life of sin and shame, and the cheery invi- tation to a better life. The Association has performed a work which the churches unaided could not have done. It has provided a com- 256 The Churches and Educated Men mon center for all the denominations and has been a sort of religious clearance-house for many matters which required cooperative effort. It has become a great organized brotherhood with an esprit de corps so sym- pathetic, profitable and powerful, that many a man has been won by it to real life from a downward course through sin to death. It has served to arouse young men to "stir up the gift " within them, and has set the feet of a multitude in the path of honor and success. The Association has been remarkably efficient and successful among the soldiers and the sail- ors. It is now found in connection with about all the great commercial enterprises. One phase of the Association work demands special attention from us. It is the College Branch. There was of course a great deal of Christian work done before the advent of the Association, but with its appearance there came a new impulse. In all probability the Association in a university like Yale is about the best example of religious adaptation to a need anywhere to be found. The broad Christian basis, the undenominational char- acter, the unique flexibility of the organiza- tion most admirably fits it for the peculiar work of reaching the college man. The Association providentially appeared just at the time when the college most needed it. As we The Churches' Equipment 257 have shown, there has been an increasing chasm separating the college and the commu- nity, till to-day the university life is quite unlike that found elsewhere. The Association renders excellent service as an intermediary between Church and college. It anticipates the coming of the student to his college, extends a warm Christian welcome to him, affords him opportunity of religious impression through reading-rooms, personal visitation, various serv- ices specially adapted for his need, and creates for him a spiritual atmosphere. It does more ; it provides opportunity for the ex- pression of religious consecration in definite service. For the Association not only con- serves and concentrates the spiritual forces of the college, but under skilled leadership directs these forces into those channels where the greatest good may be accomplished. College religion has no place for shams and hypocri- sies. They are despised. Frank, virile, strenuous spirituality is always at a premium. Association leaders in college act on the principle, w^hich obtains in the gymnasium and classroom, that strength and culture come only through the proper exercise of one's powers. Hence the Christian student is set to work. And so varied are the opportunities that there is always plenty of work, and so diversified that each has something to do. The collegia 258 The Churches and Educated Men thus through its students makes a direct and valuable contribution to the volume of Chris- tian service in the community. But, better yet, these young men thus trained graduate from college with a preparation for Christian service of greatest worth to the churches. Through the Association the religious enthu- siasm of the student finds full scope for expres- sion. All those various sporadic attempts at organization, for Bible study, mission work, conference meetings, etc., referred to in the course of our study, without loss of interest have become integral parts of the Association work. Then, too, there is now the prepared medium for intercollegiate conference, litera- ture and acquaintance. The meetings on Old Eound Top, ISTorthfield, and the annual student conferences have proven a Pentecostal blessing to the colleges. That a single university like Harvard sends a delegation of nearly one hun- dred and fifty men to the ISTorthfield conference indicates not only the matured fruits of the Association work but is also proof of the new spiritual life of the college. The object and spirit of this marvelously interesting modern enterprise to reach with Christian influences the students of the land is well defined in the declaration of its lead- ing promoters : " The immediate object of the movement is to organize and to develop strong The Churches' Equipment 259 Young Men's Christian Associations in all JSTorth American institutions of higher learn- ing in which there are young men. This purpose, however, is regarded as but a means to the following ends : to lead students to become intelligent and loyal disciples of Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord ; to help them in the battle with the many and subtle temptations of student life ; to build up strong Christian faith and symmetrical Christian character ; to train students in individual and associated Christian work in order that they may be most useful in the church ; to place upon them a burden of responsibility for the extension and upbuilding of the kingdom of Christ throughout the world, and to influence them to place their lives where they can best serve their generation. The Northfield conferences suggest another phenomenal movement among the students. The natural ingathering from the seed-sowing by men like Brainerd and Mills in the Student Yolunteer Movement, called into being in 1886 for the primary purpose of providing a sufficient number of capable missionary candi- dates to meet the requirements of the various boards, has grown to such proportions that it now promises the men, and then challenges the churches to furnish the means to send them into the most needy fields. But another 26o The Churches and Educated Men object, hardly secondary to that just stated, is the development among students who are to spend then* lives in Christian lands, either as pastors or as laymen, of a sense of responsi- bility to sustain and enforce the foreign mis- sionary enterprise by intelligent s}^!! pa thy, by gifts of money, by prayer, and by aggres- sive effort on behalf of the world's evangeli- zation. The work of the movement through visitation, summer conferences and correspond- ence has touched, nearly, if not quite, eight hundred institutions. Traveling secretaries, a choice literature, a well-defined educational work has brought the missionary object before the students of all the large institutions of the country. The result is that hardly a student leaves college to-day ignorant of the spiritual needs of the world. Already about two thousand of these volunteers are at work in mission fields. The students in educational institutions in 1902 raised more than $40,000 for mission purposes, increasing the contri- bution to $61,000 in 1903. Thousands of students, filled with the missionary spirit as laymen and ministers, are working in sym- pathetic accord with this great movement. It certainly would appear that, for some reason, the spiritual life of the college is more intense than that of the churches. It is a reversal of the natural order when the young disciple The Churches' Equipment 261 challenges the Church to match with money his devotion of life. The Student Volunteer Movement is a fact which ought to make pessimism impossible among religious leaders. The Young Men's Christian Association in the past decade has made an inestimable con- tribution to the cause of Christian education, furnishing in many a community a practical university for the common people. Unable to bestow degrees, it has provided the opportunity and means by which a vast number of young men are intelligently qualified themselves to win the choice prizes in the competitions of life. Indissolubly associated with the mental and the manual training is the character prep- aration which is admirably fitting these young men for Christian leadership. Thousands of young men, availing themselves of the oppor- tunities afforded by the Association, have gained the right to the name and must be in- cluded in the