Life, 1893-03-02 · page 4 of 14
Life — March 2, 1893 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Context of Life Magazine (March 2, 1893) This page satirizes the **Union Theological Seminary's vacant chair of systematic theology**. Three prominent divines recently invited to fill the position all declined or failed—one died before accepting, another before starting, and a third received a "peremptory summons" (suggesting sudden death or scandal). The satire focuses on the **chair itself being cursed or dangerous**, joking that the position is so undesirable that prominent clergy refuse it. The text darkly notes that physicians attending the last candidate have also died, extending the curse metaphor. The cartoon likely depicts Death or a skeletal figure presiding over the empty chair, visualizing the magazine's humorous claim that accepting the position brings misfortune. This mocks both the seminary's difficulties and the reluctance of major theological figures to take the job.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“While VOL. XXI. there's Life there's Hope.” MARCH 2, 28 West TWENT 1893. No, 53! HIRD STREET, New York. Published every Thursday. $s.00.a year in advance. Postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.os a year, extra, Single copies, 10 cents, Back numbers can be had by applying at this office, Single Copies of Vols. 1. and II. out of print. Vol. [., bound, $30.00. Vol. Il., bound, $20.00. Hack numbers, one year old, 25 cents per copy. Vols. III.'to XVI. inclu sive, bound or in flat numbers, at $10.00 per volume. Volumes XVIL. to XX_, $5.00 per volume. i ie Subscribers. wishing address changed will greatly facilitate matters by sending old address as well as new. Rejetted contributions will be destroyed unless accompanied by a stamped and directed envelope. UDGE GRESHAM and Mr. Car- lisle, the two most distinguished prospective members of Mr. Clev land's cabinet, are both quoted sorely averse to taking their new “Every hope I have cher- said Mr. Carlisle when his portfolio was offered him, “ would be dashed to pieces by my going into this cabinet,” and Judge Gresham has spoken with almost as much fecling of his contentment with his judgship in Chicago, and his deep disinclination to move to Washington, There is no reason to question the sincerity of these gen- tlemen’s reluctance, and it is an encouragement in these ma- terial times to find such men governed by such a sense of politicalduty. Unhappily, there is altogether too much reason why they should both be shy of the important jobs for which Mr. Cleveland has selected them. In both places the pay is poor, the expenses great, the work hard, and the prospect of mundane reward remote and meagre. To be sure there is the glory, but both Gresham and Carlisle have enough of that already on deposit. Lire hopes that neither of them will find the cabinet such a bad place as he expects, or his service with Mr. Cleveland a bar to future usefulness. Even in recent times cases have been known when cabinet officers have been of some use afterwards—Mr, Whitney for example, and certainly if ever the political hoodoo that infests cabinets is to be dislodged, it is to just such reluctantly conscientious appointees as Carlisle and Gresham that we must look to do it. Meanwhile we hope they may find temporary solace in the reflection that neither Col. Dan, Lamont, nor Col, Hoke Smith believe themselves to be going into Mr. Cleveland's cabinet for purposes of interment. If the respected Union Theological Seminary, of this town, has any purpose of calling the religious editor of LIFE to its chair of systematic theology, we hope that it will abandon it permanently and at once. Knowing that the chair was vacant, LIFE has had occa- sion tolook into the conditions of its occupancy, and has been somewhat shocked to discover that of three eminent divines who have lately been invited to take it, all have come to abrupt and untimely ends, Of these three gentlemen, the. first de- clined, but not in time to save his life; the second accepted, but fell before reaching the work ; the third had scarcely got into the chair before he, too, received a peremptory summons. So virulent was the action of the systematic theological bacillus in the case of the last gentleman, that two physicians who attended him—one in New York and one in Lakewood— have also succumbed. Lire begs to suggest that something be done to disinfect this chair before it is used any more. Meanwhile, as observed, it would prefer that not even an offer of it should be made to our own religious editor, who is satisfied with his pay, and feels that he is doing a good work where he is. If the chair must be filled again immediately, we would suggest as a proper occupant, the present religious editor of the New York Sun, who is a remarkably sturdy theologian and well fitted to make such a contest with the Union Seminary’s microbes as would be bound to have good results whichever way it went. * . | a contemporaneous description of the new Astor hotel on Fifth Avenue, which is to be opened by a reception for charity in mid- Lent, it is recorded that“ the first sleeping-floor is given over to state apartments, and are not to be rented to anybody permanently under any consideration, being intended for state occasions.” Lire takes pleasure (without charge) in recommending these very desirable apartments to the attention of our British friend, Mr. W. Waldorf Astor, who is credited by the contemporary press with the purpose of “bringing a party of English noblemen to America, who will visit the fair and other points of interest, and who will be royally entertained during their stay.” comicbooks.com