Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1524

Opening paragraphs of a letter from Heath to Coulter Craig, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida

July 31, 1954

Dear Mr. Craig:

     I have kept well in mind your letter of last May inviting me to suggest topics for a series of seminars to be given among the Rollins’ “Courses for the Community.”

     The members of a general and un-sorted audience or group can be highly intelligent and well informed, each in his separate profession or field of experience, yet have as a group but little knowledge in common which would enable the leader to impart new knowledge in language that all can understand — as he might do if all were of similar profession and background. The best he can do is to make his topics or theses less explicit and more colorful if he can, keeping in mind his central purpose of a wider awakening to the positive and creative side of human nature and the beauty and blessedness with which the voluntary and non-political organization of mankind is almost unknowingly endowed.

      With this in view I have arranged six titles and a very brief synopsis of each as follows:

THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF MAN

1. THE FREE COMMUNITY and Its Transcendent Function

Under this head is set out the difference in organization between the nomadic and the-settled community form of life. Stress is laid upon the new kind of relationship uniting the community members whereby the are able to practice a creative dominion over their environment as no other form of life can.

2. PROPERTY AND ITS PRODUCTIVE ADMINISTRATION—Servant of the Creative Spirit in Man

    In this, the nature of property in society,

as the uncontested authority to make voluntary contracts with respect to it as their subject-matter, is contrasted with the primitive or political practice of excluding others or subordinating them. The thought is developed (or elaborated) that under the Golden Rule of each doing with his property unto others as he would have others do unto him, the spirit of man becomes creative upon his world which otherwise he despoils and destroys.

3. CITADEL, MARKET AND ALTAR——Coercion, Co-operation, Consecration

    Here the free community is symbolized in terms of the three kinds of activities engaged in by its inhabitants: 1. The practice of self-defense by coercion or restraints upon those persons who infringe the freedom or the property of others. 2. The providing of material abundance by the free co-operation of the inhabitants with respect to properties or services capable of being distributed by the process of free contract and exchange. 3. The devotion of its members to such spontaneous activities, arts, and creations as constitute the cultural achievements of the Society.

4. SOCIETY THE CROWN OF CREATION

    Here the progression of life in its human manifestation, from destructive through preservative and into creative relationships——the dominion of man over nature——is reviewed, and its full consummation in the adult organic society foreseen.

5.  THE INSPIRATION OF BEAUTY

    This traces to its source under its designation as beauty that element or aspect of the Cosmos that invites esthetic response and excites to creative activity the else-unawakened potentialities——intellectual, artistic and religious——with which human nature from its origin has been essentially endowed. The lure of the unknown, creating the dream, seeking the unutterable, the drive to solve the enigma, create the melody, capture the ineffable dream——all these attest the unseen beauty that inspires and motivates the lives of men.

6. THE HIDDEN CHRIST IN THE ORGANIC COMMUNITY

    Here we discover the Word become flesh, the Creative Spirit manifested in the body of men practicing objectively the Golden Rule of reciprocal services, which is reciprocal love, impersonal and thereby universal, hence truly divine. Thus does the spirit of Christ, all unperceived and unknown, unite the members in a creative relationship, a Kingdom that is divine, so far as his Golden Rule has grown into their manner of providing for separate and individual needs,——as yet it must enter into and glorify the field of their common and public affairs.

I submit the above in six titles (reducible perhaps to four) and brief synopses of subject matter all as proposed in your letter. Since I am looking forward in any case to being in Florida from about January 10^th next until about March 1^st, I suggest dates within that period as most convenient to me. As to a fee being charged I am quite indifferent, except as the quality or volume of attendance might be affected by it, and I should be most happy if in such manner the material facilities of the College could be in some small degree advanced as well.

     Pursuant to your request, I am addressing this reply to your letter in the care of President McKean whom it chances I have never met in person although I have long anticipated much pleasure in doing so.

     With happy recollections of our pleasant meal-time and other visits together, I am,

Very sincerely yours,

Spencer Heath

 

     For the record, I attach hereto a copy of my letter of March 13, 1954, addressed to Dr. Edwin R. Walker who was then dean of the College.

     Please note that I am now auditing a graduate course in theology on “The Christian Doctrine of Man” at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, to which place mail should be addressed until August 31^st; thereafter, 11 Wavery Place, New York 3, New York for forwarding.

___________________________________

July 31, 1954

 

Mr. Hugh H. McKean, President

Rollins College

Winter Park, Florida

Dear Mr. McKean:

     Since writing the enclosed reply to Mr. Coulter Craig’s letter of last May, I find that he requested me to reply to you instead.

 

     I am therefore enclosing to you my letter addressed to Mr. Craig for your consideration in the same manner, I hope, as though it had been addressed directly to you.

 

     I very greatly admire the spirit and growth of Rollins College, especially since it has come under your administration.

 

     With very best regards, and hoping for the pleasure of your acquaintance upon my next visit to Winter Park, I am,

                   Sincerely yours,

 

SH:m