The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-02

Tor single instant that sucn VIII ho' A0Ou'
contaminated with the subtle Atheism thai
peryades most of those institutions These
young men now receiving their training III
foreign schools and universities, for che po,
tent reason that we have none of our own
offering equal advantages, will, in short
time, fill the high places of our Southern
country-will be our Governors, and Legls-
latOrs, and lawyers, aud judges, and prOtes-
sors of science, &C., making their moral I'M
press deep upon the mind and heart OF the
country With such ga vision before our
eyes shall we hesitate and halt, and higgle
about unimportant differences Of opinion
Shall we allow local aud selfish interests to
cripple the energies of the whole Church
Is not the prosperity of the whole Church
the prospe ity of each and every part of 1t
Shall the foot say because l am not the
hand am not of the body? ?" Shall some
of the older portions of the Church whose in,
stitutions have not been wholly prostrated by
''the evil days on which we have fallen re-
fuse to engage heart and hand in an enter
prise demanded by the interests of other and
much larger portions of the Church! If
so, what becomes of our unity? Where is
our oneness in Christ? "Have we not all
by one Spirit been baptized into one body!"'
And if ''one member be honored shall not
all the members rejoice with it?" 1t is sui
cidal to allow our local and sectional inter-
ests and prejudices to embarrass the speedy
accomplishment of an enterprise that seems
so essential to the high standing, and pros
perity of our Southern Church; and at the
same time of so easy accomplishment in the
event that the whole Church have mind to
the work
The opponents of this enterprise, who see
"a lion in the way" speak of it as "a vi
sion "a splendid vision,' &C., by which
they mean that the thing may be desirable,
but that it is impracticable. Wherein, we
ask, is it impracticable Does the Southern
Church lack the wisdom, or the capacity to
achieve an enterprise so noble =? Or is she
wanting in the material wealth and hberality
to begin the work, and to lay the deep and
broad foundations of an Institution designed
for future generations? Shall we consent
to remain, as we have been, stationary, or
rather retrograding whilst other denomina-
tions are advancing? What is to be gained
by delay? Do men, as a general thing,
grow more liberal as they grow more
wealthy? Shall this Church abandon the
idea altogether, and ignObly consent to be
dependent upon foreign InstitutiOnsf Or
shall it again resort to the costly and wastetul
method of trying to reGStablish PreSbyterial
and Synodical Colleges, which at their best
estate surpass but little first class Grammar
schools? This would seem to be the aim of
those who cry, ''vision, "-"splendid vision! ="
1t is time that great Southern Presby-
terian University, equal to any on the con-
tinent, and Offering such inducements and
advantages as will prevent our Southern
youth from frequenting the halls and lecture
rooms of goddess and Atheistic Institutions
in other sections and lands is, as yet, a
VISION splendid vision. Blu; do not
all great enterprises first exist in vision be-
fore they become realities Was not the
glorious Tabernacle of Israel first exhibited
to Moses in vision before it became grand
reality in the midst of the camp? Is any
thing good or great accomplished by human
agency that is not first seen in mental VI
sion? Does intelligence work bhndly, and
hap -hazard-or does it carefully mark out
its plan, and then patiently work up to 1t!
Surely those canes gu latrandO arceba"t,
ct cet., do not expect the University to be
sporadic development springiDg up at some
future time and place without beginning
But let us suppose that these cOntemners
of ..visions" succeed, as seems to be their
purpose, in delaying, or diScOuraging the
Church from undertaking this great work
what then viii they cease to see visions,
and such too as will speedily become reali,
ties? By no means. Other visions will i'm
mediately present themselves of appalling
aspect. The first will be the vision of the
PRESBYTERIAN Church in the South, which
hitherto has proudly borne the torch in ad
vance of all others to the temple of know
ledge, falling behind in this honorable race
and taking second or third place as the
educators of the land. The second will be
the vision of Roman Catholic institutions
springiug up, as by magic, in every part Of
our fair domain, tempting, by pretentiOu'
show, and low prices, the patronage of Om
people. The third will be, and is now, il
they will only open their eyes and look, the
vision of annually increasing numbers of Oul
Southern youth leaving their own land-'
land of Sabbaths, of Bibles, of sanctuaries
and evangelical religion, for the great Uni
versities of Continental Europe, where they
will, as certainly as effect follows cause, b
inoculated with the worst species of immor
E ality and Atheism, which they will bring
home with them, and with like certainty in
feet. with all the moral force due to cultivated
, intellect, the social atmosphere whereve
thew reside. Here are visions, if not ''spIen