THE HESPERIAN.
S
worW to God may easily persuade himself that if men will not
return by persuasion, it is his duty to coerce them by the
sword if need be, that their soul's salvation may be procured.
What then is to be concluded concerning his sincerity?
Considering the marked piety of his earlier life and the vices
and crimes of his latter days, the most probable conjecture is
that he was the victim of mania; that he saw much in the
world that caused him sorrow, and believed that God had
sent him to recall mankind from their sins. Not alone in his
own country was religion debased and the cause of mending
strife. The Christianity of his age was not deserving the
name. Not without reason did Mahomet charge Christians
with "giving sons and daughters to God." The use of images
was spreading. The distinctive mark of one sect was the
worship of the mother of Christ. Fine points of doctrine were
being decided in assemblies which often broke up in armed
contention. The devout Mahomet, addicted from youth to
solitary contemplation on religious subjects, saw only the
worst side of Christianity. There is no theory more worthy
of belief than that his lone vigils, acting upon his susceptible
constitution, produced within his brain hallucination. No
other theory accords with the facts of the cat ly years of his
mission; while it is not at all unlikely that he, who could
mould his countrymen to his will, was so elated by victory
that his subsequent life was tarnished by what so often has
characterized reformers when victory has suddenly rewarded
them, unscrupulousness as to the means henceforth cm
ployed. While there is nothing to justify his claims as a
prophet, it is unjust not to accredit him with sincere belief
in his divine mission.
MISCELLANY.
An observant freshman discovered one Friday night that
Iao fair co-eds had escorted each other to society. Seized
with remorse at his own neglect of the slate he resolved to
repent and make amends. But there were two. To over
come this difficulty he entered into negotiations with a notor
ious senior oflcring to divide the prize. The senior refused
the tempting offer because both he and the freshman wanted
the same girl. He started down the hall just behind the co
eds, in company with a friend. At this juncture his rival of
fered himself to the young ladies, (for .an escort) and being
accepted, he turned to the senior who was just behind and
coolly remarked, "Come on II ", of course taking his pick
of the co eds. It worked. II came. Consider what the
situation would have been if he had not. But why criticise
the schemer? Who wants to quarrel with a successful man?
Moral Scratch the slate.
Too much cannot be done toward entertaining the visitors
to the inter-state contest. Such a contest has never yet been
held in Nebraska, and it will be some time before another
such meeting will be held in the state . Our reputation for
hospitality depends upon this effort. Those who visit us will
remember the University of Nebraska as they see it now.
Let us take pains to show them the best we have. Wc be
lieve that all regular school work should be suspended, so
that all may devote their time to our visitors. Classes, if
held, will be attended by only a few. Would it not be better
to throw open the entire institution libraiics, laboratories,
classrooms, etc., and make the university general headquarteis
for all interested in the advancement of oratory. This is not
merely a students' aflair, the faculty should take as active an
interest as the students. If we wish to make the meeting of
the association a success, if wc wish to c nvincr the members
of it that Nebraska has a utmcrsit) woitl.y to I c ranked with
those of neighboring states, wc must enter energetically and
harmoniously into the work of preparation. When the work
of preparation is over the work of entertainment must begin.
Let us have perfect freedom to devote our time to .showing
our visitors the university and the city. Let the class and
laboratory work for the week end Thursday noon, thus mak
ing it possible to meet the different delegations when they
arrive and entertain them while they remain. Kansas and
Iowa will probably come in force; other states will be well
represented; may they return home feeling well repaid for
their trip and be able to praise Nebraska's plans for higher
education.
We have no drill grounds! The battalion this term will
consist of four large companies. The commandant desires
to give practical instruction in battalion drill, and in order
that this may be done properly the companies must have room
to maneuver without allowing an opportunity for stragglers to
get lost among the trees. What trees there are on the north
west corner of the campus are irregularly placed and certain
ly lend no great amount of beauty to it. The drill grounds
now comprise about half a block, and two or three trees on
this make it necessary to break the line of a company in
passing them. No one knows just what is the "mission" of
those trees, but wc strongly suspect that it is to demoralize
company drill. If all the trees on that part of the campus
north of the S street line and west of a line connecting Uni
versity hall and the boiler house were removed we would
have an entire block for military exercises and field athletics.
Two years ago all the cotton-wood trees on the campus were
converted into hitching posts and statue pedestals. Why not
continue the work and clear off the drill grounds.
The governor and other state officers deserve the thanks of
the university for their kindness in allowing the capitol build
ing to be used for entertaining the visitors to the inter state con
test. The capitol building is the very best for that purpose in
the city and in casting about for a.suitable place in which to
hold the banquet and ball the committee naturally looked
towards it. By a unanimous vote the state authorities decided
that the request of the committee should Ik: granted notwith
standing the fact that the scheme was opposed by some of our
citizens on account of the proposed ball. Well, even though
the students have decided not to hold a ball the state officers
none the less are entitled to our gratitude, for by granting the
use of the building in the face of the opposition, they have
shown that they have the good of the state university at heart
and arc ready to do all they may be able for its advancement.
The university has ever regarded the governor as a friend and
his conduct on this last occasion adds one more act of kind
ness to the many for which it is indebted to' him. But while
expressing our thanks to the state officials we should not for
get that Lieutenant Griffith took a.personal interest in seeing
that the capitol was secured, and it U largely, if not wholly,
due to his efforts that the plan succeeded. j. u. r.
After considerable discussion the mass meeting of the
students decided by a good majority that there will be no ball
given by the university at the interstate contest. This deci
sion was made in order to please as many as possible of the
visitors and also because the students did not think it advis
able to give any such entertainment with the understanding
that it was a university affair. As may be seen in another col-