Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1892)
JV THE HESPERIAN would have gicen our representative first place instead of second if he had known that sickness was the cause of that fatal hesitation. That would have put us first. These arc two facts worthy of consideration. Others might be given but are not necessary here and now. The facts stated go to show this: that our oratorical record has not been entirely disastrous and might with proper energy and wisdom be made successful. I readily grant all that Mr. Williams says about the lack of interest here in orotarical matters. It might gently be whispered that there is also some lack of interest in certain ether oratorical contests. Shall we for that reason give up all contests? What then becomes of our boast that the liter ary societies are the only organizations here that have any interest in oratory? Would it not be a manly way to set about stirring up a proper interest in such matters? Mr. Williams says that our orators go into the state con test handicapped because our standard of oratory is not the same as our competitors have and as the association has. Mr. Williams should remember that the judges are the arbiters and that the instructions to the. judges have been entirely satisfactory to the university. If any one has any objection to them let him speak. We have besides the privilege of helping to secure satisfactory judges. It docs not seem reas onable, therefore, for our orators to complain that they are handicapped by our standard of oratory. If they cannot obtain from the judges representative men of the state, a favorable decision, it is their own fault or else our standard of oratory is not suited to the world in which we live. I, for one, belirve that it is the fault of the orators, not of the oratory. That "the university offers facilities for the work in lines unheard of in other institutions of the state" is cited as accounting for the lack of interest here in oratorical matters. With "the other educational institutions of the state" shall e class the universities of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, Ohio, Dc Pauw, the Northwestern, and Uuiversity of Michi gan too? There is in these institutions great interest in ora toiy. The professors, too, take an interest in the contests. I am not at all inclined to believe that a majority of our piofessors have no interest in oratorical matters. They believe that it is the business of the students to play the lead nig part in the contests and it is. Whether, however, encouragement by the professors and patting on the back by fellow students will cause a man to win a contest is at least a debatable question. I think a little native ability has some thing to do in the matter. Mr. Williams closes his article by urging the university to withdraw liom the state association. He would have us cut the acquaintance of our sister colleges in tne state now and nut wait until we have won a contest. In other woids give up beal-n and run away Perhaps not in our own eyes but in the eyes of observing outsiders our boasts of intellectual uperiority would seem "blatant" indeed. Hut why with draw at all? Even a university student may learn something from contact with the outside world. Judging from the ora torical contest, even we, the ttudents of the U. of N.t are not the salt of the earth in this state in one branch at least. This may not be lhe right way to put it. Perhaps let us think that in sacrificing ourselves by competing with this lower grade of students, and coming in contact with them we may widen the usefulness oi lhe university aud may do a true university extension work. F. D. HviK. Miss Barton prepared a collection of clay models, made by ! her students, for the art exhibit aud for a display in the halls during the teachers meeting. LfTERAKY. a remote corner of The quiet town of Treves, situated in Prussia, was once the Sacred city of the Roman empire and the metropolis of central Europe. It possesses many relics and is one of the most interesting of European cities to the traveller. The articles, however, which arc its chief glory are certain relics of our Lord and Master. First and fore most among these is what is reputed to be tht holy coat, the seamless robe our Savior wore at the time of our sacred pas sion. The robe that is said to have been woven by Marv's immaculate han'us,- that touched the body of God himself, that was drenched with the holy sweat during his agony in the garden, and soaked with his blood during his passion, that is commemorated by Saint John as having been saved in its seamless unity from being rent asunder, is, to say the least, an extremely interesting relic, even if grave men enter tain doubts as to its genuineness. At distant intervals the coat has been exhibited; once in 15 12 and again in 1S44, when the agitation resulting from the gathering together of more than two million of people was the main origin of the German Roman Catholic denomi nation. On the fourth of last June, the bishop of Treves wrote to the pope of his intention, in response to the request of ca'holic men of Germany, to expose for public veneration the aforesaid coat. The pope approved this determination, and, in order to increase the attendance, agreed to grant to all the pilgrims from far and near the blessings of a papal indulgence for the forgiveness of sins. The affect was to attract thousands of pilgrims to Treves. Every day for five weeks from 40,000 to 50,000 pilgrims viewed the holy coat. At the stations, under the direction of the parish priests in full canonicals, they were formed into two single file process ions, one of women, the other of men, the foimer on the right, the latter on the left. Preceded by priests and acolytes and chanting the Ave Maria 01 a special litany, these pro cessions marched to the Plate where, after long and orderly if not patient waiting, they enleied the cathedral door and looked upon lhe object of their devout veneration. The sight of so many people pressing forward in a thor oughly order.y way to the object of their reverence, a relic of great antiquity, although oi doubtful authenticity, must ha-c been impressive. The holy coat, venerated by so many thousands, who travel far to st-e what they, of course, are not allowed to touch, is enclosed in a large glass case behind the high altar of the cathedral. It is described by correspondents of the press as resembling a smock frock in shape with short sleeves and a hole fur the neck, and as being in good condition con sidering its reputed antiquity. It consists of three layers of stuff. The first is covered with a sort of red figured damask. Under this is the sacred coat itself without a trace of scam in it, though there are trices of several gaps which the skillful fingers of lhe nuns, to whom it wasentrusted, have closed up. Under this is a brown silk lining. The back of the coat is exactly like the front except that the outer covering is a sort of gauze. The silk lining, to which is due the preservation of the coat is wonderfully hard and stiff, almost like felt- The relic proper is fastened to the silk lining by some sort of gum or paste so that they seem to form one piece. Ths lin ing itself is comparatively modern and bin a perfect state of preservation, whereac the holy coat itself has become so rotten that the slightest shaking will cause the particles to fall out. For obvious reasons there is no chance for its examina tion at these exhibitions. There arc openings in ths glass case on cither side and through these the priests touch the"