The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-26


| institution of slavery, and while he
held them tenaciously and avowed
them on all proper occasions, yet 1t is
nothing more than truth and candor to
say that he saw no way of deliverance
| from the great fact that slavery as a
LbaneiuI institution had been seemingly
planted irTevocably in our soil. He,
therefore, taking this view of
the institution, and also recog-
niZinR 1t as relation that
had existed both under the Jewish
| aud Christian dIspensations, conceived
Il to be his highest and most practical
duty to preach the gospel alike to mas
ter and slave, and to leave to others the
political questions and ISSUES grow
| ing out of its existence In our
day. He was one of the first to en-
brace the scheme OF colonization. as
a plan that promised some hope for the
advancement of the African race, and
as the possible opening for a general
system of emancipation. And may
mention also that he was one of those
who never at any period OF his lie
would obey that barbarous law OF Fir-
ginia that prohibited the teaching OF
| blacks to read and WRITE. He esteemed
such a statute to be in contravention of
his duty to God and man, and therefore
every domestic about his home was reg
ulariy taught the rudiments of educa-
ton. ~ ~+
The war came upon us in 1861, and of
course its coming told heavily upon the
prosperity of a College situated as this
one was both in regard to its antece-
dents and its actual location. Under
its supposed auspices considerable
manifestations of secession sympathy
cropped out from time to time. One OF
| its professors took the stump as the
anti-submission candidate for the Rich
mond Convention in the winter OF that
year, and the largest vote for the ordi-
/ nance, in proportion to its population,
If l recollect right, that was cast in the
| Panhandle, was cast at Bethany. In-
| deed the place was nick-named and
known as South Carolina, and in this
respect had a reputation pretty nearly
equal to the Eirst Ward In your city.
| It was,uot IA spot that could be consid-
cred absolutely congenial to the feelings
of an anti-slavery or Union man. Still
there was always band of true men
both in the college and out of 1t, who
stood fast to the principles that have
since been SO gloriousiy and triumph
antly vindicated throughout the whole
broad extent of our land, Although in
minority perhaps at the start, yet
they grew strong morally anu numer-
ically as the war progressed, and they
have lived to see a complete revolution
in tie tone of things hereabouts. The
Southern element has pretty much lis
appeared, and nothing of the kind any
longer asserts Nself. 1 undertake to
say to-day that no college OF the coun-
try is freer from objections In this re-
spect than Bethany. If this were not
plainly and unmistakRbly the fact,
you may be sure that would not, with
my feelings and sympathies, hazard
the assertion. 1 feel bound to notice
and acknowledge the charge as one
of the signs OF the times. And In
confirmation OF my statement. let me
I.I.- n Al. an. s,C NnarI
Is now largely made up OF
not only strong, decided, and un-
compromising Union men, but, in sew
eral instances, of original anti.slaTery
men-men who have ahXed purpose TO
place this institution right before the
world-men who mean that all Its in
SEPARATIONS and impulses, like those of its
iiIustrious founder, shall be as free and
broad as humanity itself-men who
have no sympathy with anything here
tofore esteemed objectionable in its an
tecedents-men to whom the results OF
the war are the grandest reality the
world ever saw since the Christian era,
and men who will forever mould
and cuntbol the destinies OF the institu-
ton in the most progressive harmony
with those results. have been per-
sonally conversant with the result of
their deliberations for the last two
years, and look upon the closing of
did upon the going down of the second
sun Of Austerlitz: 1t gives glorious
prom Sc of the morrow. Next session
will perhaps witness the largest class
oi Northern students ever seen at the
| College. Present indications polntthat
way. The men who have taken hold
| of its interests are men not only OF en-
| ergy. but of means and influence, and
they have an earnest and conscientious
| purpose to subserve in making Bethany
| College realize and illustrate at an early
| duy those grand conceptions OF what a
university of learning ought to be
| which were the lifelong dream of its
yenerated founder. Pecuniarily, the
success. of the College Is well assured.
1t has an ample and constantly growing
endowment fund. The determination
| is to fill It's stately and spacious halls
with students. 10 this end the Board
of Trustees passed resolution, at their
late session, largely extending the
Beneficiary scope OF the institution.
4 The sons of all ministers OF the Gospel
l of every denomination are to be edu-
Gated without charge; and also every
young man of fair moral character who
can give satisfactory evidence that he
will, after graduation, devote himself
i to the ministry in some denomination.
In addition to these, poor and meritort-
1 Gus young men who expect to devote
Itheir lives to the cause of education In
4 some form, are to be afforded the largest
possible facilities. In order to accom-
plish these ends, measures have been
taken to let out rooms in the College
building and dormitories to such per-
sons at the merest nominal rent, where
in those so disposed can provide for
themselves at a very small expense.
And as the numbers of these young
men increase, additional professors and
tutors will be added to the corps OF
nlv n ~ nnInupEI L. that the
fullest possible benefits OF the generous
4 scheme may be fully realized.
II Il may here note that the present
Il faculty is esteemed to be one of the
ablest and most popular known to the
history of the college, and its admins
tration has been very efficient and sat
isfactOry. Among those newly added
is Prof. 81. w. Harding, of Wheeling,
whose labors throughout the late ses-
sion In the Mathematical department
we're spoken OF before the Board oi
Trustees in terms of the most compli.
mentary character. DIR. j. T. Barclay
had also been called during tine session
to the department. OF Natural Sciences,
and his connection with the college Is
esteemed an acquisition of the most
important character. Some of your
be Is the scientific author Of process
lately under Investigation by Congress
that Is said to diminish the waste OF
! gold coin from sweating. His re-
Searches and travels both In this coun-
try and in Europe have been very ex-
tensive, and he is said to be a highly
interesting instructor.
! have taken up so much of this let
!. ter with illusions and comments in re-
gard to the more permanent affairs and
! phases of the college, that 1 have really
but little room to tell YOU anything In