The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-06-21


tee to pay me salary. You thus taught
me that you did not think you had previously
paid for all my time. If, therefore, it is
stealing your money to take pay for work l
do, on the ground that you have with $4,000
paid me for all my time, it is you l0aO did 1t,
not /. This is all get from the Church.
But work for it. did not sell you all my
time, and you said l did not. l submit,
therefore, that to charge me before the world
and before the Church with taking your
money twice for the same thing is something
that "goOd brother, an excellent broth
err, "cOrdial brother, a representative Of
the Church of Christ ought not to do.
But this is not all. | have ever so many
other "small irons Well, that is so; l
have. | am editor Of the Southern Prssby-
terrain. How did come to be editor of the
Southern Presbyterian 1t was necessary
that somebody should be. The brethren in
that region all cOncprred that the paper was
absolutely necessary TO foster the enterprises
of the Church There was not dissenting
voice in all the broad region where the paper
eirculates, upon that point. 10 must be done.
But who shall do it? You know the eondi-
ton of things at the end of the war. We
had no money had none. had nothing
except viii TO serve the Church with what
ever of gifts God might bestow upon me,
humble though they might be. was ready
20 lay all at His feet and obey His call.
had no money, so that | could not by my
self revive the paper. But have broth
er. a noble brother,-ThOmas Woodrow, Of
Chihcothe, OhiO,-Who had money; and
that money he placed at my disposal, for
myself, or for my Church, if | loved her
more. | accepted his gift | established the
paper; and have continued it by that help
to this day, and humbly trust by the help
and with the appreciation Of my Master IN
heaven.
But am also the publisher and one of
the editors-the junior, the least important
editor-of the Southern Presbyterian Re
vistg. Well, what was the state of things at
the end of the war with regard to this ? As
said before, no one had any money; but
every one said that we should continue to
support this Revie,o, this mark Of our life
and strength, our medium of communication
with one another, for circulating throughout
the Church that which comes from her mas
ter minds. It was said, "0h that We could
have it; but we cannot; we are too poor
Moderator, we are never too poor to do what
God wants us to dO-what his glory re
quires; and although | had no more than
any one else, determined that that Rev1eV
should not be discontinued And it was not.
IL goes forth now, bearing the productions
Of one, and another, and another, and an
other of che members of this Assembly, all
over the land. So, then, l suppose it was
not the continuance of the ReUiea0, or the
doing anything in that direction, that was
the evil.
But then, had Depository. Yes,
had. There was no Committee of Publica-
ton when began it. l began little Com
mittee of Publication On my own account.
knew where I could get plenty of money,
and | got it. At my own expense, / did
what your Committee of Publication is doing
with your money, though on a very small
and humble scale But when we are in
straits, a small scale viii do. " Half loaf
is better than no bread And I have the
satisfaction of having received the thanks
of men whom any one might be proud of
being thanked by When communication
became easy, ami there seemed to be no
longer any imperative call for my little cen,
mittee, | gave it up; closed it nearly a
year ago. | have therefore taken that
''irOn" very much out Of the fire; there is a
little sticking in still, but have taken it out
Just as far as f possibly could.
PM fbaro n onCrhav GSiror - % NOu
have printing, Office" Yes, | have a
printing-ofice and there is good deal of
work done there, and there is something
made at it. There are printers on this s'or
fellow. craftsmen-and they knOv
printing is somewhat profitable
these profits. Wei
say that hayil
bad
..,...nS OUTSIDE of the Seminary ~
es, ] ana. Some two years ago, distin-
guished Professor of Chemistry in the Uni
versity of South Carolina accepted call to
California, and the old friends of that Uni
versity said to ne, "Come and occupy his
Chair; this is the only place which political
revolution has not reached come, and be
our Professor, and help to save the institu-
ton" l declined promptly. They came
again and again, and said, " Consult your
brethren you have respect for their Opin-
ions" ! consulted my brethren, especially
my fathers, DR.. Wilson, DR.. Howe, DR..
Adger; l consulted elders and ministers
throughout the entire State, so far as could.
They all said, with one voice, "Take it, if
you can save the University, or help there
to. took it. I have had that "small
iron IN the FIRE ever since But is that
sin! think it cannot be very bad. 1t is
not wrong to have scientific proclivities.-
Why, Moderator, am reminded by this al
fusion TO science and to this professorship,
Of certain occurrences which possibly may
have helped, let me say, to turn the tide of
what Isaacs brother does against Colum-
bia and South Carolina, from which we are
there suffering at this moment. can testify
that 1t is : pleasant thing to study science.
| have delighted in the study Of geology
and chemistry for more than quarter of a
century. Others have had this same fond
ness. In certain stages of society, that
which IS unexplained is referred to spirits,
ghosts, etc. When you get little above
this lowest stage, everything that cannot be
explained IS referred to electricity. We all
know what electricity is-at least we think
We do; though l suppose if were giving
lecture on chemistry, would say we do not
Now, there was a famous rock in Fairfield
District, South Carolina, which had moved
Nobody could explain it. But it was ex-
planned at length by referring it to electric
ity-that explains everything. Well. there