The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-08-10


Galesburg, H.. and his place supplied By the
Rev. DR., Cur = chicago. Some friend
has been kind enough 70 send ~ the inaugural
address Of President Curtis, which l. nov be-
fore ns.
We do not know how much scholastic learn
ing or theologic lore may be required to 1T
man for the Presidency of College, or to en-
title him to . Doctorate of Divinity, but We in
fer that the standard Of qualifications for such
honors is not remarkably high in the State Of
...:.ois.
1t seems that at Knox College there are here
after to be no opinions on controyerted, or
doubtful questions. The new President pro-
misses not only not to introduce the discussion Of
such questions himself, but that he will dis
suade others from introducing them within the
College.
my own settled convictions are" says Pres
ident Curtis "thas the College is not the place,
ting time in which to incucate distinctive opn-
ions on doubtful or contested points, either in
relis ZION or MORAL" Of course, President Cur
tbs has duly weighed his language. He has not
Outstanding the import of every word. His
conviction has been maturely formed and it is
well settled in his mind, that young gentlemen
ought to go through four years college course
thousand controverted moral questions Of the
day, and 10 one about college should be per-
mtted to direct the inquring mind either TO
the right hand or to the left. The poor, wan
dering, deluded young man, cropping his way in
the dark, is not to be guided by any college
official TOW ards the light provided the labyrinth
he wanders in be doubtful or unknown one
IL is upon this principle DR.. Curtis tells US that
Knox College is hereafter to be conducted.
IL is needless to say that If this principle be
acted upon outside as well as within the College
walls, all the Sunday Schools in the land would
be disbanded, and all the moral and religious
training of the youth of the country would
would cease. II College students are too young
to receive instruction and to form opinions upon
cooested questions, surely youths not prepared
for college would be too young We would like
to know what moral, or religious, or political
or social opinions are not controverteds CaH
Dr.. Curtis name an opinion, or sentiment, or
principle, or whatever he may please to term it,
that is not denied by some one ?-and ii so,
where will he draw the distinction between
questions that shall be discussed and those IT.
shall be ignored? Will he hereafter refuse to
instruct the students of Knox College that the
African Slave Trade is impious because our
Southern brethren contest that question and
contend that morality lies the side Of the
traics Will he refuse to teach as John Knox
and John Milton and John Hampden would
have taught that resistance to tyranis is obe
dience TO God i" because the adGerents of the
Napoeonic and Hapsburg dynaslics and the ad.
vocates of. Southern Slavery controvert that
proposition? The study of Moral and Phoso-
ply must of course be discarded ;-ior what
proposition is laid down in one system that is
not denied in another? How will the young
men of Knox College be rocked about by adj
verse currents when they come TO comprehend
something OF the stern philosophy of Locke,
the idealsm Of Berkely, tie scepticism of Hume
and the malerasm of Hartley, without any
one to guide or advise them to Just eonclu-
sion The proper observance of the Christian
Sabbath is a controverted point Indeed, the
Jews and very respectable Christian denom-
inasion think it ought not to be observed at all,
ard upon this controverted question, according
TO DIR. Curtis theory, student in Knox College
ought not TO be instructed how to form cor
rect opinion.
On all but controversial questions it seems tina.
opinions are to be taught. Says the President:
8 II right principles be nculcated and pure SEN
hments, We need not fear but right conclusions
viii be reached by every individual acting for
himself What are "prineiples" or "senti-
ments as expressed, but the opinions of
some men or SET OF men? But they are opn-
ions about which there is a perfect stagnation
in the public mind, the expression of which will
initiate neither the Paarsees or the Sadducees,
We may mould children and youlh,n SAYS the
Pres dent, "before they are ripened into ma
tuFity IN almost any shape, and stamp on them
almost any impressions we please" Then in
Heavens name, mould them, MIR. President.
Stamp your impressions upon them. Do not
be afraid as YOU say you that they will be
bisets and dogmatsts. This world never re-
ceived aay motion, and never will receive any,
except from those who are denouneedas bicots,
a 4
who trouble the water and impart TO il its heal
ing property. Knox College was named in hon
or OF one OF the most emiaent of the class
Tie difficulty is not and neyer hos been Hat goupq
men teare college NTH fired aud dogmatic opi,.-
ions, but that they iease college githom any
optnions and go through tie morid ptthout any,
1t IS far easier to scear array bigotyy and dog
motiso. by contact nth the porid, than 1t is to
acquire correct opinions By that contact
ut is better" says the President, TO teach
young man how to reason correctly, and then
TO leave him to do this reasoning himself than
to reason for him II is better to discipline his
mind to careful investigation and to sound log
ical deduction, and then with well instructed
conscience aud a warm heart and All honest at
tachment to whatever s true and right, TO sead
hun tot th into the world 10 meet questions as
they arise, TO hear arguments, to face facts, and
weigh consequences. In other words gradu-
ate at the age of twenty or twenty-five, perfect.
iy innocent OF epii.ions, is 10 be Sent into the
world in search OF them, like Celebs in search
ct wife. But how is young man to have an
attachment to whatever is true and right? He
Is not to be taught it, il it is cohtroverted
point; does DR.. Curtis hold that this attach
nent TO the true and good is natural? And
how will he teach young men to think, to rea |
son: WHAT are logical deductions but con-
customs prove reasoning, and what are conclu. |
'ions but opinions! How will DR.. Curtis Law |
moral and religious foundation in young men |
without giving these moral and religious opin-
ons! Could there be ,,ooser, more incense.
iuentiai reasoning than this, unless it is intend
ID to convey the idea, as we suppose it is, that
Knox College is hereafter 10 be Dead Sea OF
bought, around which shall grow no beautiful
usetuf