Dean Sperry Lauds Contribution Of Chapels to Religious Unity

American college chapels are performing a vital service for the cause of religion in being "inter-denominational adventures in church unity . . . prophetic of an increasing unity among all men and women of religious good will," it was asserted today by Dean Willard L. Sperry, Chairman of the Board of Preachers, in his annual report of the activities of the Memorial Church.

"Churches which are not ready to meet and match, in the conduct of their own affairs, the tolerance and sympathy which mark the college chapels, must expect to for felt the enthusiasm of returning graduates and to suffer accordingly," he stated.

Over 46,000 Attend

A total of over 46,000 persons attended the services at the Memorial Church during the past year. Dean Sperry reported. During term time, morning prayers were held on 208 days, with an average attendance of slightly more than 50 men.

There were 39 Sunday services, averaging 619 in attendance, and 33 special services with an average of 320. Summer School Prayers were held on 28 mornings, with an average of 54 in attendance. In addition 22,000 persons visited the Memorial Church.

Religion Not "Denatured"

"The college chapels are not, as it so often charged, the centres of denatured religion, shorn of strong convictions and reduced to some lowest common denominator," Dean Sperry said.

"They are inter-denominational adventures in church unity, conducted under the conditions natural to the life of the place; and so far from being treasonable betrayals of the past, they are prophetic of an increasing unity among all men and women of religious good will.

"The American college chapel, our own included," be continued, "is a unique phenomenon in church history, without any considerable precedent in the past and without present parallel in most other lands.

"It is a meeting place for all sorts and conditions of persons more concerned for the Christian religion in its entirely than for a particular sectarian statement of that religion. In due time some one must attempt to appraise the influence which it is having upon contemporary church history.

"Thousands of young people go on into life from our American colleges, not merely familiar with, but believing in, the non-sectarian and interdenominational character of the chapels which they have attended in student days. If they return to the churches from which they came, they ask of those churches something of the tolerance and catholicity which they have found in their chapels."

Lecture Foundation is Problem

The problem of administering the William Belden Noble Lecture foundation so as to fulfill its original purpose of interesting college men in the Christian ministry is receiving new attention at the University, Dean Sperry said.

"In this over-lectured community the more announcement of one of more series of public lectures, by a fugitive visitor, cannot of itself now be expected to realize the ends desired by the donor," he said