Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/119

 THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVEMENT 93 I have also this letter from Mr. Marshall Field, written on the receipt of the telegram from Mr. Rockefeller. "CHICAGO May 26 "F. T. Gates, Corresponding Secretary: "DEAR SIR: Satisfied that the conditions attached to the noble pledge of Mr. John D. Rockefeller to give six hundred thousand dollars as an endow- ment for a new institution of learning, to be located in this city, have been fulfilled, I take great pleasure in notifying you that I am prepared to carry out my covenant of January 22, 1890, to give a site for the new institution and to furnish further land on the terms suggested. In common with all citizens of this city I appreciate the splendid benefaction of Mr. Rockefeller to Chicago. I congratulate the people of this city and the entire West on the success achieved, and with all friends of culture I rejoice that another noble institution of higher learning is to be founded, and founded in the heart of the continent. "Yours very truly, "MARSHALL FIELD." The reading of these communications was greeted by loud and repeated applause by the great assembly which crowded the new Auditorium. One year before Dr. P. S. Henson, pastor of the First Baptist Church, had been one of several speakers who voiced their joy at the first announcement in Boston of Mr. Rockefeller's great proffer. He alone was now called upon to speak. He said, among other things (and it will be noted how views were expanding and expectations, regarding the new institution, were growing), I believe in a national university, a university so solid in its foundations and lofty in its aspirations that it deserves to be denominated national. And in the good providence of God, and as the result of the princely benefaction of one of God's noblemen and by virtue of the sympathy of public-spirited Chicagoans, and the hearty interest of our great Baptist denomination, we are to have a great national university in this city where we reside. [At this point the speaker was interrupted by long-continued applause.] Dominated by Christian principle, permeated through and through by the spirit of Him who has taught the nobility of service, .... this is the higher education for which the world is waiting and this is the place to plant it We have come to a new era in the history of Chicago. We stand tonight in an august presence. We mark tonight the beginning of a new line of march No wonder that the public-spirited citizens of every faith .... should watch this movement with profound interest and assist it with their generous contri- butions The University of Chicago through all the years of coming time will tower like a mighty Pharos, shining with a more resplendent luster