Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/151

THE FIRST PRESIDENT 123 not be satisfied on this point until he had appeared before Messrs. Northrup, Hulbert, Gates, and Goodspeed, and fully stated his views on all the points in question, and received the assurances of those gentlemen that there was nothing in his views that should lead him to hesitate for a moment. For a time thereafter matters went on smoothly. He began to consider men for the faculty. Candidates for positions were all referred to him. Congratulations and urgent appeals to accept poured in on him from all quarters. He received the most convincing evidences that there would be universal satisfaction with his headship. Nevertheless his Chicago correspondents soon noticed that he was becoming gloomy. They sought in every way and by every assurance to lift him out of his despondency. They thought he was overtired and besought him to rest, and particularly to dismiss University matters from his mind for a few weeks. But nothing seemed to help. At last the secret of his trouble came out. In a letter to Mr. Goodspeed, which was received at the end of November, he reverted to the question of his views on Old Testament criticism, and wished the letter submitted to Dr. Northrup and Mr. Gates that the question might be again considered, whether, after all, his presidency would be cordially accepted by the religious public, and whether it would not be better for him to draw out. Mr. Goodspeed was irritated by what seemed to him an attack of over-conscientiousness. He answered, "We have settled that matter and I will not reopen it." Instead of showing the letter to Messrs. Gates and Northrup for consideration he withheld or destroyed it. It contained nothing new and Mr. Goodspeed considered the matter ended. A little later it transpired that someone was writing Dr. Harper letters, "strictly private," advising him that absolute honesty required that he should ask Mr. Rockefeller to consider the question of conscience that was troubling him and perhaps make a full state- ment to the public. On being informed of this Mr. Gates wrote: I can understand how a desire to be honest and candid, and particularly not to deceive the public, now calling you to a lofty office, seems to you to demand frankness of speech. You have stated your views to the leading brethren. That is enough, it seems to me Surely candor requires no such public statement. The public demands no such candor Such candor is a subtle temptation, especially strong to open, generous natures.