Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/55

THE PREPARING OF THE WAY 29 pastor and warm personal friend of Mr. Rockefeller, his attention was called to the needs of the Seminary, his interest awakened, and he began to give generously to that institution. When the Old University of Chicago discontinued its work in 1886, Mr. Rocke- feller was looked upon, not only as the wealthiest of American Baptists, but also as one of the most liberal givers in the world. It was therefore inevitable that Baptists in Chicago, who felt humiliated over the loss of their University and deeply interested in the rehabilitation of their educational work, should turn to Mr. Rockefeller in their adversity and entreat his assistance. The matter was first brought to his attention by T. W. Goodspeed, then secretary of the Seminary, in a letter written April 7, 1886, three months prior to the final closing of the Old University. Professor W. R. Harper then occupied the chair of Hebrew in the Baptist Union Theological Seminary at Morgan Park. He had received a call to a professorship in Yale, and was inclined to accept it. Mr. Rockefeller learned of this and was so much interested that on April 5, 1886, he sent the following letter to Mr. Goodspeed: I should have written you several days ago that a party came to me from Yale, desiring an interview in reference to an effort making to get Professor Harper into that institution. I did not see him, and. intended to let you know at once of that movement, not knowing whether you were advised of it, and not supposing you would be willing to let him go. In 1882, and thereafter, Mr. Goodspeed had frequently met or been in correspondence with Mr. Rockefeller in the interest of the Theological Seminary. In connection with these conferences and letters Mr. Rockefeller became a frequent and generous contrib- utor to the endowment, building, and current-expense funds of the Seminary and felt a genuine interest in its welfare. Mr. Goodspeed, though he represented the Theological Seminary, had become deeply concerned about the Old University which in the spring of 1886 was staggering to its fall. Though it was not, strictly speaking, his business, he made it his business, and from the above date exerted all his influence and improved every oppor- tunity in seeking to bring about the re-establishment of the Uni- versity of Chicago. All this will explain why Mr. Rockefeller was