Taylor University - Ilium / Gem Yearbook (Upland, IN)

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I ' liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimTTrn I in his self-denying life, and even as his real spirit was revealed as he pro- ceeded in his message the feeling of aloofness was largely overcome. His eloquence was not of the highly persuasive type. It had not in it the dynamic that moves men quickly to action and makes them risk all in one great decisive act. It was more contemplative, dealing with the true, the beautiful, the sublime, and the good. Much of his preaching was of a quiet, expository type, unfolding the great concepts of Christianity, or feeding and nourishing the souls of Christians, and stimulating their faith and devotion. The feelings with which he could best deal were of a plac- id, quiescent order. He would have been a master in a sermon on Peace, be still. He loved nature and the God of nature, hence was effective in description which aroused the feelings of beauty, sublimity and rever- ence. He had that poetic instinct which appreciated the immanence of God, and could bring to others the sense of His presence. President Reade was so occupied with correspondence, editing papers, travel, and in fact the many duties entering into financing and build- ing up the school, that he, even when at the school, attended chapel only once a week, and that was on Wednesday. He was regularly expected on that day, and always led the devotions. He had one hobby, and rarely, if ever, failed to ride it as he arose to speak to the students on Wednesday morning. In regard to that hobby he practiced what he preached. As he entered chapel there was always a lifting of heads, a throwing back of shoulders and an expansion of chests. There was an unconscious re- laxation during the preliminary exercises, but again as the President arose to speak, like soldiers coming to attention, every one was doing his best to be physically erect, or better, for he knew what was coming. His first exhortation was invariably for them to straighten up and throw their shoulders back and expand their chests and do deep breathing- He said God had made other animals to look at the ground but that man, was the only animal of erect frame, was made to look up at the stars. After a few deep breaths had been taken by all, he often gave them some ad- monitions about care of their health, urging cleanliness. As we had no bath tubs or showers here in those days he told the students how they could bathe in a quart or teacupful of water and keep clean. He preach- ed the daily cold bath, taken each morning on rising, as a means of clean- liness, a tonic, and a preventative of colds. With his ideals on straight backs it was almost a mystery how he ever came to employ some of his teachers, and Wednesday morning, do the best we could, was always a time of some embarrassment to those of us who were crooked sticks and couldn ' t help it. We always appreciated the President ' s efforts to save, while yet salvable, the young people from a fate like ours. No doubt his loss of health, and his recovery of it in earlier years by a rigorous physical regimen, even after he had been given up to die, caused him to place so high a value on these things. After these preliminary exhortations had been given, he would read a passage of Scripture, giving an able exposition, and then offer a thought- ful prayer which usually began with sublime and majestic words of ador- ation and praise; in fact, in his prayer, almost always, adoration and praise were dominant notes. Though pressed on every side to finance the school and take care of the relatively many students who had no funds whatever, yet he wore a P 3 m iii!! M wi li i) mmwHJi

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lieving in humanity that he thought all would pay if they could.and when they could he suffered in his own paying power. The only criticism ever heard against him were by his creditors whose claims he could not prompt- ly meet. Thus the reproach of many poor fell on him and he bore it vi- cariously. While humble in spirit he never regarded the work he was do- ing small and never seemed to think of the institution of which he was the head as insignificant. Like one of old, he felt he was doing a great work and could not stop to have his attention diverted ; yet he found time to devote to great and worthy reforms, such as the Prohibition Cause. He had a keen sense of humor and used it moderately, but was ever refined and dignified. He always addressed members of the Faculty by the highest title thev bore, as Professor or Doctor never as Mr. or Miss. Educated before the days of intensive specialization, he was broad in his scholarship, having a working knowledge and keen interest in prac- tically all the great fields of human learning. This especially qualified him for his position. Some of us felt that he was somewhat partial to Latin and Greek- He considered these very essential to liberal culture and yielded very reluctantly to the pressure of the modern scientific and vocational trend in college work. The courses of study here in his day were rather rigidly prescribed, not altogether inflexible, but built with a view to general culture, leaving specialization largely to the technical or professional school. Dr. Reade was a master in the use of English and both by precept and example, encouraged the correct use of the mother tongue. His pro- nunciation was scrupulously accurate. Even his Italian and intermediate a ' s were given their full and accurate vocal value. His enunciation was clear and distinct, his grammar faultless. His diction was pure, his sen- tences well formed. He knew a large vocabulary, for he was a classical scholar, but he was moderate in its use. He never seemed verbose, but had at his command the word he needed to express his thought. His po- etic temperament gave him a fine sense of rhythm, and, unconsciouly per- haps, thoughts took form in words of liquid consonants and open vowels. In the pulpit he was well poised, easy and graceful. He did not ges- ticulate — graceful, well-timed, expressive gestures. But one acquainted with the rules of delivery and the classification of gestures in the elocution of the old school would be slightly reminded that he had studied the books and drilled himself in the art of public delivery and the element of sur- prise was somewhat missing. His delivery just lacked that element of individuality and caprice that puts it beyond the power of imitation and makes it peculiarly the spontaneous outflow of one ' s own inner self, incapable of being reduced to rules. But his delivery was almost beyond criticism when measured by the norms of his day. In the pulpit as he stood with head erect, and almost more than erect, with shoulders thrown back and chest expanded, the first impression of this soldiery bearing, was of an element of self-conscious dignity and pride. Before an audience for the first time the psychological effect was to put distance between him and his audience. He had a harder task to get them to lean toward him and warm up to him than he would have had if he had drawn nearer. As his meek and gracious spirit became known isd™? ' iiouHWiii ip mp

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a .1 calm and cheerful expression ; but occasionally when suspicion and crit- icism came, especially from those who should have given encouragement as these will come to the best of men in hard and great sacrificial tasks, his countenance wore a serious, though never melancholy aspect; and his eye had the far-away expression of one who looks beyond things for his hope. Whether or not Dr. Reade from the beginning of his administration in Ft. Wayne, assumed personally all financial responsibility for the run- ning of the school the writer is not able to say ; but in the first seven or eight years of the work in Upland he did have the entire responsibility of financing the work, and made his own contracts and paid his teachers and help as a personal matter. He had saved from his previous labors three or four thousand dollars which he put into the work, chiefly into buildings to provide for the housing of students. He raised money and built nine or ten cottages on lots redeemed from dissatisfied guarantors, mentioned earlier in this article. Money received from the sale and influ- ence of the booklet, The Life of Sammy Morris, enabled him to con- vert the building now known as Sammy Morris Hall from a dining hall to a dormitory for boys, and to erect the present Boarding Hall. Some persons who did not live here and who did not know the inten- sity of his financial struggle to keep the school going, expressed a suspi- cion that the school was more than self-sustaining. This hint that he might be making money by having entire control of the school was a se- vere blow to Dr- Reade, who had put all he had into the work, and was getting out of it only his own simple living. His wife was well fixed fi- nancially and lived in Toledo, visiting Dr. Reade here, and he visiting her there only occasionally. His daughter Mabelle, his only child by his second wife, was with him here part of the time as Professor of Greek. As I shall have no further occasion to refer to her it should be stated that she outlived her father by six years, and after his death for a time pub- lished his paper called Soul Food, and sold his small religious books. That there might be no suspicion of self-interest, he gladly turned over the financial responsibility of the school to the Board of Trustees. He would not accept a salary larger than six hundred dollars a year for a full year ' s work. This was two hundred dollars less than he was pay- ing the Dean of that day for nine months ' services, and was the same as the other married men with families were receiving. Soon after the Board assumed control Dr. Reade ' s health began to break, and, as a means of relief and assistance in his work, Dr. John H. Shilling, Professor of Theology, was made Vice President. Dr. Reade ' s health gradually failed ; he kept going as long as he could, but finally had to give up all work. He passed to his great reward July 25, 1902, at the home of his maiden sister, Miss Sue Reade, who lived in a huose formerly standing where the Swallow-Robin Dormitory now stands. He had often said that he wanted no monument but Taylor Univer- sity. It was therefore considered most fitting that his body should rest in the campus. This little enclosure within the iron fence in the campus is his resting place, and the institution to which he gave his best ener- gies stands as his only visible monument. But in the realm of spirit and personality the invisible Taylor University continues a living grow- ing monument throughout the earth wherever his students have carried the spirit of his sacrifice and devotion.