6
UNIVERSITY COURIER.
of great power have no need of titles. If we mistake not, the two greatest living preachers, toward whom the eyes of the world are now turned, have refused to accept the degree of "D. D." The mere mention of the names, Spurgeon and Beecher, at once conveys to us the idea of success, of ability. All the titles in the world could give us no better idea of their power. To be a Beecher or a Spurgeon is more than to be a "D. D." or a "LL. D." College degrees do not make philosophers, nor scholars, and although they are supposed to be an evidence of much learning, the supposition proves untrue in too many cases. Universities that are careless in this matter can hold the respect of the county but briefly, and in fact they ought to receive some such condemnation as was pronounced upon a certain gentleman who, not long ago, was in the business of manufacturing and selling bogus medical diplomas.
Chester A. Arthur has received the degree of LL.D. from Union College.
It is sometimes charged that State Universities have but little religious influence over those in attendance. This belief has gained so firm a footing that many parents fear to send their children to any but denominational schools. While there is doubtless reason for fear in some instances, it cannot be asserted that our University is not under Christian control. Every morning, during the entire school year, religious exercises are held in the chapel and every student is urged though not compelled to be in attendance. That the students are not all becoming skeptical is evinced by their having recently organized a Young Men's Christian Association. Of course nothing of note has yet been done, since the organization has not had time to accomplish anything. Just what the line of work will be, we are unable to say, but suppose it will be largely, if not wholly, in the interests of the students. There are a large number of churches in the city where preaching services and prayer-meetings are held weekly, and unless the Association takes a broader or at least different field it can accomplish only poor results. A few years ago there was what was known as the "University Prayer Meeting." It was held Sabbath afternoons and generally but poorly attended. The reason for this was doubtless the fact that its time of meeting was immediately after the regular church services, and it was impossible for a person to attend all these and have any of the day for rest, or reading, or meditation. We apprehend that the new organization will experience the difficulty with which the prayer meeting had to contend. Only those students who make it a business to attend church will assist in this new enterprise, and very few are likely to continue for any length of time to attend all the regular services of Church and Sunday School and also the meeting of the Y. M. C. A. Some of these will be neglected and which it should be each person must decide for himself. It might be best to neglect some of the established services in order to attend the meeting of the Association. Probably those interested should give the
Association their time and attention, even if other services are neglected, until it is proven whether or not any good can be done in this way. We are free to say that we hope the enterprise will succeed and be the means of accomplishing much for right and truth.
TOPICS.
A CITIZEN'S DUTY.
At every election it is shown that there are thousands of our citizens who loudly boast that they are willing to die for our nation, yet show by their actions that they are unwilling to live for our society-preserving power. As a natural consequence the government is not what it should be. The life and property of every citizen and the right to use these properly, is here secure against despots and robbers and any others who would use them wrongly. In the United States the voters dictate the manner of this protection. It is the duty of all of them to so dictate, for if they do not, some will have more than their share of responsibility, the others will not give the due return for their protection. Practice shows that most of those found at the polls are influenced by their greed for office. All the more does this require that if you are a voter you should do your share of thinking for the nation, and then express your thought by your vote at the primary meeting and the polls. If you shirk this responsibility you commit two crimes. You neglect your duty as a citizen. You steal your protection from the government.
THE JAMES BROTHERS.
There is a great deal of admiration for the exploits of the James brothers among the people of Missouri. The lower classes regard them as heroes, and the better classes have a sort of respect for the bold daring of their deeds. Sympathy is also felt for them because they were officially proscribed as outlaws at the close of the war, when many think that, had they been allowed to come in under the amnesty, they would have made orderly and decent citizens of the commonwealth. As boys they joined with Quantrell's desperate band, and under cover of war's chaos committed deeds that chilled the heart of humanity, launching into a life that knew no obedience to law because law was in disorder. This maudlin sentimentality has bubbled up for years, and there have been repeated efforts on the part of the idiotically philanthropic to secure a pardon for these murderous robbers, that they might take undisturbed the fruits of honest industry after their surfeit in a carnival of crime and felony. This same spirit now hovers over Frank James to keep his miserable neck from the halter and his worthless body from the dungeon.—Chicago Inter-Ocean.
PERSONAL JOURNALISM.
The St. Louis tragedy is another fruit of what is called personal journalism—that style of journalism which relies for success more upon a faculty for abuse than upon worth in news gathering, or weight in argument. It is true, to some extent, that a public taste is necessary to make even the worst sort of journalism possible. Even among intelligent and law-respecting men there are far