Evening star., 1896-03-17
Bishop Hurst Before the Philadel-
phia Conference.
EXPLAINS ITS SCOPE AND ORIGIN
Splendid Endowment and Gratify-
ing Progress.
GIFTS IS T E RD AY

In the Philadelphia conference Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church yesterday af-
ternoon. on motion Of Rev. William NJ.
Swindells, Bishop Hurst was invited to ad
dress the conference on the subject of the
American University at any time most ap-
propriate to him.
Bishop Hurst addressed the conference at
some length. giving the history of the ORR
gin of the movement to establish an Ameri-
can university in Washington. He said:
''Three men in Berlin, Humboldt, Schlegel
and Fichte, were regarded as three dream
ers. They had no money, for, like many
literary men and authors. they were poor,
but they cached the conclusion that there
should be in Berlin a university. The peo-
pie said: Here are these three dreamers
proposing university. There is no room
for cne,' but the dreamers kept on. After
the battle of Waterloo the first thing pro-
posed was to found such a university as
they had suggested. Now there are 10000
students in the universities of Berlin, with
800 professors 1t may be said, as was said
of Rome, All the paths Of science are on
the way to Berlin"
What a Fast Horse Did.
Three years ago an American student said
to.the bishop: ''If the American University
had been started sooner many of US would
not have been compelled to live IN the sti-
fling atmosphere of the skeptical universi-
ties of Germany"
Letters were received from various per-
sons and from bishops, urging that this
movement be inaugurated. A few initial
gifts were proposed. The question then oc-
Cured to the bishop, Did God mean that
such university should be raised up in
Washington? If He did not, He would stop
it." with that test said he, Il went to
work. l did not want to enter this work.
1t meant the fracture Of every plan for the
future. 1t would have TO be AL absorbing.
1t might lead to an abriignlent of my life.
1 hoped that barriers of brass. if necessary,
might be raised to prevent me from going
on with it. So l went 20 work. A layman
in Washington had fast horse. Methodist
preachers know-soTe Of them by eXperi-
ence-what a fast horse means. The fast
horse is part of our inheritance from our
ancestors This layman took me over the
city in all possible directions looking for a
suitable site. and the last afternoon we
found one on Massachusetts avenue. 1t
seemed as though 1t was toraordained for
the purpose wanted it. had not a dollar
paid in for it, but I bought 1t, agreeing to
pay in few days $1,000 option on it. l was
in the south when it was due, but I tele-
graphed a friend in Washington to pay it
and count that his subscription, and he did
it.
The Site n Gift.
Washington, in insisting upon the condi-
ton that the university should not be
started unless the people there would pay
for the land. The lot cost 100000, and the
people Of Washington paid for it. My in
terest in the property is now in the hands
of board of trustees, who have full con-
troll of the whole project. The land Is now
estimated at SJG0,G0. 1t IS the site of the
first breastworks erected for the protection
OF the capital. by the Pennsylvania re-
serves. These breastworks are never to be
disturbed, but to remain a monument to
Pennsylvania loyalty. 1t is said that this
ground belonged originally to Addison,
brother or cousin to the renowned author
and publisher of the Spectator.
The question may be asked Why build
such a university in Washington? 1 an
swer, Because 1t is central In that city
there is a scientific department of our CEN
tral work. There are fourteen vast scien-
tific collections containing types of all the
wounds received during the war. Formerly
the greatest scientific museum was in
France, then later in Vienna. The muse
ums of Washington are the finest in the
world. They cost $i0.0OO,O0O and s., 500, 600
Is expended each year in maintaining them.
Here also are the National Observatory and
the Congressional Library.
Il join with others in asking the United
States Congress to make these vast muse
ums free. We wanted them to be free,
not by courtesy, but by law The bill pass
ed as soon as it was introduced. 1t was
among the last that President Harrison
signed. Every person that gives dollar
to the American University knows that in
view of its location that dollar is spent on
the habitat of the student or to pay the
salary of a professor. We shall have the
use Of all that has been collected in that
city for the benefit of science. Massachu-
setts avenue is to be opened and paved by
act OF Congress as far as this university.
THE preachers have subscribed $4,000
for the erection of Asbury Hall. The lame
OF every contributor is to be put on a brass
tablet in the hall of that building when it
Is erected.
Money Raised.
"a lady in New York recently placed in
my hands securities to the amount of
s1Oo.155 to endew chair for the best lis
torian in the College Of History. The in
come began the night this contribution
was made. I said, Why don't you put
your money in building?' In reply she
said, Any one can put money in bricks and
mortar. 1 would rather give to brains
The subscription for the present College
Of History amounts to $l56OOO. This
amount is in bank, to be paid out In INSTALL
ments as the work advances
Gen. DePeyster has given also very
large contribution for the endowment of a
nall of languages. The total subscriptions
and payments amount at this date to ST.
04o.oOo. People of every gradeeh have given.
It's. IT IS Protestant mt university; A Presby-
terian gave me $4,000 toward 1t. 1 never
saw him but once before he made this con-
tribution. He said: If I can only live to
see the corner stone laid will give you an
other tip" then I shall be like old Simeon,
Now, Lord, lettest Thou Thy servant de-
part IN peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy
salvation."' In four weeks from toaay we.
expect to lay the corner stone i
Pope Leo has nephew in Washington
who gave us $4,000. another Roman Cath.
olic gentleman $1,000, his brother, who is a
Baptist, also $4,000. Sixty per cent of the
amount contributed for the payment of the
lot was received from outside the Methodist