A Methodist Minister Arraigns The University

Rev. Henry F. Shier, the Whitraore Lake Methodist minister, has seen fit to go out of his way to throw a stone at the christianity of the students of the University at a meeting of the Methodist Ministers associatioti in Detroit yesterday. That his extreme views may be known here, where our city readers may judge of their reliability, we surnmarize them as follows: The trend of the University is towards Universalism, drunkenness is common, billiards are the favorite amusement, the tobáceo habit is prevalent, a majority of the leaders of the University are infidels, skeptics or agnostics. Sentiment favors dancing, card playing and theatre going. In the Students Christian association dangerous doctrinesareadvanced and accepted. Students are apt to lose caste by being members of a church. The animus of the attack is shown by a strong plea he makes for Albion college. Several of the clergymen present took issue with him and a strong sentiment was developed for raising $200,000 or $300,000 endowment for what one of the clergymen termed "a Methodist sideshow to protect Methodist interests in the University." Rev. Mr. Shier claim - ed to base his retnarks on personal observation. His observation must have been extremely limited and he must have fallen in with the element which is not the best here. On an altogether different key were the remarks of two other ministers who had had better opportunities of judging. Rev. A. W. Stocker, who was in the University from 1880 to 1884, made a brilliant defense of the University. He spoke of the wonderful religious and spiritual influenceof Profs. Cocker, Winchell and Olney. He had gone to the University with decided religieus convictions, and not only found nothing there to tear down that faith, but much to build it up. There is a very catholic atmosphere at Ann Arbor, and doubtless young men without love for the truth may find companionship of their own kind; but both within and without the walls of the University a young man may find plenty of pure air to breathe. Rev. Mr. Storms, who was also at Ann Arbor about the same time, gave the same testimony.