The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-19
Dickinson College.

Dickinson College.
From the Nepc York Methodist
Dickinson College at this juncture calls loudly
for the earnest, interested activity and the en-
larged liberality of her sons her friends and the
whole Methodist population within the bounds
OF the two Baltimore, the Phila 1elphia, and the
New Jersey Conferences. For number of years
this noble and useful institution has been most
unfortunately situated. Standing on the very
line of strife between bitterly hostile opinions,
her patroniZng territory, half slave and half
tree, her Board of Trustees therefore divided in
feeling on the most vital issues of the day, har-
mony, except on the surface, was impossible.
As the war drew on, this state of things neces.
sarily grew worse and worse, and the alienation
in Virginia ald in portions of Mary land became
complete.
1t might have been expected that the interest
Oh the other side OF the Inc would increase in
propol ton to this alienation of the dIsloyal but
such interest has not sho gn itself in any tangi-
BILE form. While other Methodist COLLEGES have
received liberal gifts ana bequests, Dickinson is
still ubendoWed, and seriously and painfully
crippled. The members of the faculty are
living on little more than half the salaries
nominally awarded them, and even that pit
tance is eked out by collections taken In the
churches. Now is the time to endOw Dickinson
College-noW, or, as we fear and believe npper
the Church within the patronzing conferences
OF the vast importance OF educational institu-
tons under the control OF Christianity. The
Church of Christ dare not leave the higher edu-
cation OF the people in tDe hands OF the 2Cortd.
Leaning must come 10 orr children, and to the
children OF the republic, shaped and seasoned
with Christianity; and the great Methodist
Episcopal Chmch, the largest in the land is
bound to do her share OF the work. She viii
neglect it at her great peril. She must not for
get that the colleges of the country send their
n inf fln 1a,,
schools, and thus impreonate the whole culture
and lite oi the nation; that The great majority
OF the men who occupy the highest civil and
political positions OF the country are from these
same colleges aud that no Church can even
reasonably hope to retain its own young men If
other denominations are permitted to educate
them.E
OF this work, Dickinson, since It came into
our hands, in spite of all disadvantages, has done
credtable share Our fathers, men of Iepute
among us, many of whom have now entered
into their rest, have handed the Institution
down to us. They left in it their toll and care
and prayers and sacrifices, and never dream ed
that what they so cheerlully began in their
poverty could possibly be abandoned or ne
elected by their sons, when rich and increased
in goods. Besides the noble men who founded
il as q Methodist institution there were others
who wrought in its lecture-Iooms, whose
memory is as ointment poured forth, the men
tion OF whose names ought TO revive dormant
attachments and to shame our coldness. Robert
Emory, one of the purest and grandest young
men lle country mas ndu, wore MS lie out IN
the service OF Dickinson College. His whole
brief but glorious activity is identified with its
history. Merritt Caldwell, another OF the
Churchs noblest sons, lived and died there, and
and refuses now to stretch out liberal hand TO
save H. iorgots-sigh memory and labors
OF the honored dead. We forbear to mention
the names of the living; the bare alusion Will
! recall them to the mind OF the Church, and
make the heart OF many an old pupil to glow
! with sweet memories as he reads.
In our opinion Dickinson is in danger. This
| centenary year must see Der endoW wed and
started OFF IN new, free, unembarrassed career,
or she must prove disastrous failure. Has
there not been disgrace enough of this sort to
Methodlsm? Remember Troy University. Meth
odist hope and enterprise built II, and Methodist
something else permitted it to slide into the
hands of the Romanists. The halls that TOR q
while sheltered the children OF Wesley, and wit
messed their simple devotions, and were pledged
to fit them for Protestant ard Methodist useful.
ness, are now the classrooms OF superstition,
places for telling beads and hearing auriculaI
confessions. We pity the Methodist people ol
Troy. The monument of their failure is ever
before them; il looks down upon them from the
greatest height of their city.
Shall not the Methodiss stop here? WIN they
not say that this shall be the very last instance
o: such lamentabe disgrace? Or will the
Methodists of the two Baltimore, the Phila
delphla, and the New Jersey Conferences per
nit Dickinson to follow Troy? What say the
sons of the men who founded this institution
| It's walls; these who have been converted
| while students there; those who represent heI
SO honorably in our pulpits and other places o
influence, and especially those of our people
who have store of money? Why If Dickinson
College should be allowed to fail after the length
of time we have owned II, after the lives o.
honored men given to it, after the labors and
prayers expended upon it, every Methodist in
| the land would feel the shock. 1t would be
conscious humiliation aud shame to him. Ht
would push the paper that recorded the dis
grace from him, ana feel in his soul contemp
for the narrowness and meanness that nigh
have prevented such dishonor.
And if this would be so with all the Metho
dsts, how would il be with those of the Balt
more, East Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Mes
Jersey Conferences The thing would lie pre-
eisely at their door. Dear brethren, there
danPer-in our opipion, great DANCER. Thi
cnnlnnanu 49,. ..ll...4 .rhnAhnr Ninlrinsn