Sermon in Stone

8/13/2019 Sermon in Stone

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SERMON IN STONE

Packer Memorial Church:

A Historical Essay

By W. Ross Yates


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This history of Packer Memorial Church is a story of generosity in this case !y Mary

Packer Cummings "ith #ehigh $ni%ersity as the reci&ient. The '((th anni%ersary of thecom&letion of our !eautiful #ehigh cha&el "as o!ser%e) )uring the '*+,++ aca)emicyear "ith a num!er of s&ecial e%ents. This centennial affor)s an a&&ro&riate o&&ortunityto recogni-e the generosity of the $ni%ersity foun)er/s )aughter an) to take time toreflect on "hat this su&er! !uil)ing meant to so many of us as stu)ents.

0 sincerely ho&e you "ill en1oy learning more a!out this magnificent cam&us lan)markan) the kin) "oman "hose gift ma)e it &ossi!le. We are also in)e!te) to author W. RossYates for she))ing light on facts that might ha%e !een lost fore%er "ithout this s&ecialun)ertaking.

Harold S. Mohler

chairman, Asa Packer Society

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3'*++ W. Ross Yates


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Stan) "ith me at the entrance of the #ehigh cam&us as it "as !efore the onset of thecom&uter age an) look u&"ar) at the Packer Memorial Church !uilt in mi)4ictoriantimes in imitation of the 5othic structures of t"elfth an) thirteenth century Euro&ee6&ressing for !elie%ers the miracles of the resurrection of Christ the &ermanence offaith an) the ho&es of !oth the healthy an) the infirm the 1oyful an) the sorro"ing the

saints an) the sinners.

7hall "e com&are this e)ifice "ith the ru)e churches of the early 7cotch0rish an)Pennsyl%ania5erman &ioneers "ho settle) here or "ith the architectural mar%els of 7t.Peter/s in Rome 7anta 7o&hia in Constantino&le or the great cathe)rals of ChartresRheims Amiens Cologne York an) others of an age "hen !isho&s rule) o%er kingsan) &riests su!1ecte) all life to a )e%otion to the Trinity an) the 4irgin Mary8 We cannotmake these com&arisons. We ha%e lost the kno"le)ge an) ne%er learne) the art. 9But seeHenry A)ams Mont7aintMichel an) Chartres for e6am&les of !oth. 7uffice it to saythat the Packer Memorial Church lacks the sim&licity of frontier ca!ins an) the intricate"orkmanshi& of master&ieces of the Mi))les Ages. ;The /Packer Memorial Cha&el;/

"rote a #ehigh cha&lain the Re%. El"oo) Worcester ;in s&ite of its "in)o"s 9&oorstaine)glass "in)o"s ha%e )one more harm to true religion in America than all ouratheists "as an) is one of/ the most !eautiful college churches in America. ;The1u)gment is meaningful to an American "ho sa" the structure "ith its original "in)o"sall American enamoure) of the s&len)ors of me)ie%al Euro&e an) ho&ing to fin) them)u&licate) in


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the uni%ersity is from Bacon not from 7cri&ture:Homo minister et interpres naturae.The Re%. Worcester summe) u& the situation thus. ;?ne reason "hy Christianity has notflourishe) in colleges is that Christianity is &rimarily a religion of life. College is not lifein any large sense it is only a &re&aration for life. The college an) uni%ersity ha%e areligion of their o"n "hich is not Christianity= it is faith in science an) the stu)y of ol)

te6ts.... At #ehigh most of our stu)ents "ere technical men in one or the other of ourgreat schools of engineering They &ossesse) little intellectual curiosity or literaryculture.;/ But the Re%. Worcester to the contrary not"ithstan)ing &oor staine) glass isnot a !arrier to faith an) intellectual curiosity is not necessary to )ee& religious feeling.

#ehigh stu)ents referre) to the Packer Memorial Church as a cha&el from the time theyfirst hear) a!out it. The uni%ersity ha) other cha&els for t"entyone years !efore thechurch a&&eare). By a strange irony the trustees all )e%out E&isco&alians took o%er aMora%ian Church containing rooms suita!le for e)ucational &ur&oses an) ma)e of it acollege !uil)ing "ith s&ace suita!le for "orshi&. This "as Christmas Hall. 7ym!olicin%ersion of &ur&oses@ That the !uyers "ere E&isco&alian an) the sellers Mora%ian must

not lea) us to irrele%ant thoughts. The in%ersion is that of a secular e)ucation in a&&lie)science o%er religion.


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ser%ices= an) "hen these "ere finishe) for the )ay the room in "hich they ha) !een hel)"as a%aila!le for classes meetings stu)y an) "hate%er else might !e "anting fore)ucation an) or)erly li%ing.

