The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-30
Mr.. RILEY TAXES
HARPER TO TASK
CHICAGO ..U,' AS BAP-
list UNDER CHARTER.
But He Intimates That Religion Is
Considered Far Too Seldom in
the Management of the Institutions
Affairs-Plainly Says University
Stands for Higher Criticism.

Rev. w: b. Riley, pastor Of the First
Baptist church, becomes somewhat
sarcastic. in discussing the announce
ment, reported yesterday, and said to
have come from President Harper,
that Chicago University was no longer
Baptist institution: He: says DR..
Harper is the president but not the
policy of the institution. His state
ment in full follows :.st.7:
"A morning paper contains an ar
ticle regarding the University of Chi
cago in which it's President, VIM. r..
Harper, is accredited with having de-
clared the university to be no longer a
Baptist institution. In the nature Of
it's faculty, it's students and methods
it has. spread beyond allegiance to the
Baptist church, A majority of its
students and professors were nom
Baptists.' Its professors are elected
without regard to their religious be-
liefs.' The. Baptist church alone could
not supply us with enough professors
AT faculty meetings, where elections
are held religion is not mentioned
Religious Standardization in uni
versities is Observation-Disclosures, ETC.,
etc.
"A few remarks: First, let the pug
lie remember that VIM. r. Harper is
the president of the Chicago univer-
sity, but not its policy That belongs
to the board Of trustees, and it would
seem better for him to leave them to
make. the, declaration. Two-thirds of
the board Of trustees must forever be
Baptists. II a majority of the students
and gifts to the institution-John B.
Rockefeller'ss gifts aside-come from
outside sources, let it be known that
this was not true in the early history
of the institution, mad would not be
so now if the religious character Of
the instructors was such as to COM
mand the confidence Of the Baptists>
turnout the country. From the be-
ginning there has been persistent
effort to bring this institution under
the cont1 oil OF a board in sympathy
with higher, critic isH-and no one Will
question that the .endeavor has emil
nently succeeded. Harper's statement,
It's professors are elected without re-
gard to their religious Beliefs is suf-
fcient proof of that%fact. While his
additional remark at faculty meet.
ings, where elections are held, religion
Is not mentioned raises the question
with some, in more conservative QUAR-
tiers, as to Whether 1t is mentioned
when elections are not held. The
statement, The Baptist church alone
could not supply lis with enough pro-
fessors,' can be received only by sup
posing that he means the sort Of pro-
fessors who represent an election
without regard to religious belief.
The Baptist denomination, four mill
lions strong in this country alone, has
one hundred universities and colleges,
not to mention it's multitude of
academies, Summaries. and Institutes,
and last year there were employed
2,033 .'instructorssoi no these universies
and colleges. If scholarship only was
required "a: the, denomination, could
splendidly fit out several such uniyer-
sities,9 and if skeptical scholarship is a
sine, qua non we shall soon be ableoto
displace, the few conservatives left on
the faculty Of the institution with,
graduates from it., 49,,
FINALLY, if it is within the power of
the president. of an Institution to. an
null, with a Word,nits allegiance to-
denomination, people who have clear
cut convictions of the, truth, and are
willing to invest their money for the
sake of it's propagation will have to
face the serious question as to whether
their purposes in founding and en-
downing an institution will receive any
consideration after once it is SO am
ply on it's feet as to change the name
of college for university"