ranks of educated men. The success in life and the practical spirituality of the majority of these Association men add no little weight to the conclusions already reached concerning the hold of the church on edu- cated men. There were 30,600 men thus enrolled in 1903 in the educational classes of the Associations. From the work of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association, so imperfectly treated for 262 The Churches and Educated Men lack of space, we turn to the second form of special work for men. It would be exceed- ingly unfortunate in an age when the fraternal spirit is so much in evidence, if the churches failed to make use of it in the propagation of the mission of Christ in the world. It is be- yond understanding why the churches so slowly recognized the clannish or fraternal spirit of men. With society overcrowded with secret orders, it was singular that the churches, while almost overorganized with societies for the women, did almost nothing for the men. The wonder is that the churches have as many loyal supporters among the men now as they do. This clannish spirit is constitutional or instinctive with men and peculiar to them. The fraternal bond may be utilized within as well as outside the churches. Here is a natural force of great potency which the churches have almost disregarded till within a score of years. Kecently the discovery has been made that the men of the local church may be affiliated greatly to the advantage of all interested in religious matters. In the progress of the kingdom, no one thing in recent years is more conspicuous than the aroused conscience, the increased interest, and the splendid activity of the young men in Christian service. The tide has surety turned, and the future is bright with hope. There The Churches' Equipment 263 have been a few exceedingly interesting at- tempts at organization of the men in the churches, recorded here and there in the old church manuals and histories. But they were nearly all of brief existence and of local im- portance. In 1851 the Y. M. C. A. took root in American soil and gradually extended its influence to all the large cities of the land. And yet it was nearly twenty-five years after the establishment of the Association before any one began seriously to consider special work for men within the local church. The pioneer in this kind of work was James L. Houghteling, who organized in St. James Church, Chicago, on St. Andrew's Day, 1883, the charter chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. Inasmuch as the organization was strictly denominational and largely restricted to personal work at first, we shall include its description with that of the larger and some- what similar organization of the Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip. To the ordinary reader it will hardly seem possible that a score of years ago there was almost nothing being done in special work for men. Of course we do not overlook the regular work of the churches, the oversight of the pastors and the influence of other organizations. We simply refer to the fact that, while there were numerous special organizations for the women, 264 The Churches and Educated Men there were none for the men in the ordinary church. The next great leader in special work for young men was Eev. Eufus W. Miller, D. D., who in 1888 organized the first chapter of the Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, in Read- ing, Pennsylvania. Similar in some respects to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, it incor- porated many new and original methods pertaining to Christian work among men. This order is now found in nearly all the large denominations, has a strong interde- nominational organization, issues the Brother- hood Star^ a monthly magazine devoted entirely to Christian work among men in the local church, and has been of inestimable value to the churches. Through this organiza- tion and the writings of its strong supporters, probably more influence has been exerted to arouse the churches to their opportunities and responsibilities respecting young men than by any other one source. More interested in advancing the cause of Christ among men than in the success of any movement, these two Brotherhoods have succeeded in agitating the matter, in educating the churches, till to- day there are but few without some special organization of the men. The Brotherhood stands for personal work characterized by the two disciples whose names it bears. Yet it is The Churches' Equipment 265 so flexible that it may be easily adapted to any and every need of the local church. The order points with great satisfaction to certain fruits of its endeavor. It has invariably, under favorable circumstances, been remark- ably successful in developing efficient Chris- tian workers, proving itself a training-school in Christian service. It has generally fur- nished the pastor a most loyal body-guard of the choicest young men of the church, ready and willing to render first-class service on short notice. It has also been unusually serviceable in increasing the church-member- ship. Dr. Wilbur Chapman gave this testi- mony of his chapter of the Brotherhood in Bethany Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : " In a pastorate of two years nearly one thou- sand have been added to the church. Of this number one-half are men, and of these men fully nine-tenths are to be attributed to the work of the Brotherhood." Inasmuch as these are the results which earnest pastors and churches most desire, we commend the Brotherhood to those who are looking espe- cially for spiritual returns. The Methodists, like the Episcopalians, have organized the work among men in their churches along denominational lines. Be- ginning about a decade ago, the increase of men's organizations in the Methodist com- 266 The Churches and Educated Men munioii has been most rapid. The Brother- hood type of organization was from the start the most popular and most in keeping with the evangelistic spirit of the church. The Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, the Brotherhood of St. Paul, and the Wesley and Mizpah Brotherhoods each sought the right of way. Representatives of these and other men's organizations met in convention at Philadelphia in 1898 and agreed to combine in a common brotherhood for the whole de- nomination under the title, The Brotherhood of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The con- vention of 1903 renamed the organization so that the title now stands : The Wesley Brotherhood — The Brotherhood of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Dr. Thomas B. Neely of ISTew York City is the originator of The Wesley Brotherhood and the efficient leader of this denominational work. The Westley Brotherhood of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of more recent organization, has the heartiest endorsement of the Church leaders and is making a rapid and permanent growth. These various brotherhoods are all alike in the splendid emphasis which they place upon the distinctly spiritual purpose, the definite per- sonal work, and the apostolic training for Christian service. In the very nature of the The Churches' Equipment 267 case these orders require for the most satisfac- tory results a full-hearted consecration and a hi(i:h deo-ree of service. There are not less than fifty thousand men thus banded together in these various brotherhoods in this country. In describing one type of organization refer- ence is indirectly made to much which is com- mon to all the best attempts to solve the prob- lem of the Church and the men. The differ- ence between these organizations is largely one of emphasis upon the differing phases of the work. Centering about the Bible Class and Bible stud}^ is another large group of associated organizations of Christian men. Of these the most successful is the Baraca Bible Class. Founded by Mr. M. A. Hudson, in