0n '+D+ Packer Hall "as occu&ie). The arrangements im&ro%ise) in Christmas !ecame

)efiniti%e in Packer. The architect E)"ar) Tuckerman Potter !rother of Eli&halet


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all. Cha&el the ta%ern an) the &laying fiel) "ere the ha%ens for relief from the &ressuresof stu)ying. 7ome "ith a taste for s&orts !roke a"ay for an hour or t"o in late afternoonto &lay !ase!all foot!all or lacrosse or to take a run along the to"&ath of the #ehighCanal. 7ome "ith a fe" &ennies of s&en)ing money gathere) for !eer at Rennig/sBre"ery ti& the mountainsi)e a resort of "hich Price Hall is the only remaining !uil)ing=

an) more than a fe" in)ulge) of it 7atur)ay night at ta%erns in &laces as )istant as Eastonan) Allento"n. But !eer an) games "ere not officially &art of college life an) coul) not!e formally sche)ule)= an) they "ere not e>ually a%aila!le to all. ?nly cha&el came "ithfile regularity of the &ro%er!ial )eath an) ta6es for ho"e%er long a !oy remaine) astu)ent four years for the lucky an) in)ustrious li%e for mechanicals electing to stay onan) "ork for a co%ete) )egree in mining engineering. Whate%er of 1oy or misery a )aymight hol) cha&el came first an) "as "elcome.

or a!out t"enty years after the foun)ing the trustees &lace) re>uests for a se&arate!uil)ing to ser%e as a cha&el on a !ack shelf. 7tu)ents "ante) !etter li%ing >uarters= thetrustees res&on)e) "ith 7aucon Half 9'+,. All nee)e) more e)ucational facilities an)

as the o&&ortunities for getting these a&&eare) the trustees &ro%i)e) them first in theform of a li!rary gi%en !y Asa Packer 9'+,+ an) then a chemical la!oratory 9'++. Both"ere at the time of !uil)ing among the finest structures of their kin) in the $nite) 7tatesan) )i) much to raise the le%el of e)ucation an) to enhance the &restige of the uni%ersity.7tu)ents "ith hel& from alumni an) faculty finance) an) !uilt &laying fiel)s= an) e%en asstones for the chemical la!oratory "ere !eing lai) the trustees o&ene) a gymnasium9'++I no" Co&&ee Hall also one of the !est of its kin) mo)ele) after the famousHemen"ay 5ymnasium at Har%ar). uring these years the successi%e &resi)ents of/ theuni%ersity aske) the trustees for a cha&el !ut "ithout result yet the re>uest "as soon to!e grante) although &ro!a!ly not in the form antici&ate). or the uni%ersity "as soon toget a church= an) it "as to come not !y the initiati%e of the trustees !ut as a gift from the

oun)er/s )aughter Mary Packer Cummings.


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signs an) e%i)ences of gro"th !oth in li!erality an) in Church feeling an)e6tension.;I. Practically the affiliation change) nothing in the courses of stu)y orin)ee) in any other as&ect of cam&us life.


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!o)y of stu)ents. Arri%ing at the site of the ne" cha&el the )o6ology "as sung follo"e)!y the cree) an) a&&ro&riate &rayers !y the Re%. Bir). r. #am!erton then a))resse) thestu)ents in a fe" "ellchosen remarks. 0.A. Heikes K0r%ing An)re" Heikes a stu)entcom&leting "ork for a )egree in mining engineeringL then )eli%ere) the oration. After aselection !y the choir r. #am!erton !roke the so) follo"e) !y Mrs. #am!erton the

mem!ers of the faculty the &resi)ents of the classes an) the "hole !o)y of stu)ents eachof "hom turne) a &iece of so). Through the rea)y tact of r. #am!erton "hat "as toha%e !een a !urles>ue "as change) to a %ery a&&ro&riate an) &leasing ser%ice. Work "as!egun on the cha&el imme)iately after the e6ercise. The foun)ation "ill !e com&lete) !y?cto!er ' an) allo"e) to settle )uring the "inter. The church "ill !e locate) !et"eenthe main carriage roa) an) the ne" la!oratory an) south of the gar)ener/s lo)ge. Kthe&resent Philoso&hy Buil)ing constructe) in '+,*L. 0t "ill !e 5othic in style......N

As the ne"s story suggests stu)ents "ere >uickly reconcile) to the ne" !uil)ing. 7tillthey an) the faculty looke) on it only as a !etter &lace for hol)ing cha&el ser%ices. 0t "asother"ise "ith the )ignitaries "ho gathere) on oun)er/s ay four an) a half months

later to cele!rate the laying of the cornerstone. T"o ceremonies "ere &lanne). The first"as that of the Masonic ?r)er. Asa Packer ha) !een a Mason as "ere se%eral of thetrustees an) Presi)ent #am!erton. The Masonic ceremony "as con)ucte) ;!y the RightWorshi&ful 5ran) #o)ge of Pennsyl%ania an) Masonic 1uris)iction thereunto !elonging=E)"ar) Co&&ee Mitchell ##.. Right Worshi&ful 5ran) Master.; Mitchell "as alea)ing la"yer an) 1urist of Phila)el&hia a ne&he" of !oth Henry Co&&ee an) Bisho&7te%ens an) a sometime so1ourner in Bethlehem )uring the summer. The secon)ceremony "hich imme)iately follo"e) the Masonic "as that of the E&isco&al Church.?fficiating "ere the Rt. Re%. Mark Anthony )e Wolfe Ho"e .. !isho& of CentralPennsyl%ania an) &resi)ent of the #ehigh Boar) of Trustees 9succee)ing 7te%ens= the Rt.Re%. Cortlan)t Whitehea) .. !isho& of Pitts!urgh gran) cha&lain of the Masons an)

former rector of the Church of the


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When Faco! "as starting out on his career as a &atriarch first he set u& a stone as a&illar an) &oure) oil u&on it an) calle) it Bethel the House of 5o) saying: ;The #or)shall !e my 5o) an) this stone shall !e 5o)/s House.... This stone is a "itness of "hat5o) has )one.... This KcornerLstone is a "itness of a more general truth concerning the&ast. 0t is the cornerstone of a church= an) "e lay it as a sym!ol of the fact that the

