The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-05-11
A GREAT METHODIST UNIVERSITY.

Bishop Hurst Speaks of What Has Been
Done for Such an Institution.
Bishop Hurst occupied the pulpit of Me-
rldian-street NJ. +. Church. morning and
evening. yesterday. In the morning be
preached ON THE Certainty of Christian
Faith" taking for his text the twelfth verse
of the first chapter of eecond Timothy.
For the which cause I also suffer these things;
nevertheless l am not ashamed, for know whom
1 have believed. and | am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which 1 have committed unto
him against that day.
Christianity, the Bishop said, differs from
all other religions. because it is based on
historical facts. No ethnic faith has q
basis in actual history. The knowledge of
Christ comes through verifiable history. 1t
is derived first from thu old Testament
Scriptures; second. from the gospels, and
third, from observation Of transformation
affected in character by His truth and
spirit.
In the evening the bishop talked on "Our
Interests IN Washington City" his remarks
being devoted to q brief history of the pro-
posed national university. in that place
which the Methodist Church il preparing to
build. he first referred to the origin of
the movement and how it was retarded by
the belief that a suitab BILE site could not be
secured for anything like q reasonable
0lnOuhtO vi ulOnCy lh tu0 1911 VI o., uOW-
ever, the sentiment in favor of pushing
the project through seemed to crystalline.
and wealthy men in various cities with
whom he talked assured him of their readi-
ness to contribute literally. In February,
1890, he began to look for q piece of land in
the vicinity of Washington available for
the purpose In question. and after spending
two weeks In the search found just
was wanted in the northwe stern part of the
city. 1t was q tract of ninety-three acres,
and its price 100000. The Bishop
asked his hearers to imagine an
elevation of four hundred feet
at the northern termination of Meridian
street, winch would, of course, command a
magnificent view of the city and surround
ing country. In that way they would
have some conception of the location of
this tract of ground recently acquired by
the Methodist Church. 1t is at the read of
what is 30 be an extension of Massachusetts,
avenue in Washington, Congress
having by bill ordered that thorough
fare extended to the site eff
the proposed university, and appropriated
$4,000 to grade the street, which amount is
to be further increased in all probability.
The view from the location is something
magnificent. he further said. the diameter
OF vision reached being from seventy to
one hundred miles. The Potomac can be
seen as Tar as Mt. Vernon, the Virginia
plains to Parnassus. the Maryland plains
for miles in the direction of Annapolis,
and TO the northwe est the great panorama
OF the Blue Ridge mountains spreads out
In all Its picturesque charm. The buildings,
when erected, will command q view of
every part of Washington, and the site,
Bishop Hurst thinks. is one of the most
beautiful that could have been selected.
CONDITIONS OF TIE PURCHASE.
The conditions of the purchase were
$1,000 for an option and SIC. 600 within five
weeks after the transaction had been
closed. These requirements were met. and
within the specified time $4,000 had been
subscribed in Washington alone. 1t was
then decided that the entire 100000 re-
quired for the purchase of the site must
come from that city, else it wonld not be
worthy the noble Institution designed to be
erected there. How well Washington re-
sponded is evident from the fact tina up to
last Wednesday, the day the Bishop left
there, 800. 200 had been subscribed, and. as
the average amount received was S625 q
day, by this time the SUBSCRIPTION had un-
doubtedly passed the required figure. The
Intention now Is not to build the institu-
tion until the fund has reached g.. 1000 900.
Now that Washington has subscribed sufi-
proposes, as soon as he returns to that city
the whole country for Apt tss BIG 10
fund required to erect the university build
ings. He felt we'll assured indianapolis
would contribute literally, and that the
congregation of the Meridian-street Church
would help the great movement financially
and in every way possible. He thought the
time had come W hen the Methodist Church,
with its vast membership of two and q
quarter millions. it's great resources
and influence, should do for itself
what the Johns Hopkins University
at Baltimoreh has been for years trying to
do for the secular world. One feature of
the institution will be the annual distribu-
ton of 5000 In scholarships for young
women The young men will have TO do
without this scholarship Encouragement,
as it Is thought they are well able to do so.
The Bishop called attention to what the
Catholics are doing at Washington, and
their shrewdness in long ago recognizing
that from there they can radiate to ali
quarters of the country. He urged that
the Professionals should delay no longer, but
offer greater educational Inducements than
the church of Rome He referred to the
u~uequaled advantages offered by Wash
ington to men and women seeking to per-