New-York tribune., 1886-05-06
4 RELIGIOUS EXPERIMENT At HARp1RD

4
The arrangement formally adopted yesterday by
the Oyerseers of Harvard College for the oversight
of the religious education there is an experiment OF
great breadth and promise. We remember nothing
parale with it aud it is easy to see that, II 1t is
carried ont in the spirit in which il is begun new
standard NAV be given to all the larger institu-
tons Of education.
Harvard College, like most other American
colleges has professor of moral philosophy, VINO
is regarded the terms OF the foundation, as NIL
;ro the same relation to the undergraduates
which the minister of parish holds toward his
CONGREGATIONS Since the resignation of the vener-
able DR.. Andrew Peabody, this proessolshlp,
called the Plummer ProfessOrshp. has not been
filled It was offered to the Rev. Phillips Brooks
who seriously considered the question OF accepting
e. TO the terror of his large and attached congrega
Eon At Trinity Church in Boston. Since he de-
clined the government of the college has lett the
most vacant hesitating, perhaps, as to where 1t
abould find an incumbent whose appointment
might not awaken sOme suspicion OF sectaran or
denominatiOnal preference.
Meanwhile, as there has been no Plummer Pro-
fessor. nine different cergymen from the ranks of
the government of the college have filled the
college pulpt at morning prayers. AS 1t happened
fortunately they represented four or live different
religious communons The arrangement has been
emiuently satisfactory, and chapel Is II diiioIeht
place now and the daily service service OF lar
more interest than t has ever been before.
We suppose that it is the evident success OF this
nroyisional arrangement which now induces the
government of the college to go further III the same
direction. At the meeting of the Ovcrseers yes
teriay the Pummer Proiessorshp was filled by
the appoin tmcnt of the Rev. f. G. Peabody, one OF
the most distn guished preachers of Massachusetts,
lie "a well remembered in York, where he
frequently filled the pulpit of his knsman, DR..
Bellows-a pulpit which lie also often filled after
that gentleman's death. He is at present the
acting Dean of tie Cambridge Divinity School
His fitness for the post to which he is now ap
pointcd is shown in the interesting fact that his
lectures on practical ethics in that school have
been very largely attended by college students
| who have wholly outnumbered the divinity
classes. The new plan, however, for the collcg'
appoints also as coadJutors with Mr. Peabody hv'
"CoIlege Preachers" I hese to be yearly
appointments and 1t is believed that the posts MAJ
be filed by clergymcn of large experience. 1t l
hoped that the value of the WORK to be rendered i
such that any church in America will be willing {!
give up the service of its own pastor for two
| three weeks at time, that he may bear part Il
the religious training of our Oldest university
| These preachers with the resident professor, WI
not only have the charge of the daily chapel SCI
vices but of the Sunday services also, and OF otht
instruction. With him they will have ir"qnei
conferences, and to this new board it is nnde
stood the whole direction Of the religious ednci
ton of tho students will be coDiilcd. All que
tions of attendance and. OF instruction in sue
matters will 10 determined by them Should