Syracuse, in 1890, it has enjoyed a phenomenal growth and now numbers more than 60,000 men. It is found in nearly every denomination and has rendered a most notable service to the Church. Through its ministry thousands of young men have been won to Christ and to successful serv- ice in his name. This society possesses great possibilities and is a blessing and a power in any church. Under various names a similar work is conducted in a large number of churches. Keference should be made to the Ailing Classes of Kochester, and to Chicago's Presbyterian Young Men's Classes, both of which have won notable successes. Any or- 268 The Churches and Educated Men ganization placing so much emphasis upon Bible study, the church service, and definite religious effort is perfectly safe, presents ob- vious advantages and at the same time certain limitations when the men of all ages and conditions in the Church are considered. The Baptist churches have been conspicuously suc- cessful in this form of Christian activity among their men. This Bible Class movement, like the Brother- hood idea, fails to meet the need in every church, sometimes because of the paucity of earnest Christians interested in Bible study and personal work, and also from the failure to enlist all the men identified with the Church. There has consequently arisen another large and important group of organizations. The w^ork of the Church for men may be like- ened to an ellipse with two foci. The ellip- tical foci are high-class religious service for the few in a small fraternity or the lower religious standards in an organization which shall in- clude the many. While it would seem an easy matter to wed quality and quantity and to make the ellipse a circle with a single focus or center, this ideal has seldom been reached, but is sure to come. Those organizations designed to include all the men of the Church, place greater emphasis upon the fraternal and social features. Some take charge of the Sunday The Churches' Equipment 269 evening service, and provide music and speak- ers. E"early all the men's organizations have at least monthly meetings, occasional banquets, and special religious services. In many churches there has been steady increase in the number of males attending divine worship, in the financial support, and in church-member- ship. There are plenty of organizations and therefore no excuse for the church or pastor disregarding this important phase of Christian service. One of the most successful and vigor- ous organizations of the more liberal form is the Pilgrim Fraternity, of the Pilgrim Congre- gational Church, Dorchester, Massachusetts. Dr. W. H. All bright, founder of the society, introduced the insurance benefit idea. This feature has proven particularly attractive, and after a ten years' trial has more than met the expectations of its promoters. In 1903 was formed The Interdenominational Federation of Men's Organizations of New England. There are probably not less than fifty thousand men identified with the various men's organizations connected with the evan- gelical churches of New England alone — a mighty force for the advancement of the king- dom of God if rightly and wisely directed. Within a decade and a half there has been a most phenomenal development of catechetical instruction. Before the writer are a score of 270 The Churches and Educated Men manuals for such instruction which have ap- peared from one denomination in the last few- years. This subject is receiving the most seri- ous attention of the religious leaders. " In re- gard to anything that grows," said Horace Mann, with the instinct of the great educator that he was, " one right forifner will accom- plish more than a thousand reformers." The leaders of religious thought and the makers of public opinion are beginning to realize the deep and fundamental significance of the correct formatories of character. Spasms of reform- atory agitation are proving increasingly ineffi- cacious and unsatisfactory. The slower but surer program which relies upon foundations and formatories of spiritual manhood now claim the chief attention of the ablest and truest re- formers. The Church is determined to train a new generation of staunch and stalwart Chris- tians. It is not our purpose to treat at length this renaissance of catechetical instruction but we wish to register our conviction that it is one of the most auspicious signs of the better day that is coming. Just as soon as the Church begins the train- ing of her children in the masterly way in which many are doing it to-day, the character of the Church for to-morrow will be assured. Painstaking instruction with the boys and the girls will greatly advance the work of Christ The Churches' Equipment 271 in the world, for by this effort the Church touches the human life at the period of greatest religious susceptibility. This catechetical in- struction novv begun in a few churches will soon be an integral part of the work of every well- regulated church. In this connection reference should be made to a remarkable literature on the religious ex- periences of childhood and youth. From a long list we name but four : — " The Point of Contact in Teaching," Patterson DuBois; "The Spiritual Life," Prof. George A. Coe, Ph. D. ; " The Psychology of Keligion," Prof. E. D. Starbuck; "The Boy Problem," Dr. William B. Forbush. These books throw a mass of light on the religious training of chil- dren and youth. These and similar works in- dicate the earnest and scholarly character of the treatment these vital issues of the Church are receiving. Dr. Forbush, agitator, edu- cator and organizer, all in one, has successfully focused the attention of the churches upon the perils and possibilities of boyhood. Dr. Luther Gulick, of Brooklyn, has also made valuable contribution to the same study. The last named writer in a series of articles on " Sex and Peligion," now unfortunately out of print, and Professor Coe on the " Eternally Feminine " have opened in the Church the dis- cussion on a most important subject. No one 272 The Churches and Educated Men doubts that the gospel is sufficiently broad to meet the needs of every human being, but it is unquestionably true that those phases which would make the most persuasive appeal to man have been under-emphasized. Great re- sults may be expected from the further study of this interesting subject. It is another aus- picious sign of the Church's intelligent grasp of the great problems before it. For a long time it has been growing evi- dent that the child of to-day was not receiving the proper ethical and religious instruction. There are three great institutions which have to do with the child — the home, the public school and the Church. Through the lack of coordi- nation there has been an appreciable loss in ethical force and spiritual stamina. The need has not been fully recognized, but a unique organization has been recently formed to con- sider this problem in all its bearings. The character of the distinguished men at the head of the organization and the enrolment of many hundreds of the most prominent re- ligious leaders in the land as members gives warrant for great expectations for the future welfare of the Church from the Keligious Education Association. That many other signs equally hopeful might be mentioned is most obvious. The older organizations of the churches have not The Churches' Equipment 273 lost their power but are rather increasing it. We have only selected those which especially affect the relation of the churches to men, and are of recent origin. The churches are be- coming well equipped for their work, never more so, and they are perfecting their equip- ment with unusual intelligence. The churches have awakened to the painful recognition of the fact that they were getting out of touch with those whom they most wished to reach. With a surprising adaptability they are just now directing the power of Christianity defi- nitely to the human need. In the diagnosis of the conditions of the churches, we find much of disease but more of strong vitality which has only to be quickened and revivified to bring about restoration of health. All things being taken into consideration, Christianity was never so vigorous and full of power as to- day. The churches have made a steady ad- vance for more than a century in reaching educated men, and we believe that the indica- tions surely point not only to a continuation of this wholesome progress, but to a sure in- crease in the quality and quantity of the Church's efficiency in winning and holding the most intellectual men. THE SUMMAEY " Whatever view we may take of the influence of Chris- tianity in other spheres of life, it is undeniable that among sttidents its power is immensely increasing ; and there it is laying hold of society and of human influence at its springs. We may view the future with equanimity as we watch this clean, straight-seeing, fearless host coming up, wave upon wave, unceasingly and with gathering momentum, from our schools and colleges and universities, and spreading out over the world."