The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-10
Holt Hughes Is Installed as President of De Pauv University

is the significant thing Therefore. the
theme is. the meanings OF Christian educa-
ton. The effort will be 10 make deductions
from the fact that for nearly two millen-
NUNS the church OF Christ has sought TO
promote education and that AZ still insists
upon its duty in that high respect. What
necessary admissions lie folded in that fact?
The question thus broadly stated Is an ad-
vantage, because IL releases us for the time
from policies and sets US free TO deals.
THE first implication necessarily held Is
the fact that the Christian church has
founded and fostered institutions OF learn
ing may be stated in this form OF subject:
The practicalness of the intellectual life.
In our land and age the mere cloister has
not been a popular institution. There has
been demand that the windows of the
study should be open, so that the life Of the
world might flow IN. and that the doors
should be open so that the enlarged life or
the student might flow out.
MEETS ALL CHANGES.
1.-The history of education offers few more
significant chapters than that which records
the change i'm our universities and colleges
to meet the quick change in the big world.
In response to the demand technical schools
or departments almost leaped into the field.
Readjustments were made on an ample
scale. In many of our States thousands OF
young men have been equipped 10 solve
the problems presented by the new powers
OF steam and electricity. The critics of in
stitutions of learning, who had long de-
clared higher education luxury or an orna-
ment. now saw IL united with the huge ac-
tivities OF the modern age.
All this inevitably carries the question
on on to the application to commercial life;
message from one of her intellectual lead
ers. The address OF Sir Norman Lockyer.
as president Of the British Association for
the current year gives the relation OF
higher education TO commerce a surprising
emphasis. The title is The Influence of
Brain-Power on History Evidently the
title and the mode of treatment We're both
suggested by Captain Mahan's great book.
The Influence of Sea-Power on History.
This presidential address passionately adj
vises that Britain must found more col
leges IL she is to keep industrial and COM
mercial leadership; il locates the final
university equipments; il boldly urges that
England give to the founding OF new in
stitutions of higher learning figure equal
to her astounding expenditure for great
navy. And this plea for advanced educa-
ton is made in the name OF England's
commercei
''The second Implication that lies folded in
the fact OF Christian education relates TO
| the fearlessness OF the religious life. After
crush out the new faith. the contest passed
| from a physical up TO an intellectual form.
/ In the attempt to destroy Christianity Gel
sus was in a sense a successor OF Nero.
| Both sought the same end-the one using
weapons of fire and sword; the other weap-
ons of syllogism and satire. In our own
| Ilflle anu country the CONTEST lies dlIiOcl
wholly in the intellectual realm. It's. then.
exceedingly suggestive that the church has
not been afraid to sharpen minds by the
thousands. Knowing that the forces that
| sought to discredit her theme and her mis-
| sion were intellectual, she has still gone
| forward in the work Of developing INTEL
procedure has never yet been sufficiently
emphasized. The church has opened schools
for the training Of minds. well knowing
would turn their developed powers against
her life. Yet in spite of Hume and a thou
Christian faith. who were trained under
her inspiration, she has serenely continued
the work of founding and maintaining in
stitutions OF learning.
sACREDNEss OF LIFE.
"But II there are implied in the fact OF
Christian education the practicalness of the
intellectual life and the fearlessness Of the
religious life, so likewise is implied the
sacredness of all life. The church has theo-
logical seminaries, but she has colleges. too.
Had she maintained nothing more than
schools for the training of ministers. she
would, by implication at least, have denied
the sacred character of all other Legitimate
| pursuits Instead OF following that narrow
| course she has set herself to fit the youth
| of the land for effective work In every
righteous department OF endeavor- glance
| through an alumni register is suggestive OF
the breadth Of life followed by graduates.
and therefore the breadth OF life vitality in
| f1uenced by our institutions. Men have not
always seen and valued the implication mere
offered. If preparation for these wide fields
| of labor should proceed under the dominion
of Christian ideals, then IL follows that
these fields themselves should be under that
same august dominion. Ere we know 1t the
ideal folded In the fact OF Christian edu-
cation has led us out to an ample and gen.
"Now, as the whole includes the parts.
all this means that our colleges must take
due note of the Legitimacy and sacredness
of the Christian ministry. The Ignorant
have sometimes supposed that every insti-
tuition of learning under the government or
the church was devoted exclusively 10 the
raising up of preachers and pastors. This
mistake shows that all the world does not
yet know how inclusive is the purpose or the
church. 1t may show also that In the past
years these schools have held an important
relation to the supplying OF the ministry.
1t would be unfortunate IL any one should
think that De Pauw University was in:
tended only for this one purpose. IL would
rightly saw that De Pauw University did
not somewhat answer this purpose.
.sThese. then, are the meanings of Chris
tan education. We tarry with the theme
only long enough to connect IL with this
day and it's great cause: IL rs not hard
| to find the working OF these ideals I'm the
history OF De Pauw University. This In
stitution has sustained practical rela-
ton to the life OF our world IL has never
| advocated or cultivated a sequestered and
| clustered culture Its alumni have beer
marked by a singular spirit OF energy. In
Senate or House, I'm pulpit or market. or
farm and I'm city, in schoolroom and Of.
fee her children have faced the practica
problems with stern resolution and with
winning earnestness. And for TWO gener
ations this university has stood for the
| fearlessness of faith. She has not welcomed
theories simply because they were new mol
harbored them merely because they were
| old. The world has never accused her OF
interfering with the pure freedom of in
struction. Her trustees and teachers have
| not been afraid that the opening OF TIT
doors Of knowledge meant the closing o.
; the doors of trust With an admirable bal
, | ance CT conservatism and progressivenesi
,, she has moved through the years o
changing opinion with the full convic
ton that everything which says i am Z
, truth is the property OF Him who said
am the truth Likewise has the institution
life The representatives OF her Christian
, spirit are I'm all vocaticns. The children o.
: this cherished mother walk the good
! paths everywhere. They are In the min
istry, as men call IL In formal phrase: bu
they are in the wider ministry OF honest
work. unsullied character, flashing ideali
5 | and countless services. When these three
| tremendous items that represent the spirit
ual returns upon our Investments here ar
I listed on the ledger all expense or time
. thought, toll and wealth are overbalancet
, | and the Christian investor feels that ne II
receiving stupendous dividends.
: ADVENTURES OF A