Church "as for many centuries the Conser%ator of science the Preser%er of manuscri&tsthe Teacher of teachers the oun)er of uni%ersities as she is al"ays an) ought to !e theai)er an) the a!ettor of human &rogress the #o%er of goo) men the gla) hel&er in e%ery"ork the guar)ian of the #ight.N

0f any )ou!ts remaine) concerning the clergy/s con%iction that Mary Packer Cumming/sgift "as a church an) not merely a cha&el the E&isco&al ceremony surely remo%e) them.Bisho& Ho"e in gi%ing the o&ening &rayer sai) ;4ouchsafe ? #or) to grant that these"alls no" !egun may !e !uilt u& an holy tem&le unto Thee= may they !e ke&t from allcommon an) &rofane uses= may the &rayers an) &raises of Thy Holy Catholic an)A&ostolic Church !e here offere) u& an) ascen) to Thy throne an incense of a s"eet

smelling sa%our= may Thy true an) li%ely "or) !e set forth the gla) ti)ings ofreconciliation in Thy gos&el )iligently &reache) an) Thy holy 7acraments rightly an))uly a)ministere).;

The clergy chante) &arts of Psalms ', an) +:

E6ce&t the #?R !uil) the houseTheir la!or is !ut lost that !uil) it=E6ce&t the #or) kee& the cityThe "atchman "aketh !ut in %ain.( ho" amia!le are Thy )"ellings

Thou #?R of hosts@My soul hath a )esire an) longingTo enter into the Courts of the #or)My heart an) my flesh re1oice0n the li%ing 5o).Blesse) are they that )"ell in Thy house=They "ill !e al"ays &raising Thee.or one )ay in Thy Courts is !etter than a thousan).0 ha) rather !e a )oorkee&er in the house of my 5o)Than to )"ell in the tents of ungo)liness.or the #?R 5? is a light an) )efence=The #or) "ill gi%e grace an) "orshi&=An) no goo) thing shall He "ithhol)rom them that li%e a go)ly life.? #?R 5? of hostsBlesse) is the man that &utteth his trust in Thee.

ollo"ing these o&ening remarks !isho&s Rulison an) Ho"e )eli%ere) ma1or a))resses"hich ela!orate) on the theme of the church as the &romoter an) guar)ian of kno"le)ge.


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The &rinte) account of the ceremonies of laying the cornerstone conclu)e) "ith a)escri&tion of the e)ifice. The )etails as they a&&eare) here "ere generally follo"e). As&art of the lan)sca&ing the trustees &lante) fifteen small re) Fa&anese ma&les near thesoutheastern corner these !eing theLehigh Burr informe) its rea)ers 9uence ho"e%er comman)ing may )is&lay itself/=not to recogni-e "hat someone has calle) the ;%alue of the religious sentiment as aconser%ator of social or)er; !ut to make a &lace for the %ision of Fesus Christ an) Himcrucifie) in His Church in His Wor) in His 7acraments for this unless 0 ha%e mistakenutterly the aim of that !eneficence "hich has !een !usy here has this !uil)ing !eenreare).N

Ho"e an) Rulison )i) not allo" these intentions for the Packer Memorial Church to !eem&ty "or)s. 0n the s&ring of '++D !efore the e)ifice "as com&lete) the Con%ention ofthe E&isco&al iocese of Central Pennsyl%ania &lace) the uni%ersity on the same footingas a &arish. The trustees then re>ueste) an) recei%e) the resignation of Cha&lain Bir) an)aske) Rulison ;to take the imme)iate o%ersight of the s&iritual concerns an) religiousser%ices of the $ni%ersity.; He acce&te) the assignment "as name) rector of theuni%ersity an) a&&ointe) an assistant the Re%. Al!ert W. 7ny)er at a salary of O0 +((an) "ith a house in the uni%ersity &ark to con)uct all ser%ices to take o%er the &astoral


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care of/ stu)ents an) to ha%e a &lace on the faculty as &rofessor of &sychology an)Christian e%i)ences.

A church "as !orn. What "as it to !e in &ractice8

Cha&el

A cha&el of course. Ho" shall "e call it8 A real li%ing &o&ular church8 A church in%ulgar )isguise8 A normal "orshi& for the unculture) "ho "ere stu)ying engineering8Ho"e%er one chooses 0 su&&ose.

The intentions of Ho"e an) Rulison to use the gift of Mary Packer Cummings as achurch in the acce&te) sense of the "or) coul) not !e maintaine). Although the trustees"ere "illing to su&&ly a han)some resi)ence an) an e6cellent salary for an or)aine)clergyman "ho "oul) !e !oth &astor 9or assistant &astor an) cha&lain other

circumstances ma)e this im&ossi!le. E&isco&alians among the faculty an) stu)ents "erefe". Bisho& Rulison "as too !usy "ith )iocesan affairs to gi%e much &ersonal attentionto the uni%ersity &arish. Maintenance of a uni%ersity &arish ine%ita!ly )re"communicants from other &arishes contri!uting to !a) community relations. When in'++* the Re%. 7ny)er resigne) !ecause of ill health Rulison ha) no one to re&lace him"ho coul) also teach the course in Christian e%i)ences re>uire) of all stu)ents. Rulisonresigne) as rector. or the year '++* '+*( the Re%. F. W. Gaye "as calle) in fromPhila)el&hia as acting cha&lain an) Presi)ent #am!erton )eli%ere) some of the lectureson Christian e%i)ences. A young )eacon soon to !e or)aine) as a &riest El"oo)Worcester re&lace) Gaye. Worcester as "e ha%e seen referre) to the church as ;thePackerMemorial Cha&el.;


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)ecisions although concei%a!ly some )ifferences of o&inion may ha%e characteri-e))iscussions lea)ing u& to some of them.