— jRo6er< E. Speer, in The Outlook, June 28, 1902. ' ' The colleges and universities constitute, without doubt, the most religious communities in our country. Taking the young men of America as a whole, not more than one in twelve are members of evangelical churches. Some have placed the proportion as low as one in twenty. Among the students, however, nearly one-half of the young men are members of evangelical churches. ' ' — John R. Mott, The Sun- aay School Times, July 19, 1901. "The observing world catches sight of the scum which floats on the surface of college life, and calls it unclean : but thb nearer one gets to the mass of student life to-day, the suter he grows that the heart of it is sound. He does not pine for the good old times, for he sees the assurance of a much manlier morality in the tendencies and standards which prevail among us now. ' ' — Sermon preached by Francis G. Peabody at the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Harvard College. CHAPTEK XIII THE SUMMARY In summarizing the results of this study it may be wise to restate the problem considered and the means and methods employed in its solution. The charge is frequently made that the churches are losing their hold on educated men. It is said that the drift of the more in- tellectual is away from the churches ; that the makers and leaders of public opinion are not identified with them as formerly, and are growing more and more indifferent to religious matters. The charge is variously stated, but essentially includes three implications or in- dictments : first, that the churches to-day are making a conspicuous failure in reaching men of commanding influence; second, that there has been a notable declension in religion among intellectual leaders from the " good old times " of the past ; and third, that these con- ditions are becoming increasingly unfavorable, and that the outlook for the future is most discouraging. These charges, so persistently and emphat- ically reiterated by voice and pen, and causing so much alarm and anxiety, remind one of the 277 278 The Churches and Educated Men prayer of a certain devout, Yirginian. The old colored man, riding his mule, was caught in a violent thunder-storm vv^hile passing through a dense forest. Being unable to make any headway except through the aid of the fitful flashes of lightning which occasionally revealed his surroundings, and greatly alarmed at the loud and terrible peals of thunder which shook the earth and reverberated over his head, he at last appealed to the throne of grace in this wise : " O Lawd, if it 's just the same to you, I 'd rather hev a little less noise an' a little more light." There has been vastly more noise than light respecting the subject under consideration. Singularly enough, many who ought to be torch-bearing guides in the darkness, have darkened counsel with surpris- ing inaccuracies, false statements, unwarrant- able inferences and a pessimism most detri- mental to the highest interests of the churches. There is cause enough for deep solicitude when the truth of the matter is known, even though it is in nowise so bad as many w^ould represent it. Well might we reverently pray for light — for divine illumination and the light of truth and fact which shall reveal the conditions as they actually are. An unsuccessful search in the best libraries for the scholarly treatment of this problem led to the present investigation. Franklin-like The Summary 279 we determined to discover, classify and then to weigh the facts. This study was thus be- gun and has been continued, not to sustain a theory, but as the honest quest for the truth. At the outset apparently unsurmountable diffi- culties obstructed the investigation. It is no easy matter to determine " who 's who " in the intellectual world. Though it is a compara- tively simple task to select a few thousand recognized leaders of affairs, our problem in- cludes a vastly larger number. And even if the boundaries were well defined, it would be an endless task to tabulate satisfactorily the religious sentiments of those included. Early in the investigation it was discovered, how- ever, that more than half of those who have won conspicuous success and are recognized as intellectual leaders of the first order, are col- lege graduates. It was further found that in the various periods of American history the college man not only represented the dominant type of religious thought and life, but was also their most satisfactory exponent and expres- sion. Here, then, was a group of men actually furnishing a large proportion of the intellec- tual leaders, and recognized by all as the best all-round representative of the whole class, whose religious views are a matter of historic study and observation. 28o The Churches and Educated Men The data from the investigation of the col- lege man's religion in different periods of American history show the trend of religious thought and life, and furnish the basis for a satisfactory conclusion respecting the hold of the churches on the men of brains. The col- lege man's influence has been carefully con- sidered in Chapter XI, and if its appraisal therein made be reasonably accurate, then surely he exerts a most potent influence and a power all out of proportion to his numerical strength. In the historical study it has been noted that in every single instance the charac- teristic fluctuations of religious life in the col- lege correspond with similar fluctuations among men outside, with this distinction, how- ever, that the religious tone of the college is invariably a little higher. When infidelity held sway among the students, one hundred years ago, it was also evident everywhere among thinking men, but in the colleges it be- came less gross and licentious. In the era of revivals the colleges were blessed more abun- dantly than the churches. And in the modern period missionary enthusiasm reaches its high- est expression in the Student Volunteer Move- ment. In a graphic representation of the re- ligious life among men both in college and outside we are convinced that the two lines in their undulatory fluctuations, indicating the The Summary 281 rise and fall of religious interest, would very closely correspond. These lines would rarely cross one another or merge in each other for two reasons : first, because the college line would be invariably a little higher, and second, because the changes small as well as great would be noted first, or anticipated in the col- lege line. While it is not claimed that every fluctuation of religious sentiment in college is duplicated in the world outside, or vice versa, the similarity between the two is very remark- able and adds much force to the proposition that the college man is the fair representative of the men of intellect. We have