The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-01-25
THE MEETING OF THE SCHOLAR
SHIP COMMITTEE.

from the Leader of last week.
A meeting of great Importance to our
church and its interests was held in this
city during the week just past. The
Committee on Scholarships, from the
Trustees of the General Convention,
convened for special session to consider
the matter of the unpaid loans due the
Convention from clersymen who have
never returned the amounts borrowed to
help them through the Theological
Schools. 1t will be remembered that
this duty was laid upon the Trustees at
the Meriden session, and they were in
etructed to proceed at once to collect
the sums due, amounting in the aggre
gate to something like $50 O0
Pursuant to action taken at the last
meeting of the Trustees, held in No
yember, the Secretary had sent circu-
lar to all who were thus in arrears, and
sufficient time having elapsed in which
to receive replies, this meeting was
called to consider those which had come
back to the Secretary, and to take what
action seemed advisable. 1t is not too
much to say that more delicate and
difficult problem was seldom laid on any
committee in our church.
The correspondence received showed
the completely of the case. To lay down
any hard and fast rule and proceed uni
formly in every instance would have been
as impossible as it would have been fool
ish. In those letters received types of
all the cases to be dealt with many
conditions and many tempers were dis
closed. Here was letter from the man
who all his life has ministered to church
ss giving but meagre salary, with sick
ness, family expenses, dependent rela-
tives, who still hoped and promised to
repay the debt. Here was one from
a prosperous young minister who defers
his early payments until he has pro-
vided himself with comfortable home.
One man known to have been living
for years with money to spend on the
unnecessaries of life, for fraternity dues
and social gaities. writes vaguely about
inability to meet his honorable indebted
ness. And next to him another who is
angry with his benefactors for asking
him to keep his pledges; in the same
breath with an avowal that he has had
the means, but chose to spend them IN
other ways! One man is jocular over
his own neglect and delay; another
seems ashamed and Inundated that
misfortune has kept this burden for
years upon his mind. There are many,
many conditions surrounding these de-
iinquent cases, and it is by no means as
simple a thing as it looks lin convention
assemb led," to dispose of them. 1t is
easy to see this lump indebtedness on
the one hand and several score OF debt
ors on the other, and to say, Tell these
men they must pay or take the consequ-
ences." But some evidently cannot pay
today; some can never pay; some deserve
sympathy and not severity; some need
instruction and counsel in the simplest
devices of frugality; some should be put
to sharp pressure; some deserve what
they are not likely to get. the sternest
rebuke and the plainest exposure. How
to reach even fraction and secure JUS
tice to the claims of the Convention
without injustice to the claims of any in.
dividual, is matter hedged about with
difficulties. perplexities, and discourage
ments.
One thing that appears in the major
ity of cases is the utter failure OF the men
to realize the power of small payments
regularly made. The ''installment plan"
seems never to have occurred to many OF
these debtors. The tone of their letters
shows that they are looking ahead to
that time which never will come, when
they can pay some large sum, and wipe
out the whole at once. 1t is foolish
dream, hard to dispel and fruitful of
much encouragement.
Another fact forced upon the minds of
the Committee was the light1ess with
which this obligation is treated, in com
carlson with debts to individuals, with
the desire for home. house. the COM
forts of marriage, the luxuries even, of
personal life. 1t seems hard for macy
men TO realize that in receiving this aid,
at time and in way which provides
an education and career to many who
without it would never have had road
open to either, they are under any strict
obligation either as to time or extent of
repayment. There seems to be feeling
that the Convention can wait; that this
debt OF honor can be postponed; and
that as the authorities to whom the col
lection Of the debt is entrusted are easy
going, the man who owes it may as we'll
follow their example and be easy-going
too.
There is still another fact which may
as we'll be faced. 1t is that our schools
have educated, and presumably are still
educating, men who never ought to stay
in theological school for six months.
1t ought to have been apparent to their
instructors that many of these men were
foredoomed to failure as ministers, and
were not worth the time ard money put
iato their training. Ifthis Investigation
shall lead to greater stringency 10 over