The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-01-29
MASS MEETING At PARK AVE.
Pastors Show Great Work That Is Be-
ing Done for Religious Education of
Students and Ask Kenosha to Aid in
Campaign to Raise 100000 Fund.

dent pastors, representing the Baptist,
Congregational, English Lutheran,
Methodist and Presbyterian demonia-
tions at the University of Wisconsin,
occupied various Kenosha pulpits in
the morning, and in the evening four
OF them spoke at large union mass
meeting, held in the Methodist church,
on various phases of their work with
the students at the University. The
first speaker was Rev. M. G.. Allison
of the Presbyterian church, who spoke
on the history of the movement. He
pointed to the fact that for many
centuries all education was religious
education, or at least under the care Of
the church. When the Pilgrim Fathers
built up this country, however, they
separated absolutely church and state,
thus giving true religious liberty. The
state provided common school educa-
ton but for long time the student
had to go to church schools for high
er education. Finally, however, there
was demand that the state give high
er education also; and the condition at
present is that whereas the Protestant
Christian students in the denomina-
tlonal colleges in such a state as this
number hundreds, those in the state
university number about a thousand
for each of the leading denominations.
For many years the churches did moth
ing about this, but about ten years
ago they began putting trained minis
tiers at the university to look after
these students. These ministers are
now organized into an alliance, and
lind that they can accomplish many
times as much working together as
they could working separately. The
Catholic representative also cooper
ates with them wherever possible The
university assists impartially by taking
for them each year religious census
Of the students, and this list is then
turned over to the pastors that each
may work with students of his wn
denomination. Many meetings Of stu
dents are held in common also.
Rev. O. D. Foster of the Congrega-
tional church spoke of personal work
among the students. 1t might seem
that working in the large, by preaching
and Bible Study groups, would be the
great thing, but much of the most eff
fective work was done lin the small. y
that is, by visiting individual students.
It was the hardest sort of work. With
thousand students on one IS list. and
the difficulty of finding the students
at home, the pastor knew that he might
see the student but once during the
year, in this individual way. He must
in the few minutes of the call size up
the student, and present just the thing
needed and attractive to that particu-
lar young man or woman, whether to
fortify against the trials and perils
of university life, to steady him dur
ing the mental readjustment which
must come inevitably in many lines, or
to draw him into the work of the
church and religious life. That this
could be done was shown by the hun
dreds of students who united each year
with local churches, and by the many
letters of appreciation from parents,
teachers and students themselves.
This was the big job Of the university
pastor-the one most needing exper-
fence and wisdom and conservation.
The third speaker was Rev. J. w.
Morgan of the Baptist church, who
spoke on Religious Education at the
university. He pointed out that it
was new thing in the history Of the
world to separate religion and educa
ton. Moreover, whereas the test of
truth in former ages was the religious
test, that of today is the scientific test.
Thus the situation at the universities
is serious, in the eyes of those who be-
heve that religion is the parent of NOR
atty. We agree fully that the posi-
tion that the university cannot teach
religion. But religious education must
be given and therefore the church must
give it. It is her business. Her fault
is that she has waited and criticized so
long, and only recently reused herself
to her obligation. The university pas
tors are the result. They have done
much. They have organized Bible
classes in connection with the churches,
with many hundreds of students enroll
ed, and with the most proficient teach
ers. They have put religious study at
least on a par in the students s eyes
with her other courses. But they are
handicapped by the fact that no credit
is given for this work at the univer-
sity, and there is no adequate equip
ment. What is needed is what some
universities have, an Affiliated School
of Religion, school, with good build
ing and equipment, provided by the
united churches, and recognized with
credits by. the University, which shall