pointed out the great changes wrought in religious thought by momentous political issues culminating in warfare and national development, by the enormous immi- gration of those largely ignorant of or antag- onistic to the faith of the fathers, and by an industrial revolution which has transformed the commercial life of the nation. Then, too, the present heterogeneous character of the population, the massing of multitudes in the great cities, and the climatic, territorial, racial, denominational diversities of a nation of such growing magnitude and increasing power have all most seriously complicated this difficult problem. The college, which was once almost inseparably connected with the community 282 The Churches and Educated Men life, has, in later years, by the marvelous ac- cumulation of funds, increase of students and new demands, become a community of itself. The differentiation in educational work, with the separation of the theological, scientific and aesthetic departments, has produced most decided changes in the curricula of instruction. Form counts for less and reality for far more in the religious thought of the most intellec- tual. Notwithstanding these radical changes which affect life so powerfully there has been a most surprising and encouraging uniformity and progress in the religious concerns of the colleges of the land. There has been a most decided advance in physical culture within the past fifty years — a change so radical that it is not easily under- stood. Dyspeptic and anemic conditions no longer characteristically mark the educated man. The athletic qualities have taken their place to the great advantage of all. Granted that too much emphasis is placed upon college athletics, that professionalism imperils college sports, that studies are interrupted, gambling increased and pugnacity developed, neverthe- less physical culture, the medical director and the gymnasium are accomplishing a world of good for the student of to-day and the intel- lectual leader of to-morrow. It is no longer questioned that a strong physique is w^U-nigh The Summary 283 essential to success in this strenuous, exacting age. The physical and ethical principles over- lap. Sound health is an immunity against many temptations. Team-work in college develops courage, endurance, perseverance, patience and fraternity. Athletic training en- forces the ethical principles of temperance and self-mastery. The English collegian thus sums up the matter in respect to drink. Grace says, "I abstain from alcoholic drinks because I would excel as a cricketer ; " as a walker, Wes- ton says, " Abstain ; " as an oarsman, Hanlon says, " Abstain ; " as a swimmer, Webb says, ^' Abstain ; " as a missionary, Livingstone says, " Abstain ; " as a doctor, Clark says, " Ab- stain;" as a preacher, Farrar says, "Abstain." Asylums, prisons and workhouses repeat the cry of " Abstain." This physical training has wrought immeasurable benefit to students ad- dicted to secret and sexual vices while it has given a healthier tone to mental, ethical and religious life. That mental culture has made surprising progress is apparent to every one who takes the trouble to consider the matter. The grad- uate of the college of the eighteenth century would find some difficulty in passing the en- trance examinations to the Harvard of to-day. It is said that the professor of botany who first introduced the study of plants and flowers 284 The Churches and Educated Men in the classroom, received a sharp reprimand from the college authorities because he diverted the minds of the students from the serious work of the classroom to the unimportant con- sideration of flowers. The methods of study have been revolutionized in many respects, particularly so concerning the sciences, his- tory, literature and the arts. The student is early taught to be an investigator, an inde- pendent thinker and a keen-eyed observer. He becomes thus an animated interrogation, less given to submissive acquiescence, to ready- made creeds and theories, more inclined to unhesitating championship of the real and the true. His questioning attitude tends to skep- ticism and religious indifference, while his pas- sion for reality prepares him for unsurpassed leadership in religious affairs when convinced of the essential truths of Christianity. In all probability there has been no time in many years when the presentation of the funda- mental truths of the Christian faith met with quicker response from the students than to-day. This is the personal testimony of men who have been most actively engaged in Christian work in the colleges in recent years. This changed mental attitude may explain the occa- sion of religious indifference of some graduates in some churches where sentiment takes the place of sense in Christian work. Remember- The Summary 285 ing the words of the Master, " And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself," we hail with joy this change of mind respecting truth and reality, well assured that the truths of Christianity are ample and convincing when rightly presented. This, too, is a favorable omen for the future. It is said that the era of revivals in the col- leges is past, and forthwith some infer that there are few or no conversions among stu- dents now. This is very far from the truth, for there were between three and four thou- sand genuine conversions reported in the col- leges in 1903 alone. It is therefore an open question w^hether the colleges are not winning a larger percentage of their students to Christ by these slower and surer modern methods than was won by the old time periodic revival with its attendant, intervening periods of marked religious indifference. May it not be that the best results of the reviv^al movement are secured now through the saner and more permanent appeal of to-day ? John K. Mott declares : '• Taking the young men of JSTorth America as a whole, not more than one in twelve are Christians, whereas in the institutions of higher learning about one in two of the young men are Christians. Still more striking is the fact that the propor- tion of students who are Christians is now 286 The Churches and Educated Men larger than ever before. Two or three gener- ations ago even in colleges with Christian foundations there were but small groups of disciples of Jesus Christ. . . . Not only is it true that there are now more Christians in the colleges than in the preceding genera- tions, but the number of students who are being led into the Christian life continues to increase. Some of the most fruitful spiritual awakenings in the history of educational insti- tutions have occurred within the past ten years under the influence of the Spirit of God working through the Associations. These have not been confined to the Christian or denominational colleges. . . . When all the difficulties are considered the revivals which have taken place in Western and South- ern states and other great undenominational universities seemed even more noteworthy than those in Christian institutions. There are few state universities in which each year men are not led out of unbelief into an intel- ligent and vital faith in Christ. The assump- tion of some that colleges cannot be as deeply moved now by the Holy Spirit as in times past is not supported by the history of the Associa- tion movement. Evangelistic meetings are regarded with more favor in the colleges than in the past." ^ * Students of North America, p. 19. The Summary 287 From an ethical viewpoint there has been a decided improvement in the quality of the college man. Prevalent as intemperance and licentiousness are to-day, the conditions are vastly better than one hundred years ago. Then every one drank. In the winter they drank to keep warm. In the summer they drank to keep cool. They drank on all occasions, at weddings and funerals, at barn- raisings and church dedications. No social function was complete without liquid