from other distinguished British collections,nsuch as those of the Duke andnDuchess of Devonshire, the Duchessnof Westminster, and other lenders.nThe works of art in this catalog revealnthe imaginative genius of Faberge andnthe unmatched skills of the hardstonencarvers, enamelers, and goldsmithsnwho fashioned these intricate, invariablyndelightful objects, admired andnLetter From thenSouthwestnby Odie B. FaulknUnto the Least of These . . .nA few years ago Oral Roberts madennational headlines when he confessednto having seen a 900-foot-tall Jesus innthe heavens urging the faithful to donatento the “City of Faith,” as he callednthe medical school he was building atnhis university. Those who believednhim, his “partners,” were asked tonsend monthly donations to completenthe building of a high-rise, severalhundred-bednteaching hospital at thenTulsa campus of this electronic evangelist.nA sufficient number of partnersnvolunteered their checks to open thisnhospital in connection with Oral RobertsnUniversity’s School of Medicine.nNow the Reverend Roberts is backnin the news, and again he is asking fornpartners. He says he needs hundreds ofnthousands of the faithful to donate 10ndollars or more each month for thennext 12 months to save the City ofnFaith from having to close. The hospitalnhas proven a financial drain ofnmajor proportions. In an attempt toncut expenses at his university—andnpossibly to save it from bankruptcy—nthe Reverend Roberts last year closednORU’s College of Dentistry, and henhas just announced that he is givingnthe ORU College of Law, with itsncollected throughout the world.nThe catalog illustrations reveal delicatelyncarved animals; flower studies inngold, enamel, and rock crystal; tabletopnaccessories ranging from letternopeners to miniature picture framesnand several of the famous eggs originallynexchanged among members ofnthe Russian royal family at Easter. Mr.nSnowman also includes an extensivenCORRESPONDENCEn10-million-dollar library, to the ChristiannBroadcast Network University innVirginia.nYet the medical school at Oral RobertsnUniversity has more than financialnproblems. It also is facing a loss ofnaccreditation because it has an averagendaily bed occupancy of only aboutn250, which gives it fewer patients thannthe American Medical Association’snaccreditation division feels are needednfor the proper training of the numbernof medical students attending the institution.nIn an attempt to get morenpatients to fill its beds—and thus meetnthe requirements of accreditationn— the Reverend Roberts severalnmonths ago announced that the Citynof Faith would accept charity patients.nNaturally this brings even greater financialnpressure on the institution.nWhat has happened to the ReverendnRoberts and his medical school, thenCity of Faith, brings to mind a storynoften told in classes on higher educationnadministration. It seems that anuniversity president died and—as anynprofessor telling the story would sayn—naturally went to hell, where he wasngreeted by Satan himself “We’re gladnyou’re here,” said Lucifer. “We’venbeen saving a position for you. We’rengoing to make you president of thenUniversity of Hell.”nThe president was astonished. “Butnback on earth I was a university president,”nhe said. “What’s so hellishnabout this position?”nnngroup of miniature animals that formnpart of the Queen’s Collection atnSandringham—animated and lifelikenportraits of favorite dogs (includingnQueen Alexandra’s pet Pekingese) andnhorses, seals, kangaroos, ducks, cats,nand frogs. COnShehbaz Safrani is a writer andnpainter based in New York City.n”I guess no one’s told you yet,” saidnOld Scratch with a fiendish grin. “Ournuniversity has two medical schools.”nIn many circles in America it isnfashionable to chuckle when OralnRoberts reports to the media that henhas had a vision of some kind or thatnhe is in financial plight and needsnpartners. These same people findnhumor in what they see as the gullibilitynof that segment of the public whichnsupports the endeavors of Oral Roberts.nMany of these elitist chic think itnironic and amusing that a fundamentalistnpreacher, who began his ministrynin a tent as a faith healer, would buildnand try to maintain a center for trainingnmedical doctors. Oral Robertsnjokes, much in the vain of Aggienand/or Polish jokes, make the cocktailncircuit and elicit knowing smiles ofnsuperiority.nYet whatever the sins of the electronicnministry of Oral Roberts and thenself-aggrandizement that drives him tonname his university for himself, he isnperforming one of the fundamentalntasks assigned by the founder of thenChristian religion: ministering to thenneeds of the indigent ill. These people,nunable to show proof of insurancenor ability to pay cash, would not benadmitted to most public or privatenhospitals in America. In fact, in manynhospitals, both privately owned andnreligious, indigent patients routinelynare referred to one or another of thenwelfare agencies maintained by thenAPRIL 1986/SIn