Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-06-10

BrattleDoro to succeed Kew. II. X. Miles.
ADDRESS BY DR.. SPENCE.
Wednesday afternoon, praise service
was again led by Rev. Mr.. Swift and Rev.
W. II. Watson OF Rochester offered
prayer. The conference then listened to
an address by Rev. w. H. Spence, D. D.,
of Rutland on the subject OF 'Social Ser
vice and the Evangelistic Note. y This able
and interesting address was followed by
a discussion participated in by several
members OF the conference.
After a solo by John Lamson. Rev
Donald Frazer of Berlin spoke on ga
Plea for Changed Condition in the Re-
lation Of Pastor and People," He dealt
with the pastoral relation from personal
experience and observation. A thread of
humor kept the audience in a happy
frame OF mind and enforced the many
points made by the speaker.
A solo by Miss Lucille Grant preceded
the remarks OF Rev. 5. F. Bloomfield of
Montpelier ON "Why the Ministry is
Failing to Attract Men Of Force" The
speaker, as well as all v no participated in
the conference, seemed to indicate that
men of force had been attracted to the
ministry.
Rev. E. @. Guthrie OF Burlington spoke
upon sThe Dignity Of the Pastoral
Once" setting forth the eminent aud
honorable place which the Office has held
and still holds in the community.
A solo was sung by Miss Blanche Spar
hawk and time was given TO a discussion
Of the foregoing addresses.
PRESIDENT ]. VI. THOMAS.
Wednesday evening congregation Of
probably 500 assembled in Chandler
Music hall for a service, which was con-
Quoted by President Flagg and for which
Bethany church choir Of u voices pro-
vided elaborate music. The first address
by Pres. John NJ. Thomas, d. D., of Mid
dlebury college was thoughtful, scholar
ly production along original lines and so
clearly and convineingly presented that
he held without effort the unbroken at
tention OF his audience from beginning to
end.
His topic, "Religious Leadership in
Higher Education" be declared, would
have sounded very strange only a few
+ years ago as our old world counts time !;
as strange as it would sound now to
speak of religious leadership in the
I prayer meeting. OF course there Is relig-
{ ious leadership in that and so, not so
+ long ago, it would have seemed strange
+ to speak Of religious leadership in educa-
/ tion. In the medieval years, the monks
were the only educators and the church
did all the educating. Oxford is a monu-
ment of the medieval spirit in her archi-
+ lecture aud constitution. and in some
branches pursued there. II is not other
+ wise with the great universities of the
continent.
The sole impulse of education came
{ from men of religious convictions and
came out of their convictions. Harvard
bears the name of clergyman. Yale, to
which books were brought and placed on
the table with the remark. 81 give these
books to help found a college in Ameri-
ca" was due to the desire fmen to prop
agate their faith and who thought. in SO
doing they were rendering God service.
Princeton had its beginning as a divinity
school, and so we may go on until we
cross the continent.
Then a change came about, symbolized
by the name of Justin s. Morrill,, who in
1858 framed the land grant bill, setting
aside 80, 900 acres for each state, the pro
ceeds from the sale of each tract to be
devoted to some college, established or to
be established, for the promotion of the
study of agriculture and mechanic arts.
1t has been sometimes thought that these
colleges were merely to promote agricul.
ture, but that not alone or chiefly, was
the intention; it was to promote all edu-
cation. The bill, signed by President
Lincoln in 1862, became law, and great
interest was aroused in scientific survey
ing, only taught then at West Point and
one other institution of higher grade.
The movement was largely successful.
Agricultural colleges and experiment
stations sprang up. The sum of sSO,OoC
a year was appropriated for our institu
tions. State universities with large ap
preparations were established throughou
the Middle West.
COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT.
Now come the secular institutions
which can have DO religious influence
whatever publicly, though they may
exert it privately. Colleges are taker
away from the control and influence o.
the church, and we see the same move
ment in the public schools. Here il
Vermont we do not question the devo
tional exercises every morning, but il
the Middle West they clip the wings o
the teacher in that respect, and in the Fs
West the exercises disappear altogether
So it is in tho choice of head for col
Ieges and universities. Instead ~
clergyman, as it always used to be, thu
president is not taken from the secula
walks of life. and colleges are even a Iittl
ashamed OF having a minister at thei
head.
Nevertheless, religion is the parent o
higher education. Name any branch il
the curriculum and go to the end of i
and it will have something to tell yol
about religion. It has been the pionee
| leading men to study. Men wonders
/ at fire, how strange it was; they didn'
: understand it and 50 they bowed them
selves before II and became fire worship
I ers. But as they practised their rite