New-York tribune., 1902-06-08
FELIX ADLER INDICATED
FORCED TO RESIGN FROM CORNELL. HE
ACCEPTS A CHAIR AT COLUMBIA.

The apnointuent Of DR. Felix Adler founder of
the School for Ethical Culture. to the post OF pro-
fessor Of social and political ethics at Coiumoia
University. announced last week Is fesarued
by DR. Adler's admirers as peculiar vindication
For in 1877, just about quarter OF century ago,
Felix Adler. professor of Hebrew and oriental
languages at Cornell University was told that ne
must resign: that he dangerous man 10
teach the young that his rationalism ana ree
thinking would demoralize the traditions OF the
college, and that he had better 60 Iheh 1t was
that the young professor laid aside MS cap anu
gown and consecrated himself entirely TO MS ne"
calling.
After nar,od of twenty-five years. in which he
has built lp a society which is distinct IN itseii.
with its marriage ceremonies. its own ioii VI
naming babies, and its own funerai anu ceiiie
Dr. Adler will again return TO the proIesSoi
chair Notbine is said now about his ideas being
dangerous His deeds and the results OF the t"e'S
five years Of his teaching have convinced the ''u
tees of Columbia University that there Is iiucn
wisdom in the man." and that his practical WORK
in teaching and alleviating the condltlon OF tte
moor which has been the aim of the schools OF the
Society for Ethical Culture. will help the stuaen's
of Columbia a higher level OF manhood anu
citizenship
DR. Adler's resignation from Cornell and his
work as head of the Society for Ethical Culture
are too we'll known to need any EXTENDED comment
He is constantly before the pubic eye ana MS
Sunday lectures. his deep interest IN pohtcal anu
municipal events are known to the reading classes
of not only this city, but in many countries oe-
sides own.
There is much however in the inner life Of the
noted lecturer on ethics which has remained I'M
known until his recent appointment to the Column
bia professorshp. Those who knew him at the
schools of the Society for Ethical Culture, at NO
1o9 West Fifty-fourth-st. and No. AZ East Fnty-
eighth-st. the man who lectures every sun
day at Carnegie Hall. saw there man OF prac-
tlcaI ideas, a of action a thinker and stu
dent But where he got his ideas and how he put
them together in the stirring language Oh MS lect-
ures in his daily conversation were thlnss uii-
known.
A closer study of the personality OF the founoer
of the Society for Ethical Culture and the new
professor of ethics reveals however certain char-
acterstics which show the man 10 De
strikingly similar in many ways to the prophets
of the Old Testament. As one OF his most ue
voted followers said yesteday
s.There are things in which DR.. Adler resembles
such prophets as jeremiah and Hosea He IS ac-
customed long periods of medtatlon' "neh ne
is able to concentrate his mind 10 femai haOs
degree; he is gentle by nature, but capaoie oi
reaching TO a high pitch of indignation "nen
aroused and he. like the prophets. is LOOKING lor
ward to greater mind. to fulhl or carry iufiie
the work he has begun
The young man who thus spoke of the heao OF
nev1 school for the sake of which he had given up
old and established beliefs and long tried friend
ships, then said:
DIR Adler spends far more time ana tnousht ON
his lectures than the majority of people would
spends In the various duties in connection with
the schools the society These schools nave Deeh
developed to such extent at the present time
that there are all the way from the klnGer-
earten to the nigh school. that student may
begin as little more than baby and be graduated
ready to enter college. Besides these schools there
are additional classes for wage earners. there are
evening classes and ether branches OF the seherai
work. which all demand his attention -, -.
Then it falls to him to perform great 1eaI @ 11 f
otarsh in NJ a
ma rriages and funerals and babies to be named Ior
tbne Te go taEe nIs great deal Of time Nevertheless in
the performance of these various duties 9r; Aaer
is silently meditatng over his next Sunday iect-
.The last three days of the week. continued the
Young man he shuts himself up. and begins to
write It often takes him several hours to attain
capable of expression. And when he is at last in
mood to write he does 4s no5 se write Of pen or
writer be clog on the mind ana oas as pPske S
dictates to stenographer, who is always Within
Patience and perseverance are striking charac-
teristics of his work. He will labor over an idea
again m 4nd deae agae uet Strikes out and then
alters and remodes. And yet his lectures have All
reason is that not cling closely to his text
He does not read it, and ms nee Ieenhg ing t5oYeh his
Far more fortunate than many students. Or.
In his moments of seclqsion the house Is sun; ana
which does devote his lecture & he spends lends
with his family, and he loves 10 reao diouu from
But in spite of his manner in public. which
| many persons would interpret the austerity of a
| vein of humor in his nature and enjoys telling
story that will start laugh or to crack pun az
hen The was Tev e last of b by W
Stevenson is of his favorite writer's OF hcton:
snd styIe .H' 1Os'' l ,n m aa,p,r t,an Rroun,ns IN
deed he cares very little for the philosophy OF the
author of The Ring and the Book He en- mas never meyer
| to rust and he finds time for few pages or
| Sophocles and Plato almost every night.
| !Amone the more modern philosophers his IA
,.ortas are the German Kant and our American
Emerson He spends much time wlth shaRGspeare @ f e.
and when ne was - aShed b given t9 to him recent he
said that he would ike Ihe furhess Eui'ioh u
| Shakespeare " - - !
lectures is obtained in his long summer vacations
| in the Adirondacks. Here Dr. Adler has a home @ In
| Lake Charnplan. A great deal of his time he
spends in reading. and especially in meditation In In
| long walks by himself he will give hlmsei1 up 10
| moods of abstract thought. Stiffness is great
| factor in these hours. Thus in speaking OF the
truths of Chrst's sermon on the Mount ne saio IN
| one Of his lectures: .
between business and pleasures, hastily glance over
these three pages and extract thelT purpogTt
We must become very quiet and very stfI IN order
TO penetrate into the interior and intimate Of
| these strange and weghty utterances -,
ness which has done much break down the first
popular notion that the Society for Ethfcai culture
heen successful in emphasizing the fact that all
lovers of ethics, no matter what thelr plrtu or
blood. welcome in his society Among the mem EN-
gradually diminished and it Is often hard 10 ten
the audience which meets to hear him lecture IN
Carnegie Hall from the congregation OIL Chi'diiai
Universalist church.
aRSFNT MINDED PROFESSORS