Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/193

FIRST STEPS IN EXPANSION 165 2. That they wish, in every way, to encourage and assist the movement. 3. That it seems to them desirable that there should be some organic connection between the two institutions. You are authorized to make this statement on their behalf, not to press it so as to embarrass the new movement, but to present it as indicating the desire of the executive committee and the faculty to further the new insti- tution and our entire educational work at this point. After enforcing this view the letter concluded as follows: One institution, one interest, one great and united constituency would seem to be the wise and successful policy. The exact nature of the union to be formed we do not attempt to outline. The Seminary has the general cause of denominational prosperity at heart, and will be found ready to adapt its policy to that course which will best advance that prosperity. These letters, showing the eagerness of the Theological Seminary Board and faculty for union with the University, explain the satis- faction with which Mr. Rockefeller's proposal of and generous provision for effecting the union was hailed by the Seminary authori- ties. On the day succeeding the meeting of the University Board at which the great gift had been accepted and a committee of conference on the proposed union had been appointed, the Semi- nary also appointed a committee to arrange with the University committee the terms of union. The matter was, however, found to be very far from simple. Legal questions had to be considered, and were considered by able lawyers. The interests of the Seminary were guarded by President Northrup with jealous care. At Dr. Harper's desire the Old Testament department, of which he was the natural head, was transferred to the University as the Depart- ment of Semitic Languages and Literatures. It required more than six months to arrange all the details of the union. Some of these were especially difficult. For example, in permitting the transfer of the Old Testament department was the Seminary pre- cluded from doing any Old Testament work for all future time? At this possibility Dr. Northrup balked. The difficulty was finally surmounted by providing that the transfer should not be under- stood as barring the establishment in "the Divinity School of a chair of Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testament." This is one example of the interesting and difficult questions that came up for solution.