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Macmillan Hall

Macmillan Hall image
Parent Issue
Day
26
Month
May
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Probably Ann Arbor never saw so many ministers together as last week. Scarcely had the Congregational ministers departed when seven hundred members of the Presjyterjan general assembly, which is n session in Detroit, carne out on a special train for the purpose of dedicating McMillan Hall. The special train reached here about half past two and the visitors were escorted to the hall, in the electric cars, by carriages and on foot. But all who could not obtain entrance to the audience room and those who were left, improved the opportunity of looking over the University and the city. After the opening address by Rev. Dr. Radcliffe and prayer by the Rev. Mr. Lowery, of Philadelphia, Dr. Herdman read a "statement of the work" of Tappan Guild. After paying high tribute to Chancellor Tappan and detailing the reasons which led to the establishment of a guild, the organization of a training course, the gift of the Sackett property and McMillan Hall, he said: "Already we have the nucleus of a library which we hope in time may grow to be one of the most attractive features of the association. It is designed to make this a storehouse, where pastors and students may come and find the information they seek iñ whatever direction their researches extend concerning matters of religión. The late Hon. D. Bethune Duffield, of Detroit, gave to the association some years before his death the valuable library accumulated by his fáther, the Rev. Dr. Duffield, and his brother, Rev. Geo. Duffield, D. D. To this has been added a portion of the library of the late Rev. Dr. Atterbury, a gift from Mrs. Atterbury, and 200 volumes by Mrs. Taylor, from the libfary of the late Rev. David L. Tavlor, of this city - numbering in ill not less than 5,000 volumes, which, together with some more modern works recently given the association by devoted friends, make 3. very respectable beginning in this direction. Recognizing ás we do the threefold nature of man - the trinity in unity of his organization - his physical, mental, moral or religious faculties - we have in the planning of this hall, sought tomeet the requirements of this triune nature in a rational way. The basement story, capacious, well lighted and ventilated, will be fitted up as a hall for physical culture. Sentiment, as well as convenience, had a part to play in the selection of this story for this purpose; a sound andhealthy body is the proper foundation for perfect manhood and womanhood. The'training of this faculty should receive therefore in the beginning its due share of attention, and we propose that the instruction and exercises here given will be of a character to awaken a true conception and management of the body as the tenement and servant of the soul. The first floor, with its reception room, library and class rooms, will minister to the social and intellectual requirements of our members, while the hall in which you are now seated will be the theater in which, we trust, the voices of the great and good men of our denomination, and others also who have messages to deliver which tend to elévate and ennoble mankind, will be often heard directing our steps along the paths of rectitude and virtue and "feeding our souls with that heavenly food which cometh down from above." James H. McMillan, in behalf of his father, Senator McMilllan, presented the hall to the trustees of the TappanPresbyterian Associationand Dr. Radcliffe, in behalf of the trustees, acceptedit. Moderator Green, of Princeton, thought the association was doing the right thing in uniting the church and its members with the University. President Angelí was particularly happy in his remarks and carried the audience with him, being applauded to the echo. Among other things the president referred in eloquent terms to the great work an organization like the Tappan Presbyterian Association could accomplish in a community like Ann Arbor, where there are 3,100 young people away from home, who need the kindly care thrown around them by church influences. He spoke also of other lines of religious work that were constantly in action imong the students, alluding pardcularly to the great good accomplished by the Students' Christian Association, with which there is ;onnected a ministerial band now numbering twenty-eight persons, a.nd a missionary band ' of thirtythree members. In conclusión Dr. Angelí paid an eloquent tribute to ex-President of the University Henry D. Tappan, in whose honor the association is named, and whom he extolled as the greatest, grandest man who had ever served the University, and as one of the noblest Presbyterians that ever lived. After an address by Rev. Dr. Roberts, of Lake View University, the University and the grounds were inspected by the visitors. A lunch was spread in the lecture room of of the Presbyterian church and after its discussion, the guests gave the ladies a rousing vote of thanks. At eight o'clock the visitors returned to Detroit. The Free Press says: The members of the assembly who had never visited Ann Arbor before were loud in their praises of the great university of which it is the seat, and expressed their unbounded amazement at its size and the extent and beauty of its buildings and grounds. Never more, they assert, will they wonder at the rapid strides toward becoming the greatest educational center in the country that the lovely town of Ann Arbor has made the last few years.