Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-02-07
SoBRIETY.
For the Richmond Wing.
DR.. Junkin's Baeealaureate Address.
-Proriur,ls ayd,f
Ucdkgon.-

The perusal Of DR.. Junkin's pamphlet entitled The
hght OF Colleges in the Literary Fund indicated has
reused my latent fire, and though protested auetist
cannot refrain from Offering few remarks on this publ
cation which is intended for general circulation amonr
our legislators and influential public men, 1t would indeed
DC ohcuit Tor any one opposed 10 debomnaonal euca
ton, TO avoid slight Of vndcati-e feeling at the
loud 10 Paean, with which the reverend gentleman he
raids his own triumph. He should have chose, Tor IN.
motto OF this baccalaureatc the of which sucd
to its grave OCCASION the words OF Benedck: alt ia
en Tor the wise TO be the trumpet Of his virtues as
am to myself" without the saving clause in favor of Don
Worm his conscience which the witty gallant thou rht M to
insert The learned Dr. has been q vast but useless OK
penditure OF logic in wardng of the attacks made upon
setdridn institutions of learning and in the course of
discussion, has repeatedly reminded College Seniors
Jealous in majors minors enhym and three tailed
cats derived from the compendous of Hedge with
all which paper bullets" he might have dispensed had
no bestowed single moments reflection on the norma
.o9na inc word sectarian Is, 10 vulgar use, synony
nous with UNCONVENTIONAL and simple separation of the
historical from the popular of the word would have
been quite sufficient, did DR.. Junkin delight in in
creasing the confusion which envelopes others
10y calling up LaudC) and tho Star-chamber-Governo
Iooch and Morrison, and whatever chimeras dire"
wand OF aristotle pointed anew by Wbatey and Parker
'hc broomsck Of tho witch Of Endor well shod wi
brass, may have enabled him 10 evoke
Our strenuous advocate OF UNCONVENTIONAL education
has founded his theoretical defence upon that most
unstable hnsi'-a comparison. Suppose" says he,
the experiment made OF political faculty. constituted Of
oil political secs-Democrats, Wings Federals ant-Fed
erals Aboltionists, Slavery mcE Free soers how long
would IT co opcrael How much public good would grow
out OF it, Would the machine work quietly and encr.
getcay ns the steam engine in the United States NntS
But religion is necessary element in the science and
art OF cducaton as politics in the science and gov
eminent The comparison Is snguarly unhappy; be.
cause it suggests at once nnumerabe parallels. To cite
an instance from the South-the College of South C.ro
ma composed Of Baptsts Prssbytersns Episcopalians
LuheranS, and operates better and proJucrs ,no,e
public good than any dcnominationa cocp. in that re-
gon Besides, the distinguished President Of Washing.
ton College seems TO have laid aside his vortc authority
-WcbTer-at this juncture, where there wss especial
need oi his assistance. The torn "Politics" means
according to that photographer, the science OF
government itself, and therefore DIR. Junkin's
last sctence means that rcgon the science of educa
non, an assertion which not all willing TO Init
iee, certainly are two slight 6aws-a contradiction In
point Of ac from without and absurdy in theory from
"tnh' But, passing over these defects, let draw
cBiuhate conclusion from Legitimate premises. Col.
ege made up OF Bapsts, Meihodsts Dunkards or Nor.
mons from the President down the Janitor will work
DETER ihe more strictly denomnaonsl II is just as
CABINET would be more expeditions in s Operations If
composed OF Landowners Old Iunkcrs any other
'acon oil the Democratic party, und what then For by
al this nothing more effected than that tho concert Of
the members OF such body will be perfect their
ton most Harmonious to tho absolute result we have not
advanced single step That Dr. j. felt the weakness OF his
own ground abundanty proved by the lsme conclusion
winch brings up the OF this formidable array Of arpu
ment-a hating conclusion supported not by the powerful
arms OF major and minor but by "universai experience
Universal experience, lie says "has that
the public good Is best promoted when they viz the Col
ege seyeray under the control OF some though
latter all then, saving cause) ereiuive Exclusive
~ Verify there is almost much virtue in Mough as
| In an IT,
In such tissue Of snic, half conclusion and e.eep
uon 70 my look IN vain for q constructive theory aud
therefore turn 10 that Universal experience whose ts
mony has been 80 confidently aIduced. What are tho
practical consequences Of denomna cducaonY In
some cases tho religious feeling dies away into cold
Journalism as In the English or Scotch Universities In
Others the college mergos into theological seminary as
! IN Rome. In third class the name Of denominations
n mr. n 4
INC trustees test the candidates for the vacant chairs and
70 this class belong donomnaonal coeges-profes
sors are selected who devoted not TO the sconc in
which theympart instruction hut the tenes Of tho
denomination IN question Calyinsta take care that no
Armenian lecturer may conslruo Sophooler to the
| prejudice OF Professionalism, and no Baptist
insinuato tho doctrine OF baptismal regeneration
into course on ohemistry-and Aruinans and Blp-
tss NJ Their turn take the opposite precautions Hence
The difficulty experienced by the Trustees In filling the
vacant chairs repeatedly Tho professor Of mathematics
10 vel-attonded dcnomnaonal college In Pcnn,yya
spoke snilarly Of round anglehe professor OF Latin
Ia similar institution translated conyica like eonsiyi
and gentleman holding similar post In one OF our
Oldest most respectable, aud most stracsp denom;na-
uonal colleges construed 'dons with 'mala' These are
instances OF erassd ignoydnd for which tho writer can
Vouch, but which he Il almost ashamed 10 adduee And
yet these colleges exclusive IL Ia true they will
admit any one 70 the lectures and recatons on payment
on tbe iees-and hence Tho Comparison made 10 N
soamengno In tho mint and II said that they are no
hberal as TO urge students in But there the LID.
crafty ceases. An unfortunate METEOROLOGICAL brother
'ng on 'he suoapsnran and tho supralspsarian qucs
uon or miserable follower Of nottingham as Dr. Jun.
Kun would elegantly term unparcularizinR belief In
tho income creed IL as cectualy dobarred from the IA
cuy pt denomina,onal college, the reign Of Lsud
shu the star chamber with their chaos OF Oppression we're
come again. IL the State be- too unenIiqhtened 20 take
chsIge OF the education Of il citizens LEI tho denomIns
uV college take charge Of II and like the MONSTER.
ha~' ofOarnlng pO',sry WILDE grateful 70 hsm, but,