Dear Bill,

     You may not have ever fully realized the impact you had on the many of us who came through Yale back in the 1960s. In fact, neither did I until I began to organize events within the Class of '68 to present you with the title of Permanent Chaplain. When people heard of our effort time and again countless individuals -- many of whom I only knew vaguely or not at all -- wanted to come forward and wish you well, remembering one incident after another and smiling in warm gratitude for the memories of your principled stance at Yale and in the world beyond.

     Among other things you taught us to embrace life -- not shrink from it. In freshmen or sophomore year I remember you co-taught a Dwight Hall Seminar with Fenno Heath on Wednesday evenings in Hendrie Hall on the Theology of Bach. We sang the Gloria from the Bach B-Minor Mass [<-- click here. We were never as good as this, and we didn't have trumpets.]

     I remember Fenno would wax eloquent about the theological points that Bach was trying to convey, and you would underscore what was going on musically. You wouldn't let us get away without hammering home the point that for Bach the Glory of God was directly linked to the promise of Peace on Earth! [...there is no pause!" you would yell, "Bach didn't put any break in here so don't you put one in either..!"]

      Beyond the Gloria, we then learned from you what it meant to awake from sleeping with Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. Scripture and music had never been so alive nor had they ever spoken so directly as they did to us when you awakened us to hear our own souls singing with Bach across the ages.

      Those who sang with you in the Yale Russian Chorus also enjoyed your warm heart and generosity of spirit on numerous occasions. Beyond this, the many who just heard you speak realized that simply your presence on campus made their Yale years something special to remember.

      For my part I find myself repeating your thoughts and words throughout my writing and lecturing over the years. You can, no doubt, spot a bit of this in the linked articles in the left column. Your statements, your work and your life stand as a fond and challenging memory to me and many of my generation who seek to extend the love and compassion we have known in your life to others we can embrace in the time that is given to us.

      Go well, stay well.

            With boundless gratitude,