New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-10
AN EDUCATIONAL TRUST.
The EPISCOPAL CHURCH UNIVERSITY
BOARD OF REGENTS.


M IMPORTANT AND HOPEFUL MOVEMENT
so~r pn,soNs WHY 1T WAS STARTED
WHAT ITS LEADERS HOPE TO
ACCOMPLISH.
rnere Is a movement now under way in the Epis-
anna, church which promises to revoutonize the cd
rca,,ora, work of that Church. Some such idea mas
en dscussed for many years, but 1t found It's nrs'
formal expresslon in the Protestant Episcopal oen-
ernl Convention which met IN this city last au'u,'
On the recommendation of the Rev. Dr. Ehpnaise No.
potter the president OF Hobart College, Geneva ~ L.
a hody known as "the Church University Board OF
psro,ss was created and as members OF such boaru
n,sheus poane of Albany Whpple of Minnesota anu
ouintsrd of Tennessee, the Rev. Dr. Morgan DiA'
David H. Greer and W. X. Huntington on .nis o."'
the Rev. DIR. E. n Potter, president of HOBART .oi-
,ece and Messrs. Henry Coppee Henry Drsier' oauo'
Eliot w. p johnson and g. ". Vanderon1 "ef0 "p
ponted The two chief functions al tse h"afu Wv
declared be the promotion OF eoaeauoh "'rs si
nnsrices of the Church and the reception sAia WIS
tr,aution Of all benefactons that may be entruseo W
n Articles Of incorporation were at ohee el~". up
and promptly received the sanction Oh t0s AZ" i
State Legislature, that the Board rs "'" ie"s
.mpovered to receive and administer all mohsss a'a'
rnav h. given 10 Ii for educanonai PURPOSES
p.,a wbo has for many years been
- enthusiast ON the subject OF rehgious euu'
,stion was designated the General secretary au nv
yocate of the Board; end during tnc iA'' io s ~,
he has at his charges, Vlsitea nio'o "a w
educational institutions Of the Episcopal Nnuroh' IN
,rder IN present the claims Of the Board ne mas
- ,r,os. sv.rv IN stance met with cordial ana even
,hpssstic reception The present deficiencies In the
educational work Of the Episcopal Church are HahAS
acknowledged by those best qualified 10 speak i"r ~
and aid and cooperation in Semedyng these denclencles
Lzsk n1ap nd laifV
No Christian denomination in the country perhaps
n,a,ns a greater proportion Of highly educated mem
h.rs than the Episcopal Church, and yet at the
same time its institutions OF learning have peen TOT
The most part feeble, and In some cases mediocie
Until recently at least they have not begun 10 compare
,ber in sze endowment or scholarship with similar
institutions in many other Christian bodies The fact
A. the matter is the Episcopal Church has never ON
eslly taken up the work of Christian education as
,ome of the other denominations, notably the Metho-
dists and have done with such splendid
xuceess 1t has been too much occupied with Other
matters The first century of it's life, speaking
broadly has spent in pefecting It's organization
and adjusting itself TO the age 1t has developed LIS
Episcopate so that il has become a modern American
Instituton IL has aimed to make its liturgy the
true and vital expression Of the modern idea OF
worship. 1t has stimulated its missionary ZEAL ana
In many ways has sought to find modus vlvendl
In its relations with other religious bodies and with
the world secular thought and activity 1t now enters
upon the SECOND century OF its life with the deter
mlnston to bend its energies to the work OF educa-
ton using the in its broad sense, to include
religious moral and intellectual training and growth
And there every reason to believe that IL VIII make
an honorable record for itself In this sphere OF ACTIVITY
though it Will have work hard to surpass what has
been done BY Its brethren the other Christian bodies
Obviously the first thing to be done was to organize
some supreme central authority such the Board OF
Regents which should act, not for one diocese OF
section Of the Church, but for the whole Church IL
is estimated by those who have made careful study
OF the subject that Episcopaians, or persons friendly
10 the Episcopal Church have contributed upward OF
$50 900 900 for the cause OF Christian eduoatloh.
That this enormous makes no adequate showing
in the Episcopal Church, is largely due to what might
be called the please or cutthroat policy IN
educational matters that obtained in that Church
Local pride and an imperfect view OF me whoe nelo
have often ledsto the establishment OF Church COL
lege or school when there was no need for such an
Institution, or when pecuniary support could be
expected for H. Moreover, 1t often happened that
two Episcopal institutions thus became strong rivals
Of each other with the result that neither OF them
aver amounted TO anything. 1t is undoubtedly true
that many Of these institutions may eventually become
vigorous and successful centres OF learning put 10
keep them alive all until that time shall come w'
have involved waste OF money that Woulo
have done vast amount of good If 1t had been more
wisely used There hardly diocese in the Episcopal
Churoh that could tell mournful story OF waste
and abortve energy in the attempt to build up some
institution that has either died or Is at the
point OF death.
And this evil has tended TO perpetuate ITSELF IN dis
rustng Episcopal parents with the schools and colleges
of their denomination The result OF this mas peeh
that they have not only refused to contribute thelr
money TO these UNCONVENTIONAL institutions put tes
have even refused to send their children TO tlem vi
course the secularst will rejoice at this Tor rom HE
point of view religion has no place in schooi Vi
college But without at all entering into that ques
uon 1t may be said in passing That the American Peo
pie are not yet prepared TO accept that idea arVau
and Yale themselves, which popularity regarded as
the two great secular colleges OF the Country are never
theless religious In the broad sense OF ue Wofu' anu
are governed by distinctly religious men, whiie Vic
success of such avowedly religious colleges as bro"h
and Princeton shows that the people sun beneve Ia
the idea of the religious college Therefore, with so
mncb money at its disposal and with central Board
NJ University Regents having behind 1T the OHclai
sanction and authority OF the whole Church' inc
Episcopal Church now has good reason to hope ior
success In building up great system OF religious eo
cation. ,
on course it is hoped eventually consolidate all
tho aenominatona colleges now existing into one or
more universities degrees for the same being conferred
nv the University Board Of Regents. There is no
reason in the nature of things why all the seVerai
colleges of university should be in the same to"h'
In fact the geographical size OF the Ohlnu o'a.e'
would almost suggest the scattering OF the colleges VI
university over several States simply as convei-
,ence TO the pupils. All the Episcopal colleges ana
sanartes this side OF the Mississippi could thus be
erected into great university without losing uen
present identity while at the same uhe 'hes "ouiu
.,r o.,n IN strength and prestige through their
nnion and their increased efficiency. Such uni
vesty would also attract the attention and enlist the
Interest Of wealthy Epscopalians, 80 that IT would
ere long be generously endowed
But desirable as all this would undouo.eoy De- ,he
trustees Of the Board Of Regents nave he'''er 'ne IN
.s,eu ~, Tho wish 20 force such result They are
49,. .ns, a multitude Of considerations will make ii
,mnossble for many years to bring about any such
nnnso,,aat,on among the colleges that now exist
what they do hope for is to make the Board OF Uni
yersity Regents so potent in shaping the future ecu
catlonl policy of the Church that these coheses le
,ves will see that their interest lies in cooperating