0n the years imme)iately follo"ing consecration the Packer Memorial Church "as use)as the occasion arose for 7un)ay ser%ices funerals memorial ser%ices of other sorts an)

a)ministration of the sacraments of !a&tism an) marriage using "hate%er clergy might !ea%aila!le. A gra%e is also there in the south "all calling to min) a &ractice of me)ie%alEuro&ean churches. 0t is not the tom! of a statesman or a &oet !ut of a &rofessor ofengineering an) his "ife Fose&h William Richar)s 9'+D '*' an) ArnaMarie. ues containing the names of gra)uatingseniors. These take u& the s&ace at eye le%el on the "alls. 7tu)ents of the &ostconsecration years "ere not content to see only themsel%es an) their successorsmemoriali-e) in this "ay. 7omeone reasone) that the names of all gra)uates ought to !ethere an) &la>ues "ere a))e) for the early gra)uating classes going !ack to '+D* "henthe first stu)ents "ere gra)uate). All in the &erio) en)ing in '*I( 9e6ce&ting those in theyears '+*D '+*+ ha) !een in )aily cha&el each in his assigne) seat= an) those from'*I( until com&ulsory cha&el "as )iscontinue) ha) either atten)e) or taken an a&&ro%e)course in ethics. The &ractice of &lastering the "alls "ith &la>ues containing the names ofgra)uating seniors outlaste) the institution of cha&el !y t"entyfi%e years an) "as


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)iscontinue) only after '*D so the story goes !ecause the gra)uating classes ha)!ecome too large an) s&ace ha) run out.

or a num!er of years after the consecration of the Packer Church regular 7un)aymorning ser%ices "ere hel) an) stu)ents not release) for atten)ance at other churches in

Bethlehem "ere re>uire) to atten). This &resente) the cha&lain "ith the &ro!lem ofgetting a message across to an inter)enominational an) ca&ti%e au)ience of restlessyoung men. The )ifficulty of /sol%ing this &ro!lem greatly %e6e) Cha&lain Worcester"ho in an auto!iogra&hyLife's Adventure contraste) his e6&eriences as a teacher "iththose as a &reacher. He "rote:

My first year at #ehigh K '+*( '+*' L "as a strenuous one. 0 ha) !een in colleges an)uni%ersities long enough to kno" ho" tenacious are their tra)itions an) ho" im&ortant itis to esta!lish a goo) re&utation as a teacher at the %ery !eginning. 0 therefore &re&are)my courses in &sy chology the history of &hiloso&hy an) the e%i)ences of/ Christianity"ith the greatest care. A year or t"o later at the re>uest of the $ni%ersity 0 a))e) a

fourth course on &hysical anthro&ology. 0 "as so familiar "ith the first three su!1ects that0 )i) not feel it necessary to use notes !ut s&oke freely gi%ing the stu)ents &ermission tointerru&t me at any time to ask >uestions an) to )iscuss &ro!lems. By using my utmosten)ea%ors to make my courses interesting an) &rofita!le 0 "as a!le from the !eginning tocomman) the goo)"ill an) the coo&eration of my &u&ils.N

To this gratifying e6&erience as a teacher the Re%. Worcester contraste) his )ifficulty"ith 7un)ay sermons:

0 may truly say that the most )ifficult "ork 0 e%er engage) in "as the &re&aration ofthese college sermons. They haunte) me so that 0 "oul) try to get starte) on a ne" one

on Mon)ay morning an) "oul) "ork on my sermon se%eral hours a )ay throughout the"eek. 0f l ha) com&lete) a )iscourse that 0 )are) think of &reaching !y t"o or threeo/clock on 7un)ay morning 0 felt %ery ha&&y.N

His sermons "ere not all that !a) "rote F. H. Pennington/*, an) "ent on to )escri!e a&ractice "hich "oul) ha%e surely ma)e the young Re%. Worcester "ince: ;All the )e%outcha&eleers from /*( to /*, gratefully recall the ha&&y 7un)ay morning &astime of/)ro&&ing a )ime 9if they ha) one into the hat together "ith a sli& of &a&er containing thefigure )enoting their guess of the length of the sermon in minutes. The lucky )og "hoguesse) 9not !et se%enteen minutes usually took the &ot amounting to as much as O'.D(at times.; *

The Re%. Worcester a !achelor "hen he arri%e) at #ehigh "as marrie) in '+* to one ofBisho& Rulison/s )aughters an) aske) for an) recei%e) a year/s lea%e of a!sence to go to5ermany. Before )e&arting he arrange) an e6change of &ul&its for the year "ith the Re%.r. Tolafiero . Caske% rector of the American Church in res)en. By the time the Re%.Caske%/s turn as acting cha&lain ha) e6&ire) the uni%ersity "as in financial )ifficultiesan) contem&lating asking the common"ealth for ai). The go%ernor an) the legislature"oul) not allo" state money to go to a sectarian institution. When on Fuly , '+*D the