enter- tainment. The Church and the ministry were not silent on the subject : they vigorously en- dorsed the use of ardent spirits. If any one doubts this, it may be easily verified by even the slight perusal of old church and ministerial records. The drunkenness in college halls in those early days was something appalling. The grosser forms of licentiousness were certainly more in evidence, as would naturally be expected in consequence of unrestrained in- temperance. Gambling and profanity were painfully apparent in the "good old times." Sunday study and Sabbath desecration have certainly materially changed in aspect, with probably more of the former and less of the latter than in most of the periods of history considered. One internal change is, however, so revo- lutionary in character that it deserves special 288 The Churches and Educated Men attention. For the first one hundred years there was practically no student initiative in religious matters. The college acted In Loco Parentis most faithfully and persistently. The spirit which led to the Kevolution in national affairs produced extreme restlessness among the students and paved the way for a most interesting and far-reaching student revolution. The earliest indication of the rise of the student movement showed itself in insubordination to the authorities and a con- flict of interests between students and facul- ties. In religious matters, after the expulsion of David Brainerd, the student initiative wrought largely in secret as we have already indicated. Gradually during the nineteenth century it asserted itself, exerting more and more influence till now, crystalized and organized under the various departments of the College Young Men's Christian Association and the Student Volunteer Movement, it has become one of the most potent religious forces of the modern college. Concerning the college man's religion there is a great deal of exceedingly valuable data. Pre- served in histories, biographies and tabulated statistics, in a form inaccessible to the ordinary student, is the most trustworthy evidence of the religious conditions of the past. After making due allowance for biased opinion, and The Summary 289 selecting so far as possible those witnesses only whose word is unquestioned respecting other matters, we have presented their testimony, convinced that such evidence would more definitely help the searcher after truth than any recasting of the thought or simple state- ment of the fact. It should also be said that every reputable witness found has been invited to the witness-stand unless another as trust- worthy had already testified to the same fact. Had it been necessary, in many instances a dozen witnesses might have been summoned where but one has given testimony. To hear from all would have made this study inex- cusably long. It is not claimed that all the material has been investigated, but this may be said, that the further the study has been pursued the more evident it became that the conclusions herein presented are conservative. For the past eighty years careful statistics have been periodically taken of the number and proportion of evangelical church-members among the students of American colleges. Eecognizing the fact that many church-mem- bers are Christian in name only, we are confi- dent that the number is more than offset by those who are truly Christian, though not iden- tified with the churches. The standards for church-membership have changed, but on the whole are as strict, if not more so, for the 290 The Churches and Educated Men whole country and for all the denominations, as formerly. Now it so happens that the statistics, while of themselves of great compar- ative value, are substantiated by collateral evi- dence. It is a matter of some interest that the results which were obtained from the study of the collateral sources in this investigation, were made first and before the statistics were con- sidered, and that the two almost exactly tallied. Hence there are two independent sources for the information and facts herein presented. It is hardly believed that many will care to ques- tion both. The summary in the statistical form is more convenient and easily remembered and hence we use it. In these estimates only members of evangelical churches have been considered. Most of the available statistics have been com- piled on this basis, hence we have thus used them. Such a restricted compilation debars many who otherwise should be included and were they numbered would considerably raise the percentages. This is another evidence of the conservative character of these estimates and conclusions. Summing up the results of our investigation we find these conditions : — In the first period undoubtedly there was a larger proportion of professing Christians than to-day, for reasons already explained; from 1775 to 1795, about The Summary 291 twelve per cent ; from 1Y95 to 1800 the ratio sinks to one in twenty or five per cent, of Christians in the total enrolment of the under^ graduates. At the opening of the century the percentage suddenly rises to fifteen or more in 1808, sinking again to ten at the end of the dec- ade. From 1810 to 1825 the ratio sinks still lower to rise steadily to twenty-five at the end of the first quarter of a century. From this time on to 1850 there is a gradual and perma- nent gain till the percentage registers thirty- three. Eight years later, more than forty per cent, of the students are Christians. Just be- fore the war the percentage reaches forty-five and then remains largely unchanged for a score of years. From 1885 to 1900 there has been a slow but sure gain till more than one-half of the American students are professing Chris- tians. The indications for the first years of the new century are most encouraging. The statement should be reiterated that these are but estimates made from the facts which are at hand. For them we claim nothing more than such a statement implies. We have included all the facts which have come under our observation, but further information may change some of these estimates and for them we claim no authority beyond that which we have given, though we incline to the opinion that further investigation will tend rather to 292 The Churches and Educated Men lower than to lift the percentages herein given for the earlier periods. The conclusions of this study are graphically represented in the diagram. The figures at the top indicate the years by decades, the figures at the sides the percentages. The heavy line roughly indicates the ratio or percentage of professing Christians in the total enrolment of college students for the different decades. Percentage of Male College Student Church- Members hy Decades for 1^5 years. 1780 1700 'BOO 1810 ISlO iQiO mo 18^ I860 1870 '880 1690 1900 ^ / ,^~^ / / -^ _^ y-— V. / r r"^ Oo 80 70 60 40 JO ! 20 '0 A glance at the diagram will show that for the first four decades, from 1 Y80 to 1820, the per- centage is exceedingly low, with an average of The Summary 293 hardly more than ten per cent. Just immedi- ately preceding the beginning of the eighteenth centary the percentage must have dropped down to nearly five. For the forty years from 1820 to 1860, the percentage steadily increased till forty-five per cent, of the total enrolment of students were members of evangelical churches. During the period of the civil war when immigration was enormous and industrial changes were producing a revolution in busi- ness, the percentage scarcely holds its own, and even that itself is simply remarkable, all things considered. In the last score of years, in spite of radical changes, both within and outside of the colleges, the percentage has been not only well sustained but materially increased. The most recent data from the senior classes of the colleges indicate a steady rise in the number of professing Christians, while the Student Volunteer Movement and other indications show that the quality of the religious life has been fully maintained. It would then seem, if these figures count for an3^thing, that the num- ber of professing Christians in colleges is about five times as large as it was one hundred years ago. 294 The Churches and Educated Men AN ESTIMATE OF THE CHRISTIANS IN THE COLLEGES Year Percentage of Christiana 1785 1795 1799 1800 1810 1820 1825 1850 1875 1900 1904 15 Per cent. 10 *' 5 " 8 " 10 " 20 '' 25 " 33 " 45 " 50 " 53 " The estimate is made on the findings of this study which includes a careful consideration of estimates given by many others. The basis of calculation is membership in an evan- gelical church. Those who would broaden the basis to include members in the more liberal churches have only to raise the per- centage throughout, which would of course make the showing for the present all the more conspicuously large. And that in turn would just that much strengthen the force of our argument that the Christian college man is decidedly in evidence in the world of intel- lectual affairs. Dr. Daniel Dorchester, the distinguished scholar and statistician, reaches much the same conclusion in his tabulation : The Summary 29c PERCENTAGE OF PIOUS COLLEGE STUDENTS ^ Date of ^^^f;;,f number of Number Pfceniage ^^-^-^- 4X; Stuaentsin Pious ^f ^J-^^ ^ ^ Colleges reporting ^lous 1830 28 2,633 693 26 per cent. 1855 30 4,533 1,727 38 - " 1865 38 7,351 3,380 46 '' '' 1870 32 7,818 2,162 40 '' " 1872 12 1,891 941 50 "■ " 1880 65 12,063 6,051 50 " '< 1885 110 15,344 7,361 48 " " These statistics, covering a smaller list of the colleges and different dates, vary slightly from those obtained from the present investi- gation, though the two are in substantial agreement. Had the number of colleges in the years 1870 and 1872 been larger the per- centage would have been reduced. For the year 1885 the number of colleges is much larger, including nine state institutions, four normal schools, two agricultural colleges, and polytechnic, medical and military institutes, and its percentage almost exactly agrees with the results of the present study. Trustworthy statisticians estimate that there are now five times as many college graduates in the same population as one hundred years ago. The ratio is moreover steadily increas- ' Daniel Dorchester, Problem of Religious Progress, p. 475. 296 The Churches and Educated Men ing. We have already indicated that for some reason the college man exerts a unique influence. This influence is not deteriorating but constantly waxing stronger, since the collegian not only holds his prestige in all the literary and scholastic professions, but has also entered many other pursuits, there like- wise to win conspicuous success. The differ- entiation of educational work furnishes train- ing for a score of different occupations. Graduates from these institutions take a correspondingly high rank in their avocations, thus swelling the list of makers and leaders of public opinion for college men. It has been frequently affirmed that the religious status of the college man is fixed for life at graduation. This assumption was once used as one of the stock arguments against procrastination in spiritual matters. Though always far from the truth, it is more untrue now than formerly. President D wight and many others have testified that many become interested in religion after leaving college. The unique character of the university life makes its own peculiar appeal to the Christian manhood of the student. The sobering effects of domestic and commercial life amid circum- stances so unlike those of college days, makes persuasive and powerful the new appeal to the spiritual life after graduation. Evidence of The Summary 297 this is easily produced. Many religiously in- different in college become loyal and efBcient workers outside. No inconsiderable portion of those entering the ministry make the choice of life-work after graduation. Allusion is made to these facts to meet the objection which may be raised that many of the college men are indifferent to the Church when student days are passed. It is true some are, but the number is more than offset by those who enter the Christian service later in life. As already shown, the churches are better equipped for their work than ever before. Work among the young people, and catechet- ical instruction will provide better religious preparation for aspiring students. The vari- ous men's organizations will enlist their sympa- thies and furnish opportunity for the exercise of their powers. The churches, with stronger emphasis upon practical interests of every-day living, good citizenship, and the great issues of the day, challenge their support, while pro- viding ample field for manly experimentation and service in religious matters. The college life places decided emphasis upon social serv- ice, and the churches are rapidly undertaking similar work, and consequently are preparing the organized medium through which social service can best be rendered. Much of the machinery of the church is in prime condition 2g8 The Churches and Educated Men for high service — and were it not for a lack of the Spirit within the wheels the future would be bright indeed. But the volume of earnest prayer ascending to the throne of grace for a new vision of God, a new sense of duty, keener appreciation of religious privileges and perils, and a saner and more loyal devotion to the highest interests of mankind, is the promise of the coming blessing. If, as we have assumed, the college man is in any way a fair representative of the men of intellect, then the charges preferred against the churches are manifestly untrue. Certainly the " good old times " fail to furnish any data to substantiate the charges made, but instead present the evidence of steady and vigorous growth in religious thought and life. The fact is the churches are reaching and holding the men of intellect better to-day than for the past one hundred and fifty years ; they are not losing their grip but are strengthening their hold. The future is not disheartening ; it presents big problems, unsurpassed opportu- nity and exacting demands. For such exi- gencies the churches are preparing, and if the tasks be Herculean we are training the giants to meet them. The Christian is not on the field to fail but to win, and the record of what has been done under more trying circumstances will fire the enthusiasm, arouse the energy, and The Summary 299 deepen the devotion of the Christian patriot for the conquests and the victories to come. A great Eastern city was besieged by fierce enemies, and about to send forth its warriors to sweep away, as with a whirlwind rush, the hosts of the invader. But a magician, waving his wand, stalked forth from the enemy's camp, and by the occult power of the sorcer- er's art transformed citizen and knight alike, with all the people, into stone. Everything with life seemed stricken with death. Mailed knights, about to mount their steeds, full clad for battle, stood motionless, with hands upon the pommel of the saddle. The men in the ranks, and the women and the children, stood as if they were groups carved in stone — all motionless, powerless, the prey of the enemy. The invaders seemed to have everything their own way. Suddenly there appeared on the street and in the midst of the listless people a knight clad in white and of radiant counte- nance. In his hand he carried a golden trumpet. In the midst of the powerless peo- ple he lifted his trumpet to his lips and one long ringing blast sounded out upon the air. Mightier than the arts of the sorcerer was the effect of the peal from the trumpet of gold. The knight sprang to his saddle, and gave the order," Forward, march." In response life leaped once more in the cold veins of death. 300 The Churches and Educated Men The knights on prancing steeds and the long lines of infantry advanced, drove the invader from the city and caused his utter overthrow. The legend, though very imperfectly, yet forcefully, illustrates prevalent conditions in the churches of to-day. Materialism and worldliness have cast a spell over the work of Christ and have caused a partial paralysis among the workers. But we have much rea- son to believe it only temporary. The knights are well equipped, the forces well trained, there is something more potent than the sor- cerer's art. Indeed the call to service from the golden trumpet of the great Commander of the hosts of God has sounded forth, and the quickening power of new life is showing it- self. The leaders have felt it, the young knights have heard the call, and are ready for the advance. The churches are slowly awakening. May the Holy Spirit through the knightly Christ speedily come, receive a hearty welcome, revivify his followers, and lead them to sure victory. Ind ex Allbright, Dr. "William H., special work for men, 269. Ailing Bible Classes, 267. Amherst College, percentage of Christians, 1902, 199. Appleton, Pres., 102. Awakening, The Great, Princeton a result of, 22. Bacon, Dr. Leonard, on the rise of the Theological Sem- inary, 111. Baptists, relation to education, 159. Baraca Bible Class, 267. Barrows, Dr. John H., conquests of Christianity, 212. Bashford, Pres. J. W., public position of college men, 226. Beecher, Dr. Henry Ward, Lectures to Young ^len, 161, Beecher, Dr. Lyman, religious conditions at Yale, 1800, 71. Bible Study, the old and the new type, 192. Bisbee, Professor, M. D., religious conditions at Dartmouth, 1799, 88. Blythe, Dr. James, 58. Brainerd, David, the student protest, 35; type of consecra- tion, 162. Bowdoin College, religious conditions, 1800, 100. Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, 263. Brotherhood of Methodist Episcopal Church, 266. Brotherhood of St. Andrew, 263. Brown University, established, 159. Bushnell, Eev. Jedediah, 81. Butler, Pres. N. M., influence of the College, 215. Clark, Dr. F. E., 252. Community, relation to college, 113. Conferences of students, 193. Cressey, Dr. F. G., 229. Curriculum, early type at Yale, 29; of theological charac- ter, 23. 301 302 Index Dartmouth College, established, 52; in 1792, cf. re\dvals, 88. Davis, Dr. EmersoD, a half century of progress, 1850, 95. Day of Prayer for Colleges, inception and influence, 140. Dickinson College, under iMethodist control, 160. Discipline in college, flogging, 25; fining, 27; rules and reg- ulations, Yale, 29, 30. Dorchester, Dr. Daniel, century's growth of Christianity, 67. Dunster Code at Harvard, 24. D wight, Pres. Timothy, 6; estimate of his life, 98; death, 124. D wight, Pres, Timothy (the younger), 173. Edwards, Dr. Jonathan, religious facts concerning de- scendants, 242. Education Society, organization, 120; purpose and progress, 143. Endeavor, Young People's Christian, 252. Federation of church clubs of men, 269. Fining in college, 27. Fisher, Dr. George, 178. Goethe, Johann, 8. Good old times, poem, 6; an illusion, 16. Green, PreSo A.shbel, conditions at Princeton, 40, 54. Griffin, Pres. Edward Dorr, conditions at Williams, 85. Hall, Pres. Charles C, an estimate of college religion, 218 Hall, Gordon, 106. Hampden Sydney College, revival, 1787, 56. Harper, Pres. William, on present-day infidelity, 213. Hartford Theological Seminary, public relations committee, 195. Harvard University, established, 21; motto and seal, 20, 28; breach in " settled order, " 49; religious condition, 1792, 79; 1796, 81; compulsory church attendance abolished, 185; Association work in, 196. Haystack Meeting, 108. Hillis, Dr. Dwight L,, optimistic views, 211. Houghteling, James L,, founder of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, 263. Hudson, Mr. M. A., founder of the Baraca Movement, 267. Index 003 Immigration, volume and influence, 165. Impressions of college religion, 183. Infidelity, reign of, 69; at Yale, 41; 1794, 1795, 69; at Princeton, 54; after the Revolution, 45; afEected most professional men, 59; most prevalent outside New Eng- land, 61. Intemperance, a century ago, 114; at Williams, 128. Jenkins, Rev. Chaeles, religious conditions at Williams, 1812, 127. Kent, Chancellob, on prevailing infidelity, 89; religious conditions, 1800, 59. Leonard, John W., 6; public position of college men, 226. McKeen, Pres. of Bowdoin, 101. Mead, Dr. Geo. W., awakened interest in men's work, 248. Membership, Church, basis for comparison, 14; a fluctuating standard, 15. Methodists, relation to education, 159. Middlebury College, percentage of professing Christians, 1902, 199. Miller, Dr. R. W., founder of the Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, 264. Mills, Samuel J., 106; his motto, 109. Ministry, The, decrease in 1795-1810, 110; dearth of minis- ters, 142; early influence in college matters, 20. Missions, college interests in, 260; college contribution to, 1903, 194; the haystack meeting, 108. Moody, Dwight L., estimate of college religion, 180. Moral Society, rise and influence at Yale, 75; best fruits of, 123. Mott, John R., estimate of religious influence in college, 206, 276; the modern Christian awakening, 285. Neely, Bishop T. B., president of the Methodist Brother- hood, 266. Nettleton, Dr. Asahel, religious conditions at Yale, 1805, 99. OccoM, Samson, connection with Dartmouth, 53. Peabody, Dr. F. G., 204; estimate of college religious life, 276; interpretation of college religious life, 208; regu- lations at Harvard in the past, 27, 304 Index Personal work in college, none in early days, 37. Pierson, Rev. Abraham, rector at Yale, 30. Princeton University, established, 22; revival of, 1762, 38; infidelity in, 54. Religion, religious services compulsory at Harvard, 27; at Yale, 30; the voluntary service, 185. Religious Education Association, 272. Revivals, estimate of the college, 138; the rise in college, 93; the great awakening, 33, 34; at Bowdoin, 130; at Dart- mouth, 53; at Hampden Sydney, 56; at Princeton, 38; 1813, 125; at Williams, 1812, 127; at Yale, 33; 1783, 51; 1802, 1808, 97; 1812, 1813, 122; 1815-1817, 124. Roosevelt, President Theodore, 207. Ross, Rev. James W., 198. Seminary, Theological, Andover, 111; Princeton, 126. Statistics, value of, 17; ratio of college men to adult popu- lation, 243; in business, 240; among statesmen, 239, 243; religious facts of Edwards family, 242; of college men in the home, 242; from "Who 's Who in America," 236; Appleton's Cyclopaedia, 230; ratio of professing Christians, 1822, 144; 1824, 147; 1827, 149; 1828, 150; 1852, 1859, 170; 1900, 1901, 197; 1902, 199; summaries, 290, 291, 292, 294; summaries, Dorchester's, 295. Student initiative, rise and progress, 68 ; a power in the college a century ago, 94. Student Movement, first trace, 36; its rise at Yale, 41. Speer, Robert E., college type of Christianity, 205; estimate of college religious life, 276. Strong, Dr. Josiah, the progress of Christianity, 248. Taebox, Rev. I. N., religious conditions, 1800, 92. Thayer, Prof. J. H., college life now and fifty years ago, 217. Thwing, Pres. C. F., 20, 44; relation of Church to college, 66; public position of college men, 230, 234; on infi- delity, 92. Tucker, Pres., W. J., 204. Tyler, Dr. William, 50. Tyler, Dr. Bennet, religious conditions, Yale, 1800, 70. Walker, Prof. Williston, declension of religion at Yale, 1800, 72; statement concerning Dr. Wood, 80. Wesleyan University, 160. William and Mary College, 22. Index 305 Williams College, religious condition, 1793-1800, 81,85, 103: 1902, 199. Whitefield, Rev. George, 32. Williams, Sir George, 178. Wood, Dr. Leonard, 79. Yale Univeesity, established, 21; purpose of founders, 29; during the great awakening, 33; the college church, 37; infidelity in, 40, 49, 68; religious conditions, 1795-1800, 70; 1802, 96; 1902, 199; during the Revolution, 50. Young Men's Christian Association, rise and value, 167; in the college, 188, 256; fiftieth anniversary, 254; record of college work, 1903, 192. Princeton Theoloqical ,fH?,7||l||||iiniir 012 01232 6221 %.