, 1866-11-12
sRCrAulAsrsm IN CoLLEGEs.

We publish this morning pointed aud lu-
tcrcstiuE letter from President Blanchard,
IF Wheaton College, on American Colleges
and their sectarianisu., written for the prlnci-
1al purpose Of showing that the Agricnltu'
mi College fund should be distributed among
tho various existing colleges Of the State,
or certain number Of them. Although In.
tended 10 show that ecctasiantsm Is iuscr-
nrnble from tnstltutIons OF learning, and
should be 80 accepted and regard
cd, 1t seems to us that Mr..
Dlanchard's letter presents many solid
and potent reasons 10 establish the contrary
opinion. This is certainly true Of bis first
argument, wherein he draws u parallel be.
tween political parsyism and religious sec
taslantsn, and says there would BE- as macn
reason in dIscar,ling the latter as the former.
IL this proves anything 1t proves that there
would b. tllc same prorricty In dividing the
Agricultural College fund between Repuo-
licnu College, a Democratic College aud
johnson or Doo1lttle College ~ there "oald
hc In dividing II between Methodist, bap-
fist, and Presbyterian College. And 50
there would be. The principle would be the
tamc. That fund is sacred to the promotion
II the sciences relating 10 agriculture ana
he mechanic arts, and to appropriate 1t TO
tho promotion Of sectarian doctrines OF re-
ltcton, directly or Indirectly, would be as
| .ross pcsyerston Of lis purpose as to en-
!, ;,loy 1t Ia the dissemination Of partisan
views. Mr.. B!anchard's parallel, u 1t proves
anything, proves too much: but 1t really y
-.ot parallel, for the avowed purpose O.
} political parties il to promote certain meas
srcs Of government, Hhsle the chufcs
md the theological seminary arc con
1 &hn rtr xrf kr
) spiritual wants Of man. Colleges, on th
, other hand, arc supposed to be dcvotcd t.
: education. The yarions political parties At
I ayowcdly hostile to each other. and presen
: principles in direct antagonism while IN
/ :,hristiau Church, under whatever name
4 ,rofcsses the same high purrosc-the dcvc'
+ omucnt aud salvation Of the soul~>lts far
e ,,amcntal Idea in all sects IL the same;
n noInts to Christ a. the Rcdcemer and II
IS hong of thehuman race. There Is no Inst
d tuition Of learning In this country, ~ We Al
t. aware. ftom which this idea Is c:
c, c,nded, It would not be excluded 10
a m Agricultural College, pure aud s'mpse'
cause Il rests In the moral convlc1'ons OF u
nation. ard Is the acknowledged is'tn
nearly all classes Of our people. ssepn
III Gtrzrd's will is not carried out, mol oecau
.v he attempted to exclude scetaFtanisn, ,
.hc because he sought the expulsion OF lv.s'
ou- itself IRON the precincts OF Inc ausa''us'
Of he founded. If to discard scc1atlsaasa ~
Ice Agricultural College were 10 discard Cnf
scd ttani.y itself, that would be very oiaes'
to matter. We should strenuonsly
On. poee any proposition of that 60
s,a But Nj, Blanchard certainly d
an. not take 20 dekponding and narrow View
hey Inc SAVING po.ot y. ,ae .so.a oosp; eTh,s 49,
his pose II VIII feaetn a W.. s. se -" ~ sars..,v
cona1 sees' ~ .'@... s .ssa .,,rot,~,,
ted lutes .o"so y. ...srs IN ~ f,;tb. Rc,i~
te .horla mt be excluded from our ARrit
re. baou'u NY ~, m. he- Bnt tho
in- so1at eo,e .t,orr.rd Ia tako sides