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for )aily ser%ices or sent a re&lacement. The Re%. 7te"art $. Mitman fille) the &ositionfrom '*( to '*' "hen he !ecame minister in charge of the


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stream )rie) u& entirely. When after the turn of the century &ros&erity returne) anothergeneration of alumni "as emerging. The ;statue fun); "as re%i%e) !ut the sentiment forit "as a!out gone. inally in '*'' the Alumni Association )eci)e) to &ut an en) to the&ro1ect !y using the fun) a little o%er O(( for a!asrelief . F. Massey Rhin) of uesting greater free)om in se6ual relationshi&s an) in cro")ingreligion more an) more into a smaller com&artment of life. But literary figures such as H.#. Mencken E)mun) Wilson . 7cott it-geral) E-ra Poun) 7inclair #e"is 5ertru)e7tein an) orothy Thom&son as "ell as 7igmun) reu) ha) to "ait until after the7econ) Worl) War for much recognition. A >uite )ifferent s&irit "as at "ork among thema1ority of stu)ents. This "as animate) !y an i)ea &romote) !y reformers in &rofessionalengineering societies that the engineer has social res&onsi!ilities im&osing on him a )utyto &erfect his1u)gment in matters in%ol%ing human relationshi&s in or)er to use "ithcom&etence his right to lea)ershi& in social economic an) &olitical un)ertakings.Her!ert Hoo%er humanitarian an) engineer e6em&lifie) the i)ea. #ehigh stu)ents threefourths of "hom "ere still s&eciali-ing in some !ranch of engineering or other a&&lie)science ins&ire) !y i)ealists such as Bra)ley 7toughton hea) of the College ofEngineering an) Charles Russ Richar)s &resi)ent of the uni%ersity res&on)e) &ositi%elyto the call to selfe)ucation in morality an) social ethics as &re&aration for lea)ershi& inin)ustrial !usiness or &rofessional life.


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This em&hasis on the social res&onsi!ilities of engineers &ossi!ly reinforce) a res&ectamong stu)ents for cha&el e6ercises !ut on con)ition that the content of the e6ercises !echange). 7tu)ents shoul) !e schoole) in social ethics. Cha&el "as not the only "ay of)oing this= it coul) !e )one in the classroom or in acti%ely "orking "ith &eo&le mighte%en !e )one !etter there. re) Traffor) minister an) social "orker an) secretary of a

reorgani-e) #.$.C.A. kno"n as the #ehigh $nion ma)e of that organi-ation an agencyof social !etterment an) Christian )e%otion in%ol%ing the energy of a large num!er ofstu)ents. 0n the late '*(s the faculty res&on)e) to a gro"ing sentiment to a!olishcom&ulsory cha&el !y acce&ting Professor Hughes/ &lan for a))ing a onehour course inethics an) the &hiloso&hy of religion as an alternati%e. Then in ra&i) succession 9'*I('*I' Traffor) left to !ecome chief of &olice "ith or)ers from the mayor to ri)Bethlehem of %ice an) crime Re%. 5ateson resigne) as cha&lain an) the trustees acce)e)to the re>uest of Phili& M. Palmer hea) of the college of arts an) science to create a)e&artment of moral an) religious &hiloso&hy an) a&&oint a fulltime &rofessor to hea) it.The &erson chosen for the &osition "as r. Clau)e 5illette Bear)slee B.A. Yale B..an) 7.T.M. Hartfor) 7eminary M.A. 7outhern California an) Ph.. Bro"n. 7uccee)ing

cha&lains continue) the tra)ition of teaching &articularly Bi!lical courses in a gro"ingreligious stu)ies )e&artment. 0n a))ition Cha&lain Hu!ert #. lesher intro)uce) se%eralcourses on religion an) the arts inclu)ing a &articular fa%orite of the stu)ents the course;Religious Themes in 7cience iction an) antasy.;

Bear)slee "as a Congregationalist an) the last cha&lain to con)uct regularly sche)ule)cha&el e6ercises at #ehigh. He &ro!a!ly e6ten)e) the life of cha&el much !eyon) "hat it"oul) ha%e !een "ithout his efforts. He "orke) assi)uously an) en)eare) himself tostu)ents. aculty res&ecte) him for his intellectual &olish "it an) courage. More thananyone on the cam&us in the '*I(s he a)%ertise) the nee) for e)ucation in the con)itionsfor &eaceful an) fruitful social intercourse.

Bear)slee "orke) "ithout much reference to the tra)itional &ur&oses of the PackerMemorial Church. He s&ent a great )eal of time counseling stu)ents an) he taught hiscourses in con%entional rooms. These courses !y '*I num!ere) se%en. Each "as)i%i)e) into )iscussion sections of a!out nine stu)ents "ho met for an hour or so a "eekaroun) a ta!le. Cha&el "as hel) in the church fi%e )ays a "eek at the tra)itional time an)consiste) of rea)ings from the literature of ethics an) religion short talks &rayers an)organ selections from the classics. Cha&el "as for stu)ents "ho "ante) )e%otions ina))ition to an intellectual in>uiry. 7uch stu)ents "ere !ecoming fe" in num!er.Bear)slee "as )oing "hat many another minister "ith a social conscience "asattem&ting translating Christianity into a "ay of )aily life. This meant for him turningone/s !ack on )enominational )ifferences an) se&arating morality an) ethics from anynecessary )e&en)ence on ceremonies )ogmas an) )e%otions. To &ut the matter !luntlyit took religion out of the churches inclu)ing the Packer Memorial Church.

