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practical plan of the University. I am delighted that it is not in any sense to be sectarian, while it will be religious. I would not have such an Institution limited by any mere church lines if I could. With the recognition of one additional item which I will suggest because you have invited suggestions. I believe it will command the cordial interest and patronage of the most intelligent and reliable friends of education on the Pacific Coast. As proof of this I quote a sentence from a letter this day recieved from a friend in California whom you know and respect: After commenting on the unprescedented gift, and saying what he hoped would yet be associated with its general regard for religion he says: "it will render unnecessary for years at least a Presbyterian College." You may know that in view of what is true of the State University such a College had been very seriously proposed by the Presbyterian Church. You could hardly state more comprehensively the essential truths of religion independent of creeds than when you provide "that there shall be taught that there is an all-wise, benevolent God and that the soul is immortal." I assume that the most profound and conclusive proof of these fundamental truths will be furnished. What I desire to suggest will be in the form of a question, preceeded by a remark which may properly introduce it.
There can be no more conclusive proof of the existence of God, and the soul's immortality after all other proof from philosophy and facts and other testimony has been gathered [than?] the declarations of the great God Himself if He has made any. There are multitudes of the most profound and learned men in the world who with various interpretations of some statements in the Bible, believe that at least it does contain the declarations of God direct and infer-