The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-03-26
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE EDUCATION CAUSE.
ADDRESS BY AN ELDER TO ONE OF THE coNGRE
CATION.

NY Dear BrOthsr,-I regret to have no
ticed in our interview to-day, that the worl
of the Committee of Education does not re
ceive your cordial cooperation, and that yo'
still hold objections to this cause, which sur
prised me, as coming from gentleman
your intelligence, and which have so Otter
been met and successfully answered.
You evidently do not appreciate the actua
results which have followed this agency o
the Church for the spread of the gospel
Indeed it may surprise you to learn that ou
pastor, whom you so much love and admire
is one of the "living epiStleS" addressed
by the Committee to the Church, giving
a very practical illustration of what th'
Committee Of Education have done in theil
blessed work and labor of love. You de
not know, as do, that he might have beer
very respectable farmer or mechanic, but
that when God heard his mothers prayers
for his conversion he had the natural and
jealous desire of the young convert to
preach the blessed gospel of peace and good
will to mankind. His early training had
from necessity been neglected, and
"Chill penury repressed his noble zeal.
By the aid of the Board of Education, and
by his own tact and industry, and, most of
all, by Gods blessing, he obtained his col
legiate and theological education. need
not tell yOu what you so well know, that he
is to-day one of our most useful ministers.
Your gratitude to him for his affectionate
dealirg with your SOD, when under religious
impressions, and the wisdom shown by him
in managing his case, has strongly endeared
him to you personally. In word, our ex-
cellent pastor is Invaluable to this commu-
nifty. As you have often heard me say, our
loved Old Commonwealth is to-day greatly
indebted to the ministers, as the Educators
of the People. And so might refer you
to scores of churches all over our land, and
of all denominations, whose pastors were
benefciaries of Committees of Education.
And nobly are these pastors repaying, and
with tenfold interest, to the Church, the
money expended in aiding them to obtain an
education. Then l address your sense of
justice to know if the Church members ought
not to repay the debt they owe to those who
have heretofore established and promoted
this cause and given them pastors.
I was little surprised to hear from you
the old exploded objections to this cause
You tell me that our young men ought to be
educated by their own exertions, or by their
friends; that they ought not to look to, or
to receive this help from the Church. And
really | hope l did not Pnderstsad yoB
when you intimated that it was not quite
reputable to be beneficiary of the Commit
tee. Now, let US see if you are consistent
in this opinion. When you were a member
of the Legislature and voted the appropria-
tion to the Military Institute and the Uni
versity, did you think it any discredis to
your neigbbor's son, when you used your
influence to secure him the position of cadet
or State student? You were great ad
mirer of General -, whose eminent
services to the country, both in war and
peace, you SO highly appreciate. Did it at.
all detract from his character or influence,
in your estimation, that he received that ed
ucation, which SO eminently qualified him
for usefulness, from the tares Of the people,
either at West Point or at the instituted
And, my dear brother, if we willingly pay
taxes to support West Point, and the Insti
tute, and the University, shall we withhold
the pittance asked to make "Soldiers of the
Cross?'
Think too, l beg you, my dear sir, of the
pleasure it would give you to know, that by
your unostentatious contributions to this
great cause, you were instrumental in giving
to the Church some of its ablest and most
useful ministers. Did l tell you of the in
cident, in reference to one of the Alumni of
Union Theological Seminary, suggested at
this moment while | write? If SO, pardon
me for repeating it as 1 heard it. The Rev.
Mr.. P, whom you and l hold in high re-
spect, was lawyer. He became a man of
pety. An old gentleman of wealth, but of
very limited education, took it into his head
that young P. ought to preach, and ought
to dedicate his talents and requirements to
Gods service, as a minister; he had some
notion, that P. would, though man of fam
lily, go to the Seminary; and our wealthy
friend approached Mr.. P. on the subject,
proposed him help, and frankly told him that
he knew he did not have the means to incur
the expense. Mr., P, he imagined, felt re-
luctance to receive the proAered aid. In
his outspoken way, the old farmer said
Look here, P: don't put on any airs about
this matter. l would like, above all things,
to preach the Gospel myself, but am old
and ignorant. You are young and have the
talents. This will be business affair. We
will preach the Gospel in partnership, I fur
nishing the money, and you putting in your
mind, and education, and talents, into the
concern; and I'll share the credit and the
profits of the enterprise" The result was,
that good lawyer became useful preacher.
Depend you on it, my brother, money thus
laid out is a paying Investment