The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-26
LEAVES THE CHURCH.
Prof Hopkins of the Kansas Art
School,
is IECEESED AT DR.. ANDERSON
ON Account OF the Latter's Structures
ON Nuae Art I'm Last Sunday Nights
Sermon-Prof. Hopkins withdraw
fr0na MGemberBhfp.

/ AGGOumL
ON Nude Art I'm Last Sunday Nights
sermon-PrOf Hopkins tvIthdraws
fr0an Membership.
George E. Hopkins, the principal Of
the art school, has Withdrawn from the
! congregation of the First Presbyterian
church, by reason of the views held by
] its pastor, Rev. DR.. Anderson, on the sub
| iect of nude in art. Sunday night DR..
/ Anderson took occasion to say there was
nothing in the fairs art gallery of per-
manent value, and that humanity if not
decency would put overcoats on the fig
ures on the peristyle. To Mr.. Hopkins
this was the last straw, and today he ad-
dressed the following letter to the pastor:
Rev. s. B. Aldersons
JOURNAL recently of your views regard
ing antique art and the Hermes in parti-
cular, warrants my commencing for
perusal the article by Charles Waldstein
on Greek art in the accompanying maya
zine. The inclosed clipping will reveal
my own professionalism of painter. l
also teach drawing and painting. and in
the latter employment of my time am
engaged in pointing out to the youths of
this city the beauties of the nude figure
from casts and antique sculpture simply
because we cannot afford live model
As my pupils range in years from nine
to sixty-two, l do not see how you can
consistently bring me before the session
for expulsion.
That an enlightened christian can hold
the views you do is beyond my compre-
hension. That they are not held by the
average christian of culture in this city is
shown by the fact that four-fifths of any
audience gathered in Library hall are
either mem bers of the church or church
attendants, and it is from just such audi
ences that a majority of your converts
come.
Now, consider for moment the posi-
bic injury you are doing the cause of
Christ by public annouDcement of such
views. Granting you are entitled to such
views. do you think it advisable to COM
bat forms of enjoyment, nay, means of
development and of positive benefit
which the community in which you la
Dor have about them and have had for
nine years? Indeed, sir, you are the first
to breach the idea that such statues are
demoralizing in their tendency, and you
have done more harm in turning the
minds of people into a channel they are
not accustomed to-a low, sensual chan
nel-than you have accomplished good
in doing it. Even granting that your in
tentions we're good, / say you used con-
foundedly little tact in doing what you
did. Do you suppose Christ in your pro-
fession would have done this thing? As
suredly not Hypocrisy, insincerity and
not told of his denouncing the
people because of the statues they had
about them
And there were actually nude children
everywhere, but regardless of this he
said: 'Of such is the kingdom of heav-
en-" Your remarks recall DR.. Johnson's
reply when in the presence of nude
figure. He was asked by Boswell if he
didn't think it vulgar" No sir, but
your remark isl / myself am firm be-
all things are pure" That your atten-
ton should be drawn to the fig-leaf, or
that you note its absence when viewing
elevating examples of sculpture, is your
misfortune.
Your statement in the Sunday evening
sermon on the Worlds fair, that there
was nothing in the art gallery of perma-
nent value, or that would tend to the ad-
vancement of American art, bespeaks at
once the mind of the speaker to be in
inverse ratio to the breadth of the state
ment. 1t is to be deplored that one
else saw the .ihuman figure four
teen feet high on the peristyle," referred
to in the same sermon, as mere humanity
if not decency would have furnished
the nude ones at least with an overcoat
or sun umbrella during the heat and
cold of the many months they posed
1t strikes me as being decidedly out of
your province to pass judgment on
eight thousand paintings and hundreds
of pieces of sculpture upon the minds of
hundreds of thousands who saw them,
unless we assume that all go through
life on the same narrow plane of the
speaker. May ask if you profess the |
same knowledge of engineering. of
chemistry, of science, of astronomy, of |
music, as you do of art? My continued /
absence from your congregation is here
with explained. I am, sincerely,
GEORGE E HOPKINS.
For over Fifty Years