The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1856-02-02


this nation. Here We pause to consider
our ways. On the one side, the hearts OF
the young men of the Church, who are look
inc to the ministry, are deeply with us; we
have no difficulty about students; more than
we expected, more than we can do our duty
by as we desire to do it, have come to us.
And again: part, a re,y small part of the
Directors of the Seminary, have tried to
aid us, in our great toll. And again, a
portion of our brother ministers, and a
still larger portion Of our fellow Christians,
have encouraged us, by kind words and
good deeds, and helped us at the eternal
throne. And again, some of the churches
of the SYNOD of Kentucky, have given to
the Seminary of their abundance, some of
their poverty, all that was ever promised
in their name; while some individuals, in
Kentucky, have manifested princely ibe-
rality, and some, we grieve to add, faith
less meanness towards our Institution. On
the other side: the General Assembly has
confined itself acholy to promises, so far-as
endowment was concerned; we are but one
of its step-children, it has no child but
Princeton. The Synods, all of them, except
our own, have confined themselves to good
wishes. We write, and get nothing; we
send agents, and get enough sometimes, to
cover the expenses of the agency. We
cannot obtain the means Of supporting
more than two Professors and one assistant
(Mr. Reasor.) We cannot provide suitable
buildings; we cannot turn in any direction,
without being hampered by poverty; all Of
which is contrary to the most positive
pledges, which were made mreservedly
and unqualiAedly, and which have not been
kept. In the mean time, other Summaries
are being more and more richly endowed;
and the Assembly itself, at It's last session,
some how found means to increase the sala
ries of tour Professors at Princeton, while
it could find nothing for Danville, whose
t,cO Professors it paid less than it did the
other four before it raised their salaries;
although its pledges to Danyille were as
full and explicit as its pledges to Princeton.
And again, while the utmost efforts are
made to produce the largest effect in draw
ing patronage to other Summaries, and
preventing it from helping Danyille; efforts
which 90 so high as to secure the ablest
men in the church and the most important
advantages of every kind; and sink so tol0
as even to boast Of gas-lights and baths
Danville, with innumerable pledges to her,
is left in poverty and neglect, with two IN
experienced professors, and an ineXperi-
enced assistant teacher to endure endless
amount of modification, or to carry on
competition utterly carnal, and for which
they are personally unfit; and as to means,
destitute. Now, as the conclusion, is not this
a fair point for us, the two professors, and
the assistant, Just with clean hands and
clear conscience, some small credit, and the
fruits of killing toll on our brows, and the
results of vast sacrifices upon our affairs
to turn over the institution to the Assembly,
and turn ourselves to something IL the. wide
world, where if we endure much, we will
escape enduring what seems palpably be-
fore us here? SO might they mediate: so
might they conclude. What would be the
effect if they were to happen to do so? One
single word more. Does anybody know,
in the whole world, two men more likely to
do such thing,-if they felt called on,
either by honor or conscience, to do it?
Now what is to be done-what ought to
be done-what Gun be done? There is but
one honest alternative; nay, but one posi-
bic alternative Endow the Seminary ade-
quately; or give it up, and let the gentle
men who have been trepaned into it on
false pretexts, go their way. Will the
Synod of Nashville be so good as either to
redeem its pledge to try to raise $4,000,
or will it retract that pledge and be done
with it? VIII the ministers Of the Synod
of Memphis cease to discourage all efforts
to get at their people; or will their people
do their share for this institution without
permission of the ministers? VIII the
Synod of Mississippi carry outin good faith,
its unanimous vote in favor of this Semlna-
ry-or does it prefer to turn its patronage
to Columbia, and let Danville fall VIII
the Synod of Missouri content itself with
discussions and with compromises over this
subject, or will it endorse the honest stand
taken in the Assembly of 1858, by its min
listers, when the st. Louis project was de-
feated? VIII the Synods of Illinois, of
Ohio, and of Cincinnati, repudiate the en-
gagements made in their name, for the sake
of such hopes as New Albany offers them
and if they will, will the ministers, churches
and people, in these important Synods-
who take different view of things-do
nothing to put this institution on proper
footing7 Are there no churches, no minis
ters, no Christians even in the two Indiana
Synods, who think men are bound by
pledges, compacts and covenants, and who
feel obliged to execute those made in their
name, at the Assembly of 1858, and left
unfulflled ever since. Nay, to pass the
rest over, does the General Assembly i'm
agine that grace and glory both begin and
end at Princeton, and that after endowing
that Seminary, by the efforts of the whole
church, for a whole generation, and with
princely means; little array of resolutions
is all that any other seminary is entitled to
expect? Once more, either endow the
Co,ninarv or d;shond f. T,et thp mon who