Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/194

 1 66 A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO It had been desired on all sides, and the great contribution of Mr. Rockefeller was made on the understanding, expressed in the letter of gift, that the Seminary should become an "organic part" of the University. This, however, was found impracticable. The Theological Union, the corporation which sustained and con- trolled the Seminary, could not legally abandon its trust. The union, therefore, was finally consummated under eighteen Articles of Agreement. 1 By the first of these the Theological Union agreed to lease to the University, "for the term of nine hundred and ninety-nine years its Seminary grounds and buildings at Morgan Park at a rental of one dollar per year," and no provision was made for either party withdrawing from the agreement. The union was clearly meant to be perpetual. The fourth article provided that "the Seminary of the Union shall be taken and considered to be the sole Divinity School of the University." The Theological Union and its Board of Trustees continued their oversight of the school. As, however, they did not pay the salaries their appoint- ments to the faculty were subject to review by the University board, but such appointments were to be confirmed "when and to the extent that the funds available for the Divinity School admit." The President of the University was made the President of the Divinity School, and all divinity degrees were to be conferred by the University. The Articles of Agreement were submitted to the Theological Union at its annual meeting, which was an unusually large one, held in the Immanuel Baptist Church, Chicago, April 15, 1891. It was known that some opposition to the plan of union had developed and it was feared that this might find expression at the meeting. Dr. Harper was anxious about the outcome. The day after the meeting Mr. Gates and Mr. Good- speed sent him the following telegram: "Two hundred present, no objections, adopted unanimously without change; you made a Trustee." Mr. Goodspeed wrote a full letter to Dr. Harper setting forth the efforts made before the meeting to remove mis- conceptions and telling how at the meeting, after the reading of the Articles of Agreement a minister had risen and suggested delay. As this man had been doing some loud talking for a day or two in 1 See Appendix.