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Presbyterian and Episcopalian Churches； and is glad to preach in a
Presbyterian Church； as he did this morning。 How the aforesaid
Union is to be brought about； I'm sure I don't know； for I am pretty
certain that the Episcopalians won't give up their bishops； and the
Presbyterians won't have them on any account。 However； that's
neither here nor thereat least it does not affect the fact that
Wordsworth is a first…rate man； and a fine preacher。 I dare say you
know he is a nephew or grand…nephew of the Poet。 He is a most
venerable old man； and worth looking at； merely for his exterior。
He is so feeble with age that he can with difficulty climb the three
short steps that lead into the pulpit； but； once in the pulpit； it
is another thing。 There is no feebleness when he begins to preach。
He is one of the last voices of the old orthodox school； and I wish
there were hundreds like him。 If ever a man believed in his
message； Wordsworth does。 And though I cannot follow him in his
veneration for the Thirty…nine Articles； the way in which he does
makes me half wish I could。 。 。 。 It was full of wisdom and the
beauty of holiness； which even I； poor sceptic and outcast； could
recognise and appreciate。 After all； he didn't get it from the
Articles； but from his own human heart； which； he told us； was
deceitful and desperately wicked。
‘Confound it； how stupid we all are！ Episcopalians； Presbyterians；
Unitarians； Agnostics； the whole lot of us。 We all believe the same
things； to a great extent； but we must keep wrangling about the data
from which we infer these beliefs 。 。 。 I believe a great deal that
he does； but I certainly don't act up to my belief as he does to
his。'
The belief ‘up to' which Murray lived was； if it may be judged by
its fruits； that of a Christian man。 But； in this age； we do find
the most exemplary Christian conduct in some who have discarded
dogma and resigned hope。 Probably Murray would not the less have
regarded these persons as Christians。 If we must make a choice； it
is better to have love and charity without belief； than belief of
the most intense kind； accompanied by such love and charity as John
Knox bore to all who differed from him about a mass or a chasuble； a
priest or a presbyter。 This letter； illustrative of the effect of
cathedral services on a young Unitarian； is taken out of its proper
chronological place。
From Canterbury Mr。 Murray went to Ilminster in Somerset。 Here
Robert attended the Grammar School； in 1879 he went to the Grammar
School of Crewkerne。 In 1881 he entered at the University of St。
Andrews； with a scholarship won as an external student of Manchester
New College。 This he resigned not long after； as he had abandoned
the idea of becoming a Unitarian minister。
No longer a schoolboy； he was now a Bejant （bec jaune？）； to use the
old Scotch term for ‘freshman。' He liked the picturesque word； and
opposed the introduction of ‘freshman。' Indeed he liked all things
old； and； as a senior man； was a supporter of ancient customs and of
esprit de corps in college。 He fell in love for life with that old
and grey enchantress； the city of St。 Margaret； of Cardinal Beaton；
of Knox and Andrew Melville； of Archbishop Sharp； and Samuel
Rutherford。 The nature of life and education in a Scottish
university is now； probably； better understood in England than it
used to be。 Of the Scottish universities； St。 Andrews varies least；
though it varies much； from Oxford and Cambridge。 Unlike the
others； Aberdeen； Glasgow； and Edinburgh； the United College of St。
Leonard and St。 Salvator is not lost in a large town。 The College
and the Divinity Hall of St。 Mary's are a survival from the Middle
Ages。 The University itself arose from a voluntary association of
the learned in 1410。 Privileges were conferred on this association
by Bishop Wardlaw in 1411。 It was intended as a bulwark against
Lollard ideas。 In 1413 the Antipope Benedict XIII。； to whom
Scotland then adhered； granted six bulls of confirmation to the new
University。 Not till 1430 did Bishop Wardlaw give a building in
South Street； the Paedagogium。 St。 Salvator's College was founded
by Bishop Kennedy （1440…1466）： it was confirmed by Pius II。 in
1458。 Kennedy endowed his foundation richly with plate （a silver
mace is still extant） and with gorgeous furniture and cloth of gold。
St。 Leonard's was founded by Prior Hepburn in 1512。 Of St。
