New-York tribune., 1873-06-27

cess itself exceptional IN history As ageneratrue 'no
pocv rronpted by the discovery OF America had led TO
the establishment by the various powers OF EUROPE o'
dependencies all over the world. 10 be maintained ohy
for their own material advantage As consequence
no observer can fail TO perceive how little most Of them
bave contributed during centuries or more, ether
10 the moral the social. the literary advuneement OF
mankind 10 would II the mere facts OF eoomal
condition were TO entail upon every such community
merely the same species Of subsection which ordinarily
apnertains 70 infancy in family Neither docs TINS
snbordinaton quickly wear of after the relation has
heen changed. Let us for moment east
Glance over the surface OF the globe, and notice how
very small prop ,rOn OF the vast regions which have
felt the stamp Of European colonial enterprise has con
trhuted any considerable share to the mental or tue
moral advancement OF man. The ready way to account
for this deficiency IS by the fact that much the aE'
portion OF these acquisitions have been treated soe ~
the light OF commercial spcCulatons the profits OF "cn
were 10 be gathered with htc regard TO any o'er oo
1ect than the accumulation ~ wealth at home heuVe
springs an hahitua sense OF vassalage ma'olaNY iu
pairing the development Of the nohiest aSPraouS" VI
the race The condition OF Massachusetts as IL s'oo' AZ
the close OF the War OF Independence hau n'"uo "oN
ception to the general rule, Simply ia ths aI u ne'eI
was nor could have been colonzed ior ANY similar put
bose II could have contributed hite malena resource
IN e mother country for the simple reason that It's
r, bo-o no proportion whateverto 20 those
which ,r,hi readily be found elsewhere Neither would
Boston have derived from ordinary adveuturers any
to.ifion much above that o. thrd-rate fishing town
The root OF enduring veor is to be found only in the
,r,l resolution IN which It started. Massachusetts
,,old have been cipher without the foundation Of re-
1t,ious ,,crsecniion upon which it laid neither
,id p,.tou have become the place il uOwis without
tr foundation OF religious and political education. upon
which this College OF Cambridge was placed stimuli
tmeously with the settlement. Bnt ] may be
asked how maiutain my proposition that the College
made the state an not the State the College To which
mv answer simply: that without the religious motive
would have been no object to men OF the character of
tho first settlers 70 establish political status here OF
even o come here at all and with that motive, political
ana moral instruction an indispensable instrument
I'm the successful prosecution o' the religious enterprise.
THE UsEs or CONTROVERSY.
Thcrcsu was that college must he established for the
purpose of usurug succession OF scholars who Should
Doe able 20 uphold the peculiar combinations Of policy in
Church and s,atc which they had IL at heart TO perpet
nate Thus 10 happened that the maintenance OF educa-
ton though an incidental rather than direct conse
arcncc OF this policy, secured through the theological
conflict OF the hour and Its direct appeal to the authority
o the Scripture the presence Of readhS population
ior the moment and simultaneously the necessary pro
vision to continue it, sefilrecting community Tor the
future. But if Massachusetts, enjoys tde peculiar honor
in the history Of colonization OF making educa-
ton cocval with It's origin, 1t does not neces-
sarily follow that the process would be carried on
with yig0r after the disappearance OF its founders
on tho contrary the general experience teaches
the danger OF rerograde tendency in succeeding gen
eraons not sustained BY equally strong convictions 1t
Is comparatively an easy work 10 found college. That
3f perpctuatug il in the face of decaying popular
svnipathy is the great labor. In order 10 counerac
this new motives must be supplied aud continuity OF
interest preserved. The colonial records furnish SUI
hcent explanation how this came about. When freedom
Of di,c sion IS permitted differences Of opinion are in
fha
future condition founded opposing constructions OF
Holy Writ expression OF sentