Words of Hope: Never Forgotten
We recently visited a church on Stanford University’s campus. It is magnificent and breathtaking. There are tiny gold mosaics reminiscent of St Mark’s in Venice built in honor of the son who died in Italy, Leeland Stanford Jr. He was only fifteen and had died from Typhoid Fever during travel with his parents on the Grand Tour.
Jane and Leeland Senior returned home devastated. After 18 years of barrenness, they had conceived this son only to lose him while still a boy.
After his death they built Stanford University and declared, “The children of California will become our children.”
Jane, deeply devoted to Christ, wanted the university to be committed to educational excellence through religious and moral instruction. She spent millions on the church to honor her son and husband.
One of the founders, David Jordan hated her Christian worldview and begrudged every cent she spent toward Christian education.
He was an atheist and firmly opposed any spending Jane made toward her Christian vision. He also was a staunch supporter of eugenics and believed in the same-race theories as the Nazis including sterilizations and even euthanasia for those deemed of a lower “breeding.”
Jane passed away in a horrible death from strychnine poisoning. She was poisoned twice. Once in which she survived and then the second attack just one month later which proved fatal.
Her death was covered up and reported as a heart attack, but historians are now bringing her murder to light.
Many believe David Jordan and her secretary Berthe Berner worked together to kill her.
This is a sad story. It is not a message of hope, and yet it is. Years after his death all his buildings and parts of the university that bear his name were removed. His name now associated with ignominy and murder.
A cruel and evil man or woman may kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul. Jane’s deep love for Christ left a church dedicated to pointing to the Savior. As believers in Christ, we know that God is on the side of justice, and He shall prevail.
As we sat in the beautiful church that Jane Stanford built as a reminder that this earthly planet is not all there is, as we raise our eyes to the heavens and see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we take a modicum of comfort knowing justice, truth, and love prevail.
On the walls of the church she has written many quotes, one of which states, “We can never perish if we remain in the arms of our Father Almighty.”
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.” – Psalm 89:14