Bear)slee succee)e) only too "ell in &romoting the aca)emic stu)y of religion. 0n the)ee&ening of the economic )e&ression of the '*I(s the reformers "ithin the engineering&rofessional societies )isa&&eare). Presi)ent Clement C. Williams "ho in '*Isuccee)e) Richar)s ha) nothing of his &re)ecessor/s i)ealism. The stu)y of religion as a


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social science "as gaining fa%or an) still is &o&ular. But in '*I, '*I+ com&ulsorycha&el "as a!olishe) an) a year later all regular cha&el "as terminate) for lack ofatten)ance.

An era in the life of the Packer Mcniorial Church ha) en)e). Although &eo&le still calle)

it Packer Cha&el the )esignation "as an automatic res&onse to a &ast "hose true nature"as !eing ra&i)ly forgotten. Cha&el "as gone. Coul) the church sur%i%e8

Church

A !uil)ing consecrate) to the "orshi& of 5o) !elongs to Him a s&iritual o"nershi&"hich has not &re%ente) tem&oral o"nershi& from acts of )econsecration. A!an)one)churches ha%e turne) ti& as homes "arehouses museums uni%ersities 9e.g. ChristmasHall or sim&ly as ruins. A tra%eller along country roa)s may fin) a little !ro"n churchin the "il)"oo) "ith nothing stan)ing !ut the "alls. When the &astors are gone the

congregations scattere) an) &rayers no longer hear) 5o) it seems also lea%es.

Although the Packer Memorial Church )i) not suffer this fate the &ossi!ility is "orthconsi)ering. After the cha&eleers "ere no more the Packer Church coul) not !e auni%ersity cha&el unless the remem!rance of &ast use is e>uate) "ith &resent reality. We"ill not a)mit this for it is illusi%e. Packer Church might !e a cha&el in the sense of a&lace set asi)e for contem&lation an) &rayer much as rooms are sometimes fitte) "ithreligious ornament for this &ur&ose in air&ort terminals= or it might !e a cha&el such asone fin)s at a military &ost a !uil)ing unconnecte) "ith any &articular )enomination an)use) for 7un)ay ser%ices !y ministers. But the Packer Memorial Church coul) ne%eragain !e a cha&el after the manner of its use to '*I+.

Coul) it e%en !e a church8 0t no longer ha) a congregation or a formal connection "ithany )enomination. The trustees of the uni%ersity ha) in '+*, re&u)iate) the alliance "iththe Protestant E&isco&al con%ention= an) !y '*(I the con%ention ha) )ro&&e) #ehighfrom the list of &arishes though the church remaine) on the rolls of the )iocese. ThePacker Church "as un)er the uni>ue control of a secular uni%ersity. The "or)s of theRe%. Worcester come again to min): ;College an) uni%ersity ha%e a religion of their o"n... faith in science an) the stu)y of ol) te6ts.; 7cience an) ol) te6ts use classroomsli!raries an) la!oratories as churches= te6t!ooks are their !i!les= mathematics an) logictheir theologies. The uni%ersity in its &ost'*I+ e6istence strengthene) a commitment toscience &ushing it e%en into the stu)ies of society an) its mo)es of e6&ression. Religionfree) from a connection "ith "orshi& such as the Re%. Bear)slee ha) "ante) to gi%e it!ecame an aca)emic )isci&line com&eting "ith history &olitical science economicssocial &sychology sociology cultural anthro&ology &hiloso&hy fine arts music an)English an) foreign languages an) literatures for fun)s an) the attention of stu)ents.


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"hich clam&e) a !u!!le of )e%otiontoscience on the &ersons inha!iting the #ehighcam&us. By '*+ the "orshi& of science "as "ell sym!oli-e) !y a ne" main entrance tothe uni%ersity o&ening onto the E. W. airchil)Martin)ale #i!rary an) Com&utingCenter. What room "as left for re%eale) religion8 or Christianity8 or Fu)aism8 orother !eliefs8 An) if no room e6iste) "hat "as to !ecome of the Packer Memorial

Church8 Must its religious character e6ist only as a remem!rance like that of cha&el8

7ome thought this "as the case an) looke) on the church as an anachronism.


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&ersuasion.


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Ecumenism slo"ly ma)e &rogress. The most nota!le res&onse came from RomanCatholics. Although la"s to &re%ent )iscrimination ha%e ma)e formal religious censusesillegal anyone mingling )aily "ith #ehigh stu)ents can easily ascertain that largenum!ers of them ha%e come from Roman Catholic families. A


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ay e6ercises. ?thers are of more recent origin= for e6am&le an annual honorscon%ocation in the s&ring an) a con%ocation for entering freshmen in August. Es&eciallyattention has !een gi%en to religious music "hose aesthetic >uality may e>ual or sur&assthe )e%otional. olk music as "ell as classical has resoun)e) from the choir. Theuni%ersity choir sings for at least three ma1or %estry ser%ices as "ell as for a &arents/ )ay

concert an) Christmas an) s&ring %es&ers. 7ometimes choirs from other cam&uses ha%e1oine) it for these &erformances. The uni%ersity choir has sung such "orks as Mo-art/sMass in " Minoran) Bach/s St..#ohn Passionan) "ith the #ehigh $ni%ersity Choral$nion Rossini/s Sta!at Materan) 4er)i/s$e%uiem.E%ery Christmas season the Choral7ociety of the Cathe)ral Church of the uently rinker acce&te) the &resi)ency of the BachChoir. Thus Wolle/s ensem!le came to !e esta!lishe) in the Packer Church in "hich heha) long ser%e) as an organist. F. E)gar 7hiel)s "as no" organist for !oth the church an)the choir. Then an) later se%eral faculty an) stu)ents sang an) one or more faculty ora)ministrators ha%e al"ays ser%e) on the choir/s go%erning !o)ies.

