University of Chicago - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 25 text:

I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forebore, And bade me creep past. BROWNING'S PROSFXCE. Through dragging days that agonized the soul; Through nights grown'blacker with a hopeless pain And weary weeks that closer bound the chain, He watched the shape that stalks beyond control. His life behind him elike an outstretched whole Of vast achievement flashed along the brain; But forward through the years he looked in vain For all he hoped might crown it at the goal. And yet with steady will and changeless eye. Like some strong prophet that had conduered fear, He watched the face'of death with courage high; Surpassing him who lifts a sudden cheer Where others also fall, and fight, and diee Assured that past the terror dawn shines clear. HORACE SPENCER FISKE. 21

Page 27 text:

mvmnrial Ahhrpaa By E. Benjamin Andrews F THERE WAS ANY FITNESS in the request that I should be one of the speakers at these obsequies, it lay in the circumstance that at three important moments in the life of our departed leader it was my privilege to stand as near to him as any man stood. One of these was when, in his very young manhood, he faced the question of questions that comes to every ingenuous spirit, whether to try and live for himself or guide his life with a View to the divine will and the worlds good. Mr. Harper settled that issue in a noble way. He accepted joyfully the law of service to God and man, with the creed naturally accompanying that law a Christ, the Church, the primacy of the spiritual, and the endurance of our immaterial part after bodily death. From that creed he never swerved in any iota. l-lis thought on immortality in his last days was but a more intense form of the reflection to which he had always been accustomed. Another decisive moment in Mr. Harperis life occured when he was forced to ask whether he could be unequivocally a Christian and yet accept the critical attitude toward the Biblical oracles, studying their meaning and contents without preconceptions, as in the case bf any other literature, At that time, all know, most church standardabearers and theological leaders held to the traditional view of scripture origins and to dogmatic methods in general. Our friend deeply reviewed this problem, and, at risk of failure in the lifeecareer he had chosen espoused, with modesty, moderation and reverence, yet with unflinching positiveness, the critical point of view. Men have rarely acted with greater moral courage or with happier results, Dr. Harper's conclusion being decisive for a multitude of his disciples. Mr. Harper stood a third time in the valley of decision when called to determine the policy of this University touching religion, to decide whether or not it could be positively devout in its attitude and yet boldly face the entire, unclimrned and unretracted light of science, philosophy and history-eall that menis deepest researches had revealed or could ever reveal. Many thought such a combination impossible, some of these speaking in the supposed interest of religion, others in that of Soi-dz'sam science. Our brother believed the friendly yoking of these two master-interests feasible; and forthwith, in characteristic manner, resolved to attempt it. It was, everything considered, the boldest experiment ever made in the premises. Success crowned it and the happy result of the coronation appears in the conduct of the University today, where true religion is positively honored, while the investigation of all questions is nevertheless perfectly free, and professors are employed solely because of their character and learning, regardless of creed. These episodes revealed the manis devout spiritndeep, permanent, regnant. He could not have acted otherwise. 23