The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-07
LYMAN ABBOT
AT HARVARD
HIS IMPRESSIONS OF RELIGIOUS
LIFE OF THE COLLEGE.

. AZ r.. d r.
Evolution and Other Theories No
Longer Bother the Student, but His
Troubles Are More Largely Personal
and Practical-A Marked Improve
ment in Religious Feeling Among the
Undergraduates.
By M. G. Ayres in Boston Transcript.
Rev. Lyman Abbott, D. D., completes
today his present engagement as Har
ward university preacher. Each uni
versity preacher devotes the chief part
of his time to this special work during
the period Of his incumbency, and is
in residence at Cambridge in Wads-
worth house, where students who desire
personal and private consultation with
him can have that privilege every week
day between the hours Of 8 and IL in
the forenoon
DR.. Abbot first occupied the office
Of university preacher at Harvard, I'M
der this plan,. sixteen years ago. He
naturally studied, with particular care,
at that time, the conditions under which
new-was undergoing trial. Some Of
his Impressions were most frankly com
municated to me at the close Of his
first residence, and were given to the
public. Once more, by the same cour-
teous permission, I am able to crafty
the desire Of very many people ear
nestly concerned with the religious
problems of the, present day, for in
pear from DR.. Abbott's point Of view1s
How does the religious life Of Har-
ward university compare with what it
was sixteen years ago7 More particu-
1arly, wherein, if at all, has the attitude
of the undergraduate mind and heart
toward the fundamental questions Of
faith and life changed in these sixteen
yearss These are the questions, in their
essence, which were asked and an
swered. In reporting DR.. Abbott y
replies I do not, in any instance, at.
tempt to recite' his exact words, of
made during our conversation; but my
endeavor is simply to give the sub
stance Of what he said. .. ~
On the whole DR.. Abbott finds that
there has been a marked improvement
in religious life within the undergradu-
ate body of Harvard university. The
attendance at chapel services on weekly
mornings-which, like all other relig-
ious observances at Harvard, are wholly
the same cannot be said Of the size Of
congregations in Appleton chapel on
Sunday evenings, the fact may be ex-
planned by the circumstance that sixteen
years ago, as now, the auditorium was
filled.
DR.. Abbott ascribes very much of the
improvement to the benefcent infu-
ence Of the Phillips Brooks house, which
has been the nucleus for an ever in
creasing spiritual activity. The Y. M.
G. A. at Harvard has been very greatly
strengthened, pr. Abbott finds, in re-
cent years. There is. evidence Of a
characteristics. It has become more
practical. and less sentimental, or emo
tional. Its present aim, much more
than formerly was the case, seems to be
in the line Of helpful service. It
strives, with growing success, to make
itself felt in the daily life Of the stu
dents as such. The change is marked
in the respect that the Y. M G. A. at
Harvard Us elsewhere has ceased, for
the Christian churches. It still does a
considerable work Of a similar kind,
but. not within the usual scope of those
churches activities It is effectively
carrying good influences into the social
spheres which the churches have some
how failed largely to reach. a3l
The proporti0nate number Of students
seeking interviews with DR.. Abbott at
Wadsworth house is, he thinks, about
the same as sixteen years ago. But he
finds distinctly noteworthy difference
ties and perplexities regarding which
they seek help from him. Sixteen
years ago questions arising out Of the
doctrine Of evolution, then at the front
were what troubled very. many studiout
youths. j. That is not the case NOW iI
anything like the, same degree. II
answer to the question whether this
change was at all attributable to al
impression among the students that the
doctrine Of evolution had had it's day
and was coming to be discarded by til,
newer educated thought, DR.. Abbot
answered that he was unaware Of any
reason to suppose that the change il
the student mind could thus be &C
counted for. On the contrary, the alb
serce Of such perplexities is clearly ow
ing to the fact that the principle Of ev
olution is now accepted among scholar
as so fully established that it's trut]
may be taken for granted It no longe
stands as stumbling block to faith
However, DR.. Abbott is careful and en-
phatic I'M saying that we, must distin
g!uish between the principle Of evolu
evolution is to accept the demonstrate
truth that all life in this world, whethe
material or spiritual, is a growth,
progress from lower to higher forms.
Students are mot troubled now neal
ly so much as they once were by prot
lens Of the higher Biblical criticism
In that field, too, there has come to b
general acquiescence in the results Q
the ripest Christian scholarship. Thos
results seldom stand in the way now G
that rational faith in spiritual veritie
which very many students are all tn
while striving to attain unto. For e,
ample, DR.. Abbott remarks, it was ia
more common sixteen years ago than
is now to find students whose doubt
with regard to the religious authorit
Of the Bible arose from the belief thu
they must interpret literally the storit
of Jonah and the whale, and Of the ia
of man. At the present. time the all
gorical Interpretation is accepted {
Teconciling faith with reason.
Today, in place of those intellectu,
doubts there are found to be perplex
ties in the student mind of mo,
strictly personal sort. OF these D
Abbott feels that the sacred nature
the confidence between himself and b
young friends who come to see him j
Wadsworth house will not permit hi
to speak, even in general terms Of d.
scription. He can say no more tina
that they have to do with what is no
the prevailing characteristic Of all tt
most vital religious life, especially j