Bach festi%als from that time to the &resent ha%e usually !een hel) on t"o ri)ays an)7atur)ays in May. rancis Wolle/s un&u!lishe) ;A Mora%ian Heritage;' )escri!es thescene:

When the festi%als "ere institute) the session on the first )ay starte) at four o/clock. Alittle after three &eo&le !egin gathering on the cam&us. The mem!ers of the orchestra an)choir a&&ear an) go in !y the choir )oor !ut only a fe" of the au)itors enter. They stan)aroun) chatting in grou&s meeting frien)s of former years= for it is a mecca that )ra"sthem !ack from year to year an) all !ecome frien)s un)er the s"ay of the tremen)ousmusic. But that is not "hy they come so early nor "hy they "ait outsi)e. Prom&tly at


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threethirty the e6&ecte) ha&&ens. rom high u& in the !elfry of the stee&le an) out o%erthe greens"ar) among the trees no" float the first notes of the Mora%ian trom!one choircom&ose) of so&rano alto tenor an) !ass trom!ones. ?n this !eautiful May afternoonthey are &laying ol) hymn tunes "hich the Mora%ians !rought "ith them from 5ermanyan) "hich "ere "ell kno"n to Bach an) ma)e use of !y him. These ol) familiar

chorales create a moo) set the atmos&here of )e)ication to the great sacre) music soon to!e hear) "ithin. ... uring the half hour &rece)ing the session fi%e chorales are &laye) !ythe trom!ones. After the thir) one many &eo&le go insi)e= after the fourth all go insi)ean) are seate). The choir an) the orchestra are in &lace= an) as the notes of the fifthchorale float )o"n !eautifully softene) !y )istance an) !y the thick stone "alls of thechurch r. Wolle gli)es in uno!trusi%ely. There is no a&&lause no announcement of anykin)= 1ust the hymn of the trom!one choir the last note of "hich is arrange) to !e thefirst note of the o&ening chorus. An) "hat a moo) "hat a shar&ness of attack "hat athrill an) su))enness of emotional effect this e%okes@ rom then on "e li%e "ith Bach/sim&ressi%e glorious music.N

With the e6ce&tion of the use ma)e of a chorale to !egin theMass the scene to)ay )iffersunessentially from that )e&icte) a!o%e.

Bach regar)e) his cantatas an) other choral "orks as forms of "orshi&. Con)uctors ofthe Bach Choir ha%e agree) that a church is the &ro&er &lace for &erforming this music.Yet the &ro&riety of &laying it in the Packer Church has not gone unchallenge). The el)er7tarkey maintaine) that the music "as unsuita!le for )i%ine ser%ice= he "oul) ha%ee6clu)e) the choir from the church as a con)ition of gi%ing money for an altar.'D 0t&ro!a!ly took all the )i&lomatic skill of r. Estes trustee an) &resi)ent of the BachChoir to &ersua)e 7tarkey not to insist on the con)ition. 7tarkey/s o&inion re&resents aminority. The &re%ailing sentiment fa%ors the &erformance of Bach/s music "ithin a

church e%en though con)uctors might ha%e acoustically !etter halls at their )is&osal an)nee) no longer )e&en) u&on churches for suita!le organs. The choir has in turn honore)the sanctity of the e)ifice in "hich it &erforms. 0n '*+ the !oar) of the Bach Choirfacing re&eate) re>uests to allo" au)iences to a&&lau) sai) ;no; the church )eser%e) theres&ect tra)itionally associate) "ith silence. E%en so those mem!ers of the !oar) "ho"oul) ha%e allo"e) a&&lause )i) not inten) )isres&ect. They took the %ie" that if acha&lain coul) legitimately e%oke laughter !y a 1oke a choir ought surely to !e allo"e)to e%oke a cla& of han)s !y a more re%erent &erformance. ?ther au)iences ha%e !een lessconcerne). Those atten)ing a concert !y #eontyne Price on ?cto!er '( '*+, a&&lau)e)"ithout restraint.

The arri%al of Cha&lain Hugh lesher marke) also a concerte) effort to im&ro%e thefa!ric of Packer Church itself. After eight years of careful lo!!ying "ith a)ministrationan) trustees changes "ere !egun. 0n e!ruary '*+( the church "as liste) "ith the


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that at least one )istinguishe) E&isco&al clergyman shoul) &artici&ate as a mem!er of the!oar) in the go%ernance of the uni%ersity. 0n the same aca)emic year '*,* '*+( thechurch !egan a &erio) characteri-e) !y e6tensi%e re&airs. The F. Ho"ar) Pe" ree)omTrust &ro%i)e) O(((( for reno%ations "hich e%entually cost more than one million)ollars. or the !etter &art of t"o summers &assers!y "atche) "orkmen on scaffol)ing

cleaning an) re&ointing stone restoring "in)o"s an) re&airing the re) slate roof. 0nsi)eceiling tiles "hich &re%ente) goo) acoustics "ere !eing stri&&e) a"ay re)ecorating "asgoing on an) a mo)ern soun) system "as !eing installe). 7e%eral years later masons!uilt in front of the main entrance a !luestone &la-a )ecorate) "ith four light stan)ar)sresem!ling those use) on the cam&us in the '++(s. The a))ition "as ma)e &ossi!le !y agift from Mr. an) Mrs. Milton W. Woo). Talk circulate) a!out the &ossi!ility ofre&lacing the uncomforta!le ol) oaken &e"s "ith cathe)ral chairs an) &ro%i)ing a ne"organ for the one gi%en !y the 7tarkeys "hich for many years ha) &erforme)unsatisfactorily.

A han)ful of )e)icate) alumni an) frien)s "ere restoring a church !uil)ing "orthy of the

re&utation of an institution )e)icate) to e6cellent e)ucation in science engineering!usiness an) the arts. Para)o6ically the )e%otion to science an) to the stu)y of ol) te6ts"as &artly res&onsi!le for !oth the &hysical re&airs to the church an) the strengthening ofit as a House of 5o). As faculty an) a)ministrators !ecame e%er less concerne) "ithreligion in their su&&ort of learning those "ho care for religion "ere corres&on)inglyfreer to a)%ance it.

They )i) "ell. 0n s&ite of all rationali-ations to the contrary religion "as the heart of thePacker Memorial Church. Whate%er might !e the uses %estry ser%ices "e))ings!a&tisms funerals concerts lectures )ramatic &erformances con%ocations initiationceremonies the sanctity im&arte) !y the interest of the Protestant E&isco&al Church

e6ten)e) to all of them a s&iritual >uality making them more effecti%e )ee&ening theirmeaning an) uniting them to that res&ect for religion "hich is among the ol)est an) mostfun)amental tra)itions of #ehigh $ni%ersity.

The Re%. Bear)slee ha) em&hasi-e) the nee) for religion: ;7cience engineering an)!usiness sim&ly cannot han)le the &ersonal an) intimate &ro!lems of &ur&oses an)&references.... emocracy makes e%ery &erson a moral e6ecuti%e.... Moral free)omim&lies moral res&onsi!ility.;',

Bisho& Ho"e in his s&eech at the laying of the cornerstone ha) insiste) on #ehigh/sres&onsi!ility to &romote religion: ;This $ni%ersity in the intent of its illustrious oun)eran) in the massi%e monuments &lanne) on these groun)s &roclaims its recognition of thetruth that no scheme of e)ucation is com&lete "hich )oes not contem&late the culture ofman in all the com&onents of his !eing his &hysical intellectual an) s&iritual nature. ...0t claims that men accor) to sacre) science no less res&ect than they &ay to their su&&ose))isco%eries in the arcana of nature.;

Bisho& Rulison at the same ceremony ha) &ointe) to the Packer Memorial Church as the&rinci&al means on the cam&us for fulfilling the o!1ecti%e: ;7tan)ing as it "ill in the


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forefront of these no!le halls of learning an) at the gate of these !eautiful Collegegar)ens it "ill &roclaim to e%ery young man "ho shall come here seeking truth themessage of Him "ho sai) /0 am the Truth./ 0t "ill tell e%ery man thirsting for kno"le)gethat the /fear of the #or) is the !eginning of "is)om/ an) it "ill offer a "elcome an) ahome to e%ery "eary heart that is seeking rest. Built "ith na%e an) transe&ts in the form

of a cross it "ill !e through ages a sermon in stone of that )i%ine lo%e "hich is as highas hea%en as )ee& as hell as !roa) as the "orl) an) as long as eternity an) "hich!eggars all language to )escri!e.;

Professor . $oss (ates is kno&n to many as a Lehigh professor of political science formany years, &ith a turn at !eing )ean of the "ollege of Arts and Science. )r. (ates is,

ho&ever, already a historian of Bethlehem, pu!lishing &ith local groups, a t&ovolume

history of the city. Since retirement to his native *regon, he is at &ork on a history ofLehigh +niversity.

he $ev. Hu!ert L. -lesher, university chaplain /01//0023 and professor of religionstudies, provided minor editing regarding current developments associated &ith Packer

Memorial "hurch.

he $ev. )r. Lloyd H. Steffen /002 present3 currently serves as +niversity "haplainand Professor of $eligion Studies. Steffen is a graduate of 4e& "ollege Sarasota35 and

he received an M.A. cum lau)efrom Andover 4e&ton heological School5 the M.)iv.cum lau)efrom (ale )ivinity School, and the Ph.). in $eligious Studies from Bro&n+niversity. An ordained minister in the +nited "hurch of "hrist, Steffen is the author of

four academic !ooks, his most recent !eing E6ecuting Fustice: The Moral Meaning ofthe eath Penalty 9'**+.

End Notes

'. El"oo) WorcesterLife's Adventure6 he Story of a 7aried "areer. 9


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$.D. Minutes of the !oar) of trustees ' ?ct. '++D.,. Allison Butts4inety Seven (ears of Metallurgyat Lehigh +niversity9Bethlehem Pa.:&rinte) !y #ehigh $. #ithogra&hic

7er%ices '*DI ,.

+. Worcester op. cit. '' ''.*. ;Class

Documents

Sermon in Stone