Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-01
Bishops Views Of Proposed Washing
ton Memorial University,
DSCOURAGES PLAN OF RAISING FUNDS
The Status Of American University
and Its Prospects.
UNION OF THE CHURCHES


University, of which he is the head, and
the proposed university in memory of
George Washington are one and the same
that the bishop has reached the conclusion
that he should make address to the peo-
pie Of the country on the subject. Bishop
Hurst Is of the opinion that the George
Washington University will never mate
rialiZe, and he is strongly opposed to the
proposition made by the ladies who met in
convention in Washington in December
last, which was to ask contributions from
the children in the public schools of the
country February % and other national
days in aid of the erection of the first
building of this university
The bishop says further that he hopes no
school committee or the principals of
| schools or parents or children will be per-
suaded to contribute. in the public schools
or out of them, any money to further
movement founded on other principles than
these of evangelical Christianity, and he
fears If the George Washington University
becomes an established fact the Catholic,
the Protestant, the Hebrew the Theosn-
phist and the Agnostic would have equal
claim to any of the positions which might
be at the disposal of the governing board
and each salary would be paid out of the
government treasury. He is also of the opin-
ion that the struggle for place would be ac-
companfed by political animosity and rel-
giouS prejudice and there would be such an
exhibition of strife and tension of temper
as washington has never yet seen.
It's Present Status.
AS to the present status of the American
| University Bishop Hurst says:
THE assets of the American University
have gone a little beyond sl.Oe0.Oo0. Its
| college of history is completed 1t is hoped
that the historical department can be open
ed Tor instruction at an early CAY. This de-
partment is already endowed to the extent
| OF Si35UU0 the gift of one lady and a part
| OF the one million of assets. MANY contrib
utCrs however, have erected & magnificent
marble building
One of the most needed departments of
| the American University is that of the col
| lege of the science of government One in
dividGal has within few weeks given sos
| 600 for this department. The bUiding
| ought to cost no less than 5000. 900 or $3.50
| 600, and ii ought to have an eGral sum for
| endowment. In this building the political
science OF the nation and OF the world
should be taught, under such. themes as
international law. the relations of capital
and labor, proper systems CT finance the
duties and rights of citizenship. arbtra-
| ton and the like. Let such topics be
strongly and wisely taught here in the cap
! ital and the influence would be felt around
| the world. 1t Is hoped that this object will
receive such approval from the general pub
| lie that it will not be long before the entire
amount of S250.000 shall be secured for the
| college of the science of government The
| first drawings for this structure have al
ready been made
Success Threatened.
| There is belief, however, in many quar-
tiers that the success Of the American Uni
| Verslty Is threatened in another direction
| from that indicated in the efforts of the
| ladies of the country to establish a great
| university in memory of George Washing
ton and In accordance with his wishes as
| expressed during the revolutionary war 1t
VIII be remembered by the readers of The
S.dr that rev months ago there assem-
bied IN Washington a Joint commission
composed of seine of the leading ministers
ana laymen of the NJ. E. Church and NJ F.
Shurcp SOUTH respectively and after much
discussion or The subject these gentlemen
agreed upon certain things as a basis of
federation between these two great bodies
IL was declared that the two churches are
| one IN 1aith and in most features of polity.
IEsv closely resemble in religious fervor
ana IN the methods of extending the King
dom or God and edifying believers The
reasons Tor harmony and hearty co-opera-
zen between lh@;n are very strong, We
90 not desire to reopen any dispute OF is4i
| or later dates We view the present situa-
| ton, its responsibilities and opportunities
AFTER number of resolutions of similar
| tenor We're adopted they decided that the
year i9o and 1901 should be the period for
the presentation of the subject of higher
education to all Methodsts in, the United
states and of their gifts to the cause Also
mat II Is the imperative duty of the Pro-
teStaEt church TO provide In the city of
washington university Christian, Catho-
Tic, tolerant and American. having for its
| sole aim postgraduate study and research
ana that the American University is
! worthy or the confidence and benefactions
OF the people in all our churches: We there
fore. recommend that the claims of this
| institution be commended to both churches
| for special contributions during the closing
O6rf
| of the coming century,
Action by Congress.
Soon after the adjournment of the joint
! commission, and when everything appeared
| to indicate that the suggestions of that
body would be adopted. the House of Rep
| resentatves passed a bill, which is now
| pending in the Senate to appropriate $2SS,
| 600 to the publishing house of the South
| ern Methodist Church at Nashville, Tenn,
| to reimburse that organization for prop
| erty destroyed by the federal army during
| the war. and while the Union troops were
i in possession of Nashville. and despite the
| fact that the late General Clinton B. Fisk.
| the Union commander, certified that the
| claim made was just one, and that the
| property destroyed did not come under the
| head of that which could be appropriated
| to the support of the army without COM
| pensation, the act of the House evoked
| torrent of abuse from some of the leading
Methodist ministers in the northwest, which
not only threatens to defeat the proposed
| federation of Methodist churches. but also
| to deprive the American institution of large
| sums of money which otherwise 1t might
| have secured from wealthy members OF
the Southern Methodist Church. Already
| steps have been taken by the BIT. Louis
conference of the NJ. E. Church South TO
/ memorialize the general conference of the
| Methodist Episcopal Church South. which
| meets in Baltimore shortly, to lay on the
| church an annual assessment of 100000
| for four consecutive years, beginning July
| / next to endow chairs in the theological
department Of Vanderbilt University.
/ what the Memorial Recites.
| The memorial which will be presented to
| the conference at Baltimore will recite
that the Methodist Episcopal Church
| South has always been the friend of educa-
ticn and has considered the growth " her
| schools as necessary to the growth. bf all
her other institutions: that the increasing
| interest on the part Of the people u and
acquaintance with the developments ia lit
| erature. scince, theology and RELIGIOUS
| thought, has increased the need of a@thor-
cughly equipped ministry; that there is a
growing demand for such thorough schol-
l q in, as blo ~ nle.r rc1.f tn Ia