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The series had its origin in a suggestion that the Association avail itself of the Sunday morning services to obtain a record of the religious thought of the University Most of the University instructors, it was pointed out, were interested, speculatively as well as practically, in matters of religion. Among them a great deal of quiet but active thinking about religious questions was continually going on, of which students had but occasional intimations. Why should not the Sunday morning exercises be made a channel through which this thought could find expression? The suggestion was taken up and acted upon. Provided with a list of topics, a committee of the Association called upon members of the University teaching force and asked them to prepare papers for the Sunday morning services. The requests met with an immediate and hearty response, so that in February, 1892, the committee was able to prepare and announce a programme of ten addresses to extend through the next four months. The series, begun Feb. 14 with a paper by Prof. Carhart on "God and Nature" (p. 110), was brought to a close May 15 with the address by President Angell which stands at the beginning of the present collection.

During this time each paper after it had been delivered, was published in pamphlet form as a supplement to the Monthly Bulletin of the Association, and sold to the students at a nominal price. The pamphlets were readily disposed of, and at the close of the year there appeared to be a demand for a more permanent and dignified issue of the addresses. Since, however, the material was not sufficient to form a volume of any considerable bulk, it seemed best, by arranging for a second series of addresses, to increase the amount to the requisite proportions. The efforts of the committee were again rewarded,

and during the months of March, April, May, and June, 1893, nine more papers were prepared and read.

The twenty addresses, including the Annual Address of the President referred to above, of which the body of this volume is made up, have now all been accounted for There remains to be noted the article by Prof D'Ooge on "The Religious Life of the University," which stands as an introduction to them. This was prepared at the request of the committee of the Association especially for the place which it occupies.

The work of the editor has consisted simply in classifying the material put into his hands and in endeavoring to see it safely through the press. In the latter task he has not been in every particular as successful as he could have wished. Errors have crept in, for some of which he is responsible, for others not. The most serious of them, because they involve the important matter of record, are the two dates on pages 51 and 60. The first should be April 3, 1892, the second March 27 Annoying typographical perversities are also to be found on page 72 in the fourth line from the bottom of the page, on page 137, line. 14, and on page 152, line 13. The classification does not pretend either to strictness or consistency If it shall seem to bring together the topics which are more closely related in thought, its purpose will have been accomplished.

ANN ARBOR, July, 1893.

THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE UNIVERSITY

The unwritten and unknown history of a religious life must, in the nature of the case, be the more essential element of such a history This truth applies not only to individuals but also to communities, and with added force. Especially is this true of the religious life of such a community as is found within the halls of a university Because, account for it as we may, there seems to be strange reluctance on the part of young men in college to be outspoken and pronounced in their religious convictions and life. One of the strongest temptations. that beset a student upon entering his college life is to suppress the religious feelings and activities with which he was engaged at his home. This is the case especially where all attendance upon religious duties is purely voluntary This fact, to be sure, does not by any means indicate an absolute loss, for whatever religious activity is displayed under such circumstances is more sure to be genuine and sincere. Probably no one feature of the religious life of our students stands out more clearly than its freedom from pretence, its downright genuineness.

The next most characteristic feature of this life has been its breadth and catholicity In an institution where all sects and creeds are equally recognized, or rather where no sect or creed as such receives recognition, and young people of all faiths or of none meet in daily contact, it stands to reason that the spirit of bigotry and sectarianism is not likely to find much

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