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Show RUTGERS UNIVERSITY The State University of New Jersey DOUGLASS COLLEGE Founded as New Jersey College for Women NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY January 2, 19$7 Professor A. S. Atiya Luce Professor of World Christianity McGiffert Hall, 99 Claremont Avenue New York 27, N. Y. Dear Mr. Atiya: I believe I am a real, absent-minded professor, for I have no recollection of having written you the letter which I said would follow our telephone conversation. I can't find a copy of it either, so I guess it was never written. My apologies. At any rate, I am looking forward with much anticipation to your visit here. As I expected, a local speaker engaged for January 29 said he could very conveniently accept a later date. And since you said that a late January date would probably be suitable for you, I hope and trust that the 29th will be satisfactory. You may recall that I said our semester's program of Assemblies is planned around one theme. This theme may be described as the impact of religion and religious institutions in some contemporary situation where there is tension, or crisis, or special opportunity. We are particularly anxious to have you speak about the role of Muhammadanism in relation to the crisis in the Middle East. Insofar as you would wish, you might also comment on Judaism and Christianity. But I think we are eager in the main to hear what the religion with the most numbers, the most influence, and thus the greatest opportunity is doing with its opportunity, in a given area. If challenge is being met creatively and courageously, we want to know it. If opportunities are being lost for want of vision and daring, we want to know that too. Our Assembly is held at the hour of 11:25 a.m« The address may be twenty-five to thirty minutes in length. The students who attend are an interfaith cross-section of the student body. The program I enclose will give you an idea of the Assembly's nature. If you have time, the Assembly will be followed by an informal discussion with interested students, and by luncheon with students and the Dean of the College, at 1:00 P.M. The honorarium for coming is fifty dollars. I enclose a biographical data sheet for you to return to me. Since I have delayed in writing to you, it is most unfair of me to ask its swift return. Yet, because I do, I at least must apologize again. If you have a small photograph-such as a passport photo-which we could use on a poster for publicity, we would appreciate that too (it will be returned)• Most cordially yours, . Pangborn, Chairman Voorhees Assembly Board 9 \ t* j | <ft <>Cvvrruuss II |