Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-08-26
FROM the Central Presbyterian.


The condition Of our Southern Ccniederacy, and
peci,ly Of commonwealth Of Virginia. has presented
anxious question for our educated young men, and
students In literary institutions. We Wish, while not dis
cOursgng their patriotism, TO caution this class against
danger which impends the making ol unnecessary
and lrepaable sacrifice by deserving their education for
| tue camp.
We beg our youog friends To remember that their sit.
uaon IL unlike that Of other citizens. Youth when
gone returns aud they will had that the bIsne,
Of education will be practically limited 10 their youth III
all but exceptional cases. 90 that Ia leaving their
studies or yesr ~o they not Insking the sac
Gee which others make Of year or two Of comfort
private gain given up Tor taeir country Tney fatal
ly throwing away the efficiency OF whole LIFETIME lost
In losing the golden for education 10 order 10
render temporary service to tie State. Surely patriot
ism itself should forbid such waste Let Others render
the requisite military service, who do IL without 40
ruinous a ,hsmfeves and the public. Young men
may think that their military career will make only
pcstponement of their College But erps-
rence orewarps US that they will usually find this eIpec
tation mistaken: their ves Will be turned almost before
they know it. into new channel.
II il be wrong for students to abide by their
books at such time il would be more wrong for pro-
fessers and teachers to sit idle at such time in schools
that had pupils Hence this flight Of young men
to the camp, proper ought to result consistently in
the thorough dso inzion Of our colleges semnaries
and universities But il is work Of years. often OF
lifetime to reconstruct respectable literary institution
Surely It cannot be right vie to cut down the tree
which 1t required lifetime to grow p order to supply
the lack Of stick Of timber for q single dsyl
Without saying anything nvidious about that supply
of professional which has been hitherto 90 largely
derived from the North, may safely assume that 1t is
now absolutely cut of But aspire 10 be an indepen
dent civilized and prosperous people. Surely We shall
not submit 10 living hereafter without teachers probes
sional mep authors and ministers On the contrary it
will be our boast that shall refue tho snsous SANDERS
Of all our enemies by displaying higher and sounder
culture amidst higher ell ments OF social prosperity
The demand for literary and professional talent must
then rsea1 Just the ends. IL will DO dis
trous indeed to all these hopes il the community has
70 wait for supply ill generation ~ educated youog
men raised up anew. Before tina: 10 done generation
Of our people ~i have growa up, with Bs0tan char
acter stamped upon them, which viii e.heF entail itstf
as the permanent trait Of Orr nation, will fI
upon most servile literary dependence upon foreign
States Hence Is u most vital to The honor ala sssiy
of our coniederaey that dnrng s the tns ssciety 10
busy Ia this iabor selfdefence SHALL be raising up
still larger supply Of educated Iaeh St home. And fortu
will be that yosa a.an who has the good sense to
pursue his studies gently 80 as to be prepared when
peaee yeturpS to step into this teeming field Of labor
Al these considerations Apply With peculiar force to
the young ministers Of the gospel andcanddates for the
ministry. la our oSa d.noDlnauon, Tor instance, \
careful estimate prepared some years ago revealed the
,apt that about oneha the ministerial aborsIs 10 the
Presbyterian church in Virginia, were borrowed from
the States Norh Of This sarp'ywil be henceforth
cut CT So that the destltuton would soon become
alarming enough, were our seminaries of learning to
oontiaie in full prosperity. The churches cannot bnt
suffer much dsorganzaton from the confisons Of war
at best Nov We appeal TO our Christian young men
VIII you add to ell these cruel ossee tbs more fatal
evil Of absolute dearth Of ministerial supply at the
end Of the wary Alter al the disasters OF the times
anst struggling churches be met when pssce ~
tnrrs By thlg ssss6 san.thsis Rubys(sissf 1--WE can
give POO ~ n,pistep ,A rear new slsok" The
sducaon Of Presbyterian minister consumes from 6vs
70 sysa pears Evsa u 10 ners dslay OCCURRED han