HIS SERVICES TO YALE COLLEGE. 335 



spiritual essence of our nature, and though industriously 

 devoted to the duties of life, his views and aspirations were 

 not confined to this sphere of existence, but extending 

 beyond time, constantly mingled with the events of the 

 present the condition of the future through the hope and 

 faith of an humble Christian. 



The services rendered by Professor Silliman as 

 an officer of Yale College, independently of the di- 

 rect benefit of his instructions, were of the highest 

 importance. His name and fame attracted students. 

 His influence secured benefactions. 



" His personal presence," says President Woolsey, " his 

 great popularity, his fine powers of persuasion, caused him 

 to be put forward whenever there were wants to be urged 

 before the legislature or before private friends, whenever 

 strangers of distinction were to be honored, whenever on 

 academic festivals responses were due from the authorities 

 of the Institution. There were, I believe, in the universities 

 of the Middle Ages orators annually appointed who repre- 

 sented their communities on public occasions. He, in his 

 prime, was our standing orator, the principal medium be- 

 tween those who dwelt in the academic shade and the great 

 public. 



" A very important duty of Professor Silliman grew out 

 of his function as a member of the College Faculty. For 

 more than fifty years he sat and voted in that Faculty, aided 

 in discipline as well as instruction, and being the senior 

 Professor, had a prominent place in all Faculty measures. 

 Dr. Dwight, without doubt, would not have selected him 

 for the new professorship, unless his clear eye had discov- 

 ered in him the power of governing and controlling ; and 

 his career as a tutor must have been satisfactory. When 

 he took the Professor's chair, no especial part of the College 

 discipline fell on him ; he had no care of a division, and 



