The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-06-07

now the question for this General Assembly
to decide is whether they will give their
countenance to this zeal of such persons-if
such persons there be-whether we will go
so far as to say to them, "Laissez ,tfaire =
whether we will let them do magnificent
thing for the Church, should it be that they
have it in their hearts and power to do 1t;
and give this general countenance which will
encourage them to go forward. That is all
we ask.
1, for one, am ready to say that 1 would
never be willing to see one University for
the whole Presbyterian Church, governed by
this Assembly, nor would l ever be willing
to see this Assembly casting its moral weight
in favor of universal levy upon the benev-
olence Of all the Synods aud Presbyteries
for one such central institution. But if
there are in the South Western quarter of
the Church enlightened members who have
this lively interest in this particular branch
of the Church's intefe< Is. hall we not let
them act and give them generous counte-
nance? l apprehend that is all that is
asked of the Assembly.
Now, sir, let me briefly advert to one or
two points which have been brought into the
discussion. As to our ability to stop this
egress of ambitious young men to foreign
schools of learning, very much sympathize
with DR.. kirkpatrick in his anticipations of
the results. am very well assured that
this emigration to the Universities of Ger
many or Switzerland is not caused by their
superior attractions, in the good sense of the
word, but by sort of literary fashion and
| by species of "snobbism" which | thor
oughly depise; and of course that snobbish
fashion cannot be stopped by any motives
of good common-sense. Men will do foolish
things for the sake of fashion as long as it
IS the fashion. But then it remains-is it
not worthy thing for the friends of their
country and Church to remove all fair pre-
tert2 Hitherto, there has been to some ex-
tent fair pretext; Il mean fair, in the sense
Of being plausible )-one plausible enough
to give a supposed excuse to those ambitious
minds. is it not a good thing to do what
we can to stop this exodus?
Now, word as to the supposed influence
of "one oYershadowing institution. /
suppose there is no man in the Presbyterian
Church who from the time of his licensure
has been more thoroughly convinced of the
the impolcy of committing all our interests
to any one scholastic or theological institu
ton. There are some Scotch adages that
have a great deal of distilled wisdom, and
among the foremost of them, 1 put the adage
of the old Scotch woman: "Don't put all
your eggs in one basket l recognize full
| ly the fact disclosed by the history of the
Church from the time it had literature
that scholasticism has sceptical tendencies
inherent in it, and the Church has to con.
template the possibility of the apostacy of
all its literary and theological institutions.
believe there is a certain sense in which
there is an inherent tendency to rationalism
| ia all scholastic institutions. They will al
ways need watching. If the Church ever
ceases to watch Union Seminary, especially
if that Seminary gets rich, (she is getting
richer than she was in the days of her pow
erty,) and there is "a fullness of bread,
and her "eyes begin to stand out with fat
ness, she will, if left to herself, betray
you AS sure as you are born, she will be-
tray you, some day or other! So will any
scholastic institution, that is not watched and
kept under the influence of sound Chris
tian opinion and of the grace of God and
| His Word, sooner or later develop tenden.
cies to rationalism.
But then, can the Church do without
scholastic institutions? Why, no, sir. AS
the farmer says: 1T is the nature of horses
to grow old, and yet you are obliged to have
horses" Laughter.) The fact that they
become unfit for use does not alter the ques-
ton; we are obliged to use horses. So the
fact that scholastic institutions have this in
nate infrmity under adverse circumstances
to develop rationalistic tendencies, does not
alter the case. We mast have them. And
we must do as we do with the OK if he
"waxes fat and kicks, we must kill him
for beef and get rid of him! daughter
But now it will be said the tendency of
one overshadowing institution will greatly
exaggerate this danger; that we must have
several to be checks upon each other That
is Just my idea, sir. Here let me say,
would not on any account have the Presby-
terian Church in its present crippled condl-
ton give up either of its Seminaries. We
need both as counterpoises to each other
| And so of our secular institutions. | have
no idea of committing the educational inter-
ests of the Church to any one exclusive over
shadowing University which should choke
down all the rest and get the entire control
of the intellect of our Church. Never =
But, is there one particle of danger of that |?
l apprehend not the least in the world /
remarked in the Convention day or two
ago, that conceived Virginia was completely
g out of the ring" in this whole movement.
Now, the,Synod of Virginia embodes about
one fifth of the ministers of our Presbyte-
rian Church. We are "out of the ring by
the force of circumstances These liberal
minded friends in the "cotton States are
not going to put this money in Virginia.
We know that; land there is no money in
Virginia that know off, We are in the
Northeastern extremity of our Church.
sold Virginia. like every other old woman
has the reputation of being little dogmat-
ical, and her daughters are little shy of
her; since they have become of age, they
are not going to let her bride them
! (Laughter.) Very well, daughters; very
good idea. So that for all these reasons we
recognize the fact that Virginia is utterly
''out of the ring" Well now, when these
brethren in the Southwest begin to get up
fine institution, or to make two or three
of their existing Colleges fine institutions,
what is Old Virginia going to do? She is
going to paddle her own canoe" sir She
is not going to sleep She is not going to
pull down these institutions in the South,
but bid them "God-speed, " and paddle her