The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-28
Yale College,.

Since its foundation at the beginning OF
the eighteenth century, this college has al
ways been regarded rs a school eminently
conservative in its religious teachings. Its
presidents from the day of ABRAHAM
PIERsoH, whose statue by LAUNT THOMPSON
was not long since erected Mt New Haven,
have been invariably distinguished Con-
gregational ministers. Among these, every
body familiar with our religious and edu-
cational history will recall the names of
TIMOTHY DWIGHT, JEREMIAH DAY, and
THEODORE ID. WooLsEY, OF whom the last
named divine and scholar still lives cover
ed with years and with honors. DIR. Wool.
sEY, however. some time ago gave up the
Office of President of Yale College, and DR..
Moan PORTER, another Congregationalst
minister, who succeeded him, now occupies
the place.
Yale College has always stood in the fore
front of Congrcgationalism, an object of
pride for the denomination whose mem
bers there had the ascendancy, though its
doctrines were not specifically taught.
The students, however, have not been con-
fined to the sons of Congregntionalists.
They have been drawn and are still drawn
from MI those denominations which are
called orthodox. Before the war the South
which has always been widely removed
from anything like lattudinarianism in
religion, sent many young men to Yale.
The number who have gone from this city,
always large. has much increased during
the last ten years. They are sent TO Yale
by parents who hesitate TO put their sons
in what they regard az the too liberal and
skeptical atmosphere of Cambridge relig-
ious thought. They have looked on Yale
as a judicious custodian of tho religious
opinions of their boys; and have felt that
there they were as safe from religious ex-
travagances as from too great latitude of
inquiry. 1t was place into which no
strange dogmas or wild fanoies could enter,
where the professors were rs conservative
as they were learned.
What must be the feeling of the parents
of Yale students when they now learn that
the President of this time-honored institu-
ton is the mainstay Of Beecherism that he
extols the pastor of Plymouth Church as n
shining example of purity and spirituality
and has assisted in the effort to cover up
his crilnes2 DR.. NOAH PORTER, so far
from finding any fault with Mr. BEEcHER's
adultery and perjury, has made himself
his conspicuous apologst aud applauder.
He holds him up to the students OF Yale
College as a model minister, and his prac-
tees as sound and scrptural. He stood
forth as the leading advocate Of Beecher-
ism in the Advisory Council, and lent the
weight of his influence as the President of
Yale to givo success to the efforts of
Beecherism to make itsolf part of Con-
gregationalism, or rather to substitute
itself for Congregationalism.
The question now Is, how many parents
wish their sons to become Beecherites,
how many desire them to regard adultery
and perjury as model qualities which a
minister should possess. Beecherism is
manifested at Yale College in the person
Of the President, and the lesson is thus
taught that though u minister rests under
accusations of adultery and perjury made
by his own church members and sustained
by his own writings, he need not clear his
character and need not leave the ministry.
Mr.. BEEcHER is a chosen associate of DR..
NOAH PORTER, and Is his embodied oonoep-
ton of moral purity and religious ortho-
doXy. lie is the religious guido whom the
President OF Yale College points out to his
pupils rs setting religious and moral ex-
ample for them to follow.
We do not argue this question. We only
stat" the facts If parents wish TO place
Their sons in college presided over by
such man, that is their affair, not ours.
They may hesitate to believe Mr.. BEEcHrR
guilty OF the black crimes of which he
stands charged and of which, as we be-
lievc, he is morally convicted; but Will
they wish TO have him set up rs a hero and
model for their boysl win they wish them
to have no Nicer sense Of propriety and no
higher sense of honor than distinguish
plymouth Church and its pastor 7 If their