Wesley House
Cambridge
Welcome to our centenary website
Reasons for the Establishment of the College
Michael Gutteridge and the Trustees, June 1922
1) The primary aim is not to produce scholars in the technical sense, though it is hoped that this will be the result in some cases, but men who have first a love of God and the souls of men, and secondly a wide outlook and a practical understanding of life, as a result of contact with all kinds of men at the University. It is not held that University training will of itself make a man a more efficient minister, but experience proves that if he has the root of the matter in him, it should make him a more effective preacher and increase his public influence, especially over young people, among whom the standard of education is rising so steadily today.
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2) It is hoped that this College, when it has buildings of its own, will become a centre of Methodist undergraduate life. There are about one hundred and fifty Methodist undergraduates in the University at present, and it is important to retain them for our Church.
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3) It is hoped that the presence of this College in Cambridge will be the means of bringing into the ministry some undergraduates who are called of God, but who otherwise might not have awakened to the reality of the call.
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4) As illustrating the importance attached to this kind of ministerial training by other Churches, it is significant that the Anglicans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Roman Catholics, have theological colleges here, and that the Baptists have under consideration the removal of their London College to Cambridge,
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Michael Gutteridge, Chairman
Henry Holloway, Treasurer
John H. Ritson, Secretary
WTA Barber, Trustee
TR Ferens, Trustee
A Page-Grubb, Trustee
Williamson Lamplough, Trustee
T Martin Lowry, Trustee
J Arthur Rank, Trustee
Walter Runciman, Trustee
FL Wiseman, Trustee
HB Workman, Trustee
Harry Bisseker, Local Treasurer
H Maldwyn Hughes, Principal