Salvator's the ancient chapel still remains； and is in use。 St。
Leonard's was merged with St。 Salvator's in the last century： its
chapel is now roofless； some of the old buildings remain； much
modernised； but on the south side fronting the gardens they are
still picturesque。 Both Colleges were； originally； places of
residence for the students； as at Oxford and Cambridge； and the
discipline； especially at St。 Leonard's； was rather monastic。 The
Reformation caused violent changes； all through these troubled ages
the new doctrines； and then the violent Presbyterian pretensions to
clerical influence in politics； and the Covenant and the Restoration
and Revolution； kept busy the dwellers in what should have been
‘quiet collegiate cloisters。' St。 Leonard's was more extreme； on
Knox's side； than St。 Salvator's； but was also more devoted to King
James in 1715。 From St。 Andrews Simon Lovat went to lead his
abominable old father's clan； on the Prince Regent's side； in 1745。
Golf and archery； since the Reformation at least； were the chief
recreations of the students； and the archery medals bear all the
noblest names of the North； including those of Argyll and the great
Marquis of Montrose。 Early in the present century the old ruinous
college buildings of St。 Salvator's ceased to be habitable； except
by a ghost！ There is another spectre of a noisy sort in St。
Leonard's。 The new buildings are mere sets of class…rooms； the
students live where they please； generally in lodgings； which they
modestly call bunks。 There is a hall for dinners in common； it is
part of the buildings of the Union； a new hall added to an ancient
house。
It was thus to a university with ancient associations； with a
religio loci； and with more united and harmonious student…life than
is customary in Scotland； that Murray came in 1881。 How clearly his
biographer remembers coming to the same place； twenty years earlier！
how vivid is his memory of quaint streets； grey towers； and the
North Sea breaking in heavy rollers on the little pier！
Though； like a descendant of Archbishop Sharp； and a winner of the
archery medal； I boast myself Sancti Leonardi alumnus addictissimus；
I am unable to give a description； at first hand； of student life in
St。 Andrews。 In my time； a small set of ‘men' lived together in
what was then St。 Leonard's Hall。 The buildings that remain on the
site of Prior Hepburn's foundation； or some of them； were turned
into a hall； where we lived together； not scattered in bunks。 The
existence was mainly like that of pupils of a private tutor； seven…
eighths of private tutor to one…eighth of a college in the English
universities。 We attended the lectures in the University； we
distinguished ourselves no more than Murray would have approved of；
and many of us have remained united by friendship through half a
lifetime。
It was a pleasant existence； and the perfume of buds and flowers in
the old gardens； hard by those where John Knox sat and talked with
James Melville and our other predecessors at St。 Leonard's； is
fragrant in our memories。 It was pleasant； but St。 Leonard's Hall
has ceased to be； and the life there was not the life of the free
and hardy bunk…dwellers。 Whoso pined for such dissipated pleasures
as the chill and dark streets of St。 Andrews offer to the gay and
rousing blade； was not encouraged。 We were very strictly ‘gated；'
though the whole society once got out of window； and； by way of
protest； made a moonlight march into the country。 We attended
‘gaudeamuses' and solatiaUniversity suppersbut little； indeed；
he who writes does not remember any such diversions of boys who beat
the floor； and break the glass。 To plant the standard of cricket in
the remoter gardens of our country； in a region devastated by golf；
was our ambition； and here we had no assistance at all from the
University。 It was chiefly at lecture； at football on the links；
and in the debating societies that we met our fellow…students； like
the celebrated starling； ‘we could not get out；' except to permitted
dinners and evening parties。 Consequently one could only sketch
student life with a hand faltering and untrained。 It was very
different with Murray and his friends。 They were their own masters；
could sit up to all hours； smoking； talking； and； I dare say；
drinking。 As I gather from his letters； Murray drank nothing
stronger than water。 There was a certain kind of humour in drink；
he said； but he thought it wa