I am not, I think, going too far if I refer to one very personal
matter, my son. I mean your relation to the Supreme Being. That Being
may be conceived under many forms, as Love, as Omnipotent Force, as
Omniscient Knowledge, as Perfect Beauty, as Absolute Right. The
college man interprets the Supreme Being under at least one of these
forms; and he may be able to interpret him under all of these forms.
To this Being he should relate himself. Let the college man learn, and
learn all; but he should not neglect to learn of the Divine Being. The
college man should love, and love every object as it is worthy of
loving; but he should not decline to love the Supreme Being. For He is
Supreme.
The college man is to follow the wisest leadership, to obey the
highest principles, to give himself to the contemplation of the
sublimest; but his following, his obedience, his self-surrender are to
bring him to and keep him with the Being Supreme. Religion thus
broadly interpreted makes a keen and mighty appeal to the college man.
Let the college man be religious; let not the college man have a
religion. Let religion be a fundamental element of his character, and
not a quality of his changing self. His religion, like that of every
other man, should first be human, not scholastic; first essential and
natural, not arbitrary.
Be religious. It sounds almost goodish, but I know you do not think it
such. Be religious. Relate yourself to something. Relate yourself to
some What. Or relate yourself to some Who: beyond whatever your eye
sees or your hand touches. I do not care how you put it. If I were a
Buddhist, I would say, worship Buddha. Be what the great image at
Kamakura represents. If I were a Mohammedan, I would say, follow the
teachings of the Koran, and pray. I am, and you are, a Christian.
Therefore I say: Love your God. Follow the example of the Christ. Be
one of that company who accept his guidance and are seeking to do his
will in the bettering of the world.
Good-bye, dear boy, I have written too long, but it has done me good
to write. If it does you a quarter of the good to read, I shall be
grateful.
Good-bye.