New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-27
NEW CHAIR FOR PRINCETON.
DIR. VAN DYKE WILL BE ASKED TO
FILL IT.
BELIEF THAT HE WILL ACCEPT-DEsIRE TO
BECOME A PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH
LITERATURE-HIS HEALTH DE-
MANDs THAT He GIVE Up
Ills PASTORATF
Ills PASTORATE.

Princeton University is to have new chair
Of English Literature. richly endowed, and it
IS confidently expected that the Rev. DR.. Henry
van Dyke. now pastor Of the Brick Presbyterian
Church, of this city. viii be it's first occupant.
For some time graduates and friends Of Prince
ton have been quietly securing subscriptions
toward the fund for this purpose. With their
usual generous spirit the wealthy alumni nave
responded most satisfactorily TO the requests
for money and the endowment IS so nearly com
pIete that its success is assured II Will be OF
such an amount as to yield an income which
will rank as a handsome salary, as sala-
ries in American universities go. The project
has reached such a stage that it will be laid
before the trustees Of Princeton at their meet
ing on March 10, and they will, of course. rat
ify it and formally order the founding of the
new professorship. They will further ask the
Rev Dr. van Dyke to accept it.
The pastor OF the Brick Church has been In
tlmately connected with the proposed new chair.
Indeed. it was the desire to have him become
a member of the Princeton faculty that was
most potent factor in establishing it, Some Of
his closest personal friends and admirers have
been most active in fu-thering the plan. both
by giving money toward the endowment fund
and by seeking subscriptions from others
While they would be glad to have the Princeton
curriculum strengthened by a new professor
ship I'm English Literature they would have
been far less enthusiastic in working for 1t II
they did not believe that they were at the
same time securing Or. van Dykes services for
their Alma Mater.
After his recent doclinatlon OF a similar OFFER
from Johns Hopkins University it may be
thought doubtful whether DR.. van Dyke can be
prevailed on to accept this one. 1t is believed,
however. that he will certainly consent TO leave
the Brick Church to 90 10 Princeton. OF course
his friends have not gone 10 such lengths with
out saying word to him, and that they have
raised so much money is a proof that he has
given them a certain ENCOURAGEMENT. Again
he originally decided 10 take the chair at the
Baltimore institution. and recons!dered his de-
termination only under the most powerful per-
suasion of his congregation. The fact remains
that tho life Of college professor. with the
leisure that it would afford for literary work,
appeals most strongly to him In his letter to
his congregation on February occurs this pas
sage:
stnl believe that man may serve God and his
r,li0v-mcu by writing well a. By preaching. !
stil wish and hope To- bee able 70 do some honest
work in literature. But the call to Johns HOPKINS
respcctfuiiy declined. To-days duty is here.
on January - Or van Dyke. having decided
to go to Baltimore, wrote the following letter
10 his conservation:
4 call 70 n university profosgorship Of English
literature has broushl b,to,e me tne S "
my hy iod IL rot question of giving up the
preaching Of christ have no Intention oI Gong
that us S'iltC' We N n ,o .S " v.orjsrnen
The question that comes to me Low. IS simply
gu,5,l"i o. ~ arsc civ church into
"oIk oi tlr pa ',',a..,, - L,rfs and devofing
uts.,f To- u Hfe I'm which there snail be more lib
rrtv ana tImc 10 think and 10 write After ear
nest consdcraiiom ana seeking nSnr i.J" % da
think that this is the line alonS Wnlch / taM r ~
my best ana most I"s'Is Hv''Ne " '''
nirn r,.,, -t,~.b y,bicb have had the priv
q, IT, r,.i,r ''' f|r sixteen ycars l. row in
,i,. s,ro,,6 nosition Your fidelity and united
work under C;ods blessing have brought It to this
happy condition and VIII keep 1t there. 900,
with sincere and unchansns au"c'lon Ior you you
ALL request you 10 unite win IN. III "sns "snms he he
TreshVery II the way oe cl'Ir, 10 GiLi,y.h and
Ia-'''" sb ,ir'. @nd in such manner as may