The necessity of a firm foundation of religion for the progress of modern civilization was stressed by Roscoe Pound, former dean of the Law School, and first of the new University professors, in an informal address at Christ Church last night.

Dean Pound was the principal speaker at a reception tendered by the Church to some 300 newly enrolled Harvard and Radcliffe students.

Lest his listeners think that in advocating religion he was criticizing them, Dean Pound was quick to add that he has "never lost faith in the religious groundings of the younger generation." Urging them to hold fast to these ideas, he warned against "those fashionable philosophies of life" that would abandon religion.

"Personally," he said, "I have never had any illusions about those who preach disillusion. And I have always felt that the skeptics have been skeptical of everything but their own skepticism."

Recalling the Macedonian marching rules for a soldier--"keep your eye on two points directly ahead and be in line with them"--Dean Pound said that in marching through life religion must be those two points. "Keep your eye on it," he urged, "and you will walk in a straight line."