p. 1

OverviewVersionsHelp

Here you can see all page revisions and compare the changes have been made in each revision. Left column shows the page title and transcription in the selected revision, right column shows what have been changed. Unchanged text is highlighted in white, deleted text is highlighted in red, and inserted text is highlighted in green color.

9 revisions
John B Howard at Sep 03, 2017 03:43 PM

p. 1

{struck-through: "Copy"}

The Oratory Birmingham
November 6 1858

My dear Professors, Deans & other officers
of the University

It is rare indeed that a man has so speedy and so large a reward
of responsibilities which he has taken upon himself in any important work, as I have
in the knowledge of your feelings towards me as Rector, which are expressed in your address.
Those feelings indeed, I am conscious, are far beyond what I can fairly claim by my actual
services, and so far ought rather to humble than to rejoice me; but if my right to their
profession is to be determined by any own feelings towards yourselves and my zeal for the object
which has associated us in common labours, then certainly I will allow that your attachment is not
undeserved and its expression most welcome.

And I have to thank you also, in the name of my brethren here, for your consideration
towards them. It would be strange indeed if they were not touched by the allusions you have made
to the self denial, which during the last year you have sustained yourselves, of the absence of
their head. And I thank you for it most sincerely myself, for you could not have done me
personally a greater kindness, than you have laid me under by thus showing that there are those
who enter into their past difficulties, and acquit them of unreasonableness in at length re-
calling me to Birmingham.

I wish it were as easy to solve a very arduous problem, as it is thus to express gra-
titiude for the extreme kindness of your letter, and to feel a real and deep sympathy in the
perplexities which have occasioned it. I will say a few words, first on my own position, then
on that of my Congregation relatively to it.

1. For myself: - the following message has lately come to me from the Archbishop of
Dublin through the Archbishop of Cashel.

"Oct. 3.1858. Dr Cullen, before leaving Dublin, wrote to me on the necessity of your residing
in the University as before, or at least for some time, some considerable time, each session. Indeed
I believe your presence for a much longer time than you gave last year necessary for the success of
the University."

p. 1

{struck-through: "Copy"}

The Oratory Birmingham
November 6 1858

My dear Professors, Deans & other officers
of the University

It is rare indeed that a man has so speedy and so large a reward
of responsibilities which he has taken upon himself in any important work, as I have
in the knowledge of your feelings towards me as Rector, which are expressed in your address.
Those feelings indeed, I am conscious, are far beyond what I can fairly claim by my actual
services, and so far ought rather to humble than to rejoice me; but if my right to their
profession is to be determined by any own feelings towards yourselves and my zeal for the object
which has associated us in common labours, then certainly I will allow that your attachment is not
undeserved and its expression most welcome.

And I have to thank you also, in the name of my brethren here, for your consideration
towards them. It would be strange indeed if they were not touched by the allusions you have made
to the self denial, which during the last year you have sustained yourselves, of the absence of
their head. And I thank you for it most sincerely myself, for you could not have done me
personally a greater kindness, than you have laid me under by thus showing that there are those
who enter into their past difficulties, and acquit them of unreasonableness in at length re-
calling me to Birmingham.

I wish it were as easy to solve a very arduous problem, as it is thus to express gra-
titiude for the extreme kindness of your letter, and to feel a real and deep sympathy in the
perplexities which have occasioned it. I will say a few words, first on my own position, then
on that of my Congregation relatively to it.

1. For myself: - the following message has lately come to me from the Archbishop of
Dublin through the Archbishop of Cashel.

"Oct. 3.1858. Dr Cullen, before leaving Dublin, wrote to me on the necessity of your residing
in the University as before, or at least for some time, some considerable time, each session. Indeed
I believe your presence for a much longer time than you gave last year necessary for the success of
the University."