Order Without Prayers

President Eliot writes in his report of 1872-75 when the enlarging of Appleton Chapel, caused chapel services to be dropped for several months. "The Faculty . . . tried, quite involuntarily, and interesting experiment in college discipline. It has been a common opinion that morning prayers were not only right and helpful in themselves, but also necessary to college discipline, partly as a morning roll-call and partly as a means of enforcing continuous residence . . . the omission of morning prayers for nearly five months, at the time of year when the days are shortest and coldest, had no ill effects whatever on college order or discipline."

After this experience it was evident that morning prayers were not necessary to keep order. But many still were anxious to influence as many undergraduates as possible to attend chapel services even if requirements were to be lifted. A plan was proposed whereby chapel would be an unprepared elective in order to increase its appeal. In opposing this idea one person sarcastically wrote, "Only those studious minded young men who go to college for work or are conscientiously opposed to set times for prayer would be likely to choose mathematics or German instead of prayers; and these probably have least need of the prayers . . . no preparation at all is required for prayers and it therefore will be a particularly easy elective."

But the larger and more important issue was not daily chapel or religious regulation. It was Harvard's role as an essentially liberal community in an orthodox era that drew the most fire from critics.

John L. Sibley, nineteenth century librarian of the College and author of the noted "Harvard Graduates," writes in his diary on July 28, 1874, ". . . quite a sharp controversy with some persons who are trying to dissuade the H's from letting their son come to Harvard University. The real but concealed objection being the religious sentiments there. Some people said that the Institution was sectarian and that its principle purpose was to make Unitarians, who were worse than Infidels as they do not come out and proclaim their creed."

From its earliest days, the College had been associated partly in fact and widely in public opinion with the liberal severance of connections with the First Unitarian Parish, still standing across from Harvard Hall: "As the altered Chapel was found to seat as many persons as the Church of the First Parish, the exercises of Class Day and Commencement were held last June in the Chapel, instead of in the church. Then disappeared the last trace of the official connection between the College and the first parish--a connection which had been maintained in various forms for more than 200 years."

After the abolishment of required attendance at chapel, religion was left pretty much to shift for itself. Phillips Brooks House was dedicated in 1900 and Memorial Church during the 1920's but the attitude was primarily laissez faire.

Eliot's regime saw the last formal regliious requirements and Eliot himself had interest in religion mainly for its social value; Lowell, although interested in Memorial Church, had no compelling interest in the religious affairs of the school; Conant, for the most part, ignored them.

No Religious Affiliations

The rise of modern science, with the new knowledge of biology, philosophy, human nature, and the cosmos--although not itself in direct conflict with Religion--had certain implicit assumptions in conflict with the Christian world-view. This resulted in a lack of dynamism in the churches themselves and consequently a lack of emphasis at Harvard as elsewhere.

Today, Harvard has no affiliation whatsoever with any religious group. Unlike Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and other Ivy League Schools, it has no department of religion. There are, however, three main centers of religion: Phillips Brooks House, Memorial Church, and the Divinity School.

Brooks House faces a possible turning point in its history. Although it was authorized in 1893 for "religious, charitable, and social interests of the University," it has paid most attention to the charitable and social interests and dabbled little in religion.

But former Provost Buck announced last spring that the new Chairman of the Board of Preachers will direct the policy of Phillips Brooks House Buck stated that after investigating Brooks House for a number of years, he and his committee had concluded that a religious man should be placed in a direct supervisory position. This person was to provide an element of religious guidance while "still maintaining the traditional Harvard secular approach."

The Question at Brooks House

Because of disagreement with this new plan, Robert L. Fischelis '49, then graduate secretary of the house, resigned.