The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-10-24
HIGHER EDUCATION
Bishop Hurst's Address on
the Laying Of the Cor
ner Stone Of the
American Uni
Tersity.
METHODISM's AIM CUESUMMAYED
The New Seat Of Learning to be
Governed by Six Re-
ligions Bodies.

Bishops Hurst and McCabe, OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church, are the
originators of the plan for a Methodist
University to be known as the American
University.
At every meeting of the Methodist Con-
ferences for the past years subscriptions
for the contamination of the work have
been k Up. A few days go, the
foundation stone Of the first building, the
Hall Of History. was laid in Washington
with becoming pomp and
Bishop Hurst made the address which Is
as
This hour is one toward which cur
thoughts have been directed and on
winch our faith has been ceafered for
more than i've years of waiting and
which We assemble today was fought.
not because there was money with which
70 pay for 1T, but because of a firm be-
lief that not only the particular Protest
an Church which we represent needed
this centre for higher education but be-
cause II was a Protestant need of the
whole country. With NO one great bene-
FACTOR either to buy the land or to erect
the buildings or to provide the endow-
ments our appeal has been to the great
comrnonalty of American patriots and the
stiil greater c~ommonalty OF Christians
eeen more than our most ardent hopes.
Our object has been to found here a
university IN harmony with the great de-
facilities equal to those of the foremost
universities Of the Old World.
we have learned already that this
transcendent object appeals not only to
the Judgment and the sympathies of lead
ing minds in church and state, but that
generous hearts and open hands have
given such. proof as only sacrifice can
has ascended from many homes and gifts
Y come from many hands, and we are
now here 70 Jay the corner stone OF
eonsecrated to the kingdom and service Of
our Heavenly Father.
It is highly proper thai our group of
noble edifices should begin with the col
first place by the right of Its high func-
TONS IN the development of a great eduea-
tlonaI modern a complete and
an American university.
History furnishes an outlook over the
acnieVemenfs OF those who have pre-
coed US N the struggle of our common
human HE; At the distance of an
oceans Width from the animosities and
complications of European politics the
american is best fitted for unravellng the
tangled skein of European history. With
out prejudice or Partially he is peculiarly
qualified for Weighing and Sitting the
yexed questions of the old world. and
for solving the problems of the new. He
the strife of foreign lands to make safe
congratulations and to reach just conclu-
SionS.
History points out the best paths by
winch future additions to the worlds
treasures can be made. No science an
proacheS it in drawing from the err
Iors n the successes of the past ages
tne highest wisdom and the noblest In
splrallonS Tor meeting the demands which
the future is sure to bring with ii. IT
holds out the lamp of caution to the ex-
plorer In the realms of truth guarding at
once against the mistakes of the past
ana the tendencies which might lead to
their repetition in the future,
VI all the ciences history alone se-
iects the good and leaves the evil he
It forms the proper gateway to
every department of human learninr a.
as we come to the laying of our irsf cor.
ner stone, it has been our purpose to LET
the college of history precede ali Others
for history is itself the foundation of ali
the sciences.
George Washington was the first to
conceive the importance of planting here
at the National Capitol a great nniver-
sity. His grounds for advocating it were
| pased upon political considerations. name
iy, that the American citizen should be
Grained in America in order to be saved
from monarchical and other notions UNI
favorable to the development Of cjtizan-
ship In a great republic. But q centurv
OF national history has taught us that the
true university needs more than fhet
II needs to cpen its doors for the de-
yelopment of science based upon the
WORD Of God, in harmony with the divine
teachings and in full faith in the Anal
triumph of Christianity over ali wrong
be it in hut or palace.
While this institution is under tbs
auspices and care of one denomination
there are on its board of trustees rep,
whom most cordially co-operate Far Az
achievement of its noble mission >,