The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-03-19
A TROUBLESOME QUESTION.

a writer in the Philadelphia Presbyterian
asks, "What is to be done with the Seminary
az Danville 2" That has been puzzling
question With many in bis church. lie says,
and truly, since the war there has been no
particular need of this institution. 1t has
generally been considered superAuous. The
Presbyterian Church has abundant facilities
for the education of all her young men seek
ing the ministry, without Danyille We do
not need this Seminary now, and probably
will not for some time to come. This is the
prevailing sentiment. We have plenty of
Seminsries richly endowed, and furnished
with the abest instructors" But what is to
be done? He is not prepared to give it to
the Synod of Kentucky, and concludes that
the best thiag is to use it in educating min
listers to 90 as missionaries to Africa, and to
preach to their own people in the South.
But just there comes in a question to give
our Northern Presbyterians serious pause.
Have they not denounced Southern Presby-
terians for presuming to make any ecclesias-
teal distinction between the black man and
the white! They say we are all lone in
Christ Jesus" and that no one denies. But
they contend that in consequence of this no
difference ought to be observed in any church
arrangements that such distinctions are of
the nature Of Caste, and are sinful, and
should be wholly excluded from the Church.
To this we DO not agree, nor does it, in cur
view, follow from the premises. But as they
so regard it, to them it is sin, and of course
they cannot consent to any such discrimina-
zion; and so Danville Seminary cannot be
devoted to any such p0rpOse. The writer 10
she Presbyterian represents the negroes of
the South as having an intense thirst for
education, and says that Hundreds of
these young men mus; be educated to preach
the gospel; aud we agree with him that it
viii be a good thing to train up ministers from
that class, both for the work among their own
color in the South and for being missionaries
in Africa. All that is perfectly right. But
when he proposes to put these negro students
of by themselves in Danville, we beg leave
20 object. Hold on to your doctrine, gen.
tlemen. Chicago, Cincinnati, Allegheny,
Princeton, New York aud Auburn are all
well endowed, and these are the places.
Robert Hall says of Jeremy Bentham, that
be married public virtue "a certain theory
Of ethies) in his youth, bus seemed to be
ever after quarreling with his wife" 1t is
quite too soon for our brethren in tue North.
esn Church to repudiate their bride. They
have been almost broken-hearted over the
siufulness of Southern Christians in not
adopting their views, have denounced US
rouudly before Christendom for our course.
OF late, however, we observe with concern
that they give significant symptoms of fOrsak-
ing their own. Having laid down princi,
pal of RegroDhohsm, which they claim to be
preeminendy Christian, especially as con-
trasted with that of US Southern sinners,
which they condemn as narrow, bigOted, and
unscripiural, We intend $50 long as We are
in this tabernacle to stir up their pure minds
by way of remembrance. B" Danvile, breth-
rem, has become burdensome stone, and
viii be as long as you refuse to put it into
TIE bands Of those for whom it was intended,
and who alone can use it for that end. And
whenever you undertake to convert it into a
separate Seminary for negroes, you are GER
tain to be troubled with "fama elamo8a;;"
yea, el1nosissima. You have plenty of
others without it for their ample accommO-
dation.