, 1873-03-29
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.
Logislative Investigations Into
Medicine and Religion. -
Allopatlly VS.. Homeopathy hy--0rth!o:-
doxy VS.. Hoterodoxy.
Commcnccnents of the Medical
and Law Departments.

Commandments of tho Medical
and Law Departments.
Correspondence ef The Chicago Trtbttn<.
ANN Annon, MIch., March 2s 1879.
Tho prosont Michigan Legislature, like tho Inst
Congreas, Hooms to bo bout on Investigations.
MEDICINE.
Several attempts lnvo boon mado by tho Homoo-
pathsts to secure the appointment OF INSTRUCT
orB III tho Medical School Of tho State University,
to teao1, tho doctrines Of Hahnemann. They
claimed tl,ut tho public moneys woro unlawfully
uscd to further tho intcrosts Of so-called "Al-
lorathy." A previous Legislature wont so far
aH to order tho Board Of 1sogents to appoint 3
Professor Of Homeopathy. This tho Rogcnts
rofusod to do, claiming tint they woro not sub-
ject to Legislative instructions. Popular olanor
again brought tho ject before tho Legislature
and bill las beon introduced providing
for tho appointment Of two Professors
Of Homeopathy. Tho bill passed tho Senate,
but was tabled in the House for further conRld-
Grafton. In tho meantime, committees wero ap-
pointed TO visit tho University and inquire II D
particular theory Of medicine, In distinction
from all others, was taught there. That thoro
IL no particular theory Taught, waB hold by Or.
T.. o. Haven when President Of tho University:
Az commentary on tlla theory, It mny be eaid
DR.. Palmer, Inns occasionally given courses o5
lectures specially devoted to donunc'ation anu
sdiculo Of Homeopathy. Tho Legislative Com
cd ie' 10 o'xanaino Tie Profoaors Of Matora h1edica
aud Practice concerning tho doctrinea taught "
tho1n. Il, answer to questions, those gentlemen
claimed that tho system Of medicine taught was
GGppos0 Gea neo to all os paeles reea4 edisao sSSe
They would Btrcnuoasly oppose, tho nd.
mission of uomcopathy, believing TINT such ac-
ton would ruin tlloir department. as Hchool OF
medicine. Tho n1odcal practitioners would nos
recognized by tho American Medical Association.
And, finally. tho Professors hinted that, should
the bill before the Legislature: become Inv,
they G1 a 1esgn hfI p ass tho
HouEo. A conflict OF authority will probably
then ariee between tho Lcginlaturo and Regents.
Al tho extent Of the powers Of tue Board / OF Re-
gents Ia disputed, tho Supreme Court will prob
ably havo to decide the difficulty.
In rcsponso to tho numerous petitions OF this
session. the Committees wero also instructed to
inquire into tho religious character OF tho Uni
yereity.'
While some Chicago ministers aro demanding
reunion Of Church and State ns tho only safo-
guard of civil liberty, tho people Of Michigan
arc inquiring, through their Legislature, Wheth-
or eectari9n instruction yo II reEon glxon ~
organized, the religious question was conpro-
miEed by tho selection Of Professors from tho
several Orthodox donominationH. As the Uni
versity Inns rison In character and influence, high
exceptions, como to be considered as sufficient
qualification for q Professor. or course, many
people Of good intentions have looked upon tho
University MS d school Of depravity,, prolific in
lessons Of immortality. ~ a result of these
childish notions, donominational collegoa" hnye
been founded In various parts Of the State.
These schools, while serving to dotrnct from tho
prosperity Of tito University, have risen but
little nboye tho guido Of 1irst-clasa village
schools: For some time past special asaa,,lta
Ri Th;ners. S oasng dS tint tho e college
peculiar dogmas, whose supremacy isessontial to
the public veal J; .whilo. the latter as strongly
assert that the public money Is unlnwfully used
to bolster up aactarian notions nnd denomina-
tional prejudice: On tho Orthodox side, the
discussion las boon mainly carried on by II the
Rey. Samuel n. Duaiel1, young man froah
from tho Divinity School Of Ynlo. As corro-
spondont Of the New York Evangelist, ho has Pc
,iodically givon utteranea to gloomy forobodings
6tatus Of Michigan Uniye' Coming, as he
does, from tho straiglt-j -jr;:.ss, dornitory sys-
tom of Yale College, lo becomcs alarmed at the
individual freedom allowed at this Western insti-
tuition, Here, after tho example Of Harvard,
compulsory attendance ut chapel has been abo1-
iBllod. From this aud Hinilar acts, Nlr. Dufield
reasons that tho University is rapidly nearing
tho worat type Of hIaterialiBm, with all it's at-
tendAnt horrors. In fact, he is very much of D
possin,ist, Ho sorrows over tho fact TINT tho
moral aud religious tone Of tho college must do
pend OIL tho personal efforts Of Professors. Ho
would have some quicker way of reaching the
desired end.
Tho Committee having tho investigation In
charge examined, yesterday, President Angel,
DIR. 3. L. Cocker, Professor OF Moral Philosophy,
and the Professor Of History. These gontlomon
wcro FREQ to say that, if Christianity ia socta-
rinn, then this Institution is Beotaran; ChriBtian-
ity il not sectarianism. Tho Committee mot
having been givoll definition Of aoetarianism,
their conclusions could not bo very definite. DR..
Cocker Baia: II teach TINT Atheism Ia oppoRod
to Christianity; MatoriaIsm not necesaarily.
Samuel 10 Saul, and therefore spiritualis1n
is not opposed to Christianity, ah fur as they have
the common grounds of holet; T. my toaohing
OF natural religion, detluce tho Christian tho
tyne religion, but that thero is vast amount
Of Gods etcr1la! truth even in the religions Of
the hoatEcn world, and that tho highest form OF
truth is tho doctrines taught BY Christ" Tho
that tlloir conclusions are not known. It seoms
evident, however, that tho University iB quite as
catholic In It's religious spirit as is possible for
mon Of liforont religious views to mako it. Yot,
TINT somo things liave show, 4 spirit
Of intolerance umong certain portions
OF tho Faculty and ptudcnts, is too
true, A recent instance may DO gtYan: THO
Students Lecture Association have usually given
complimentary tickets to tho city clorgymen
1i.oy hnyo, however refused to oxtona tho favor
to tito Unitarian Clergyman, tho 1loy. Charles H.
Brigham, a distinguished scholar nnd u Christian
gent lonlnu.'
se,siblo people will conclude that tho moral
and religious status OF tho University il not far
from tho right, notwithstanding tho ca,nors Of
Mr. MrCracken. tile instigator Of tho eo-ca!lod
Investigation, OIL tho ono side. aud Mr. Dufllcld,
Oh tho other. W. i. r.
Correspondence u The Chicago Tribune.
Ann Amor, nIich March 81, 1873.
TIE HOARD or REGENTS
met on Monday morning in tho Presidents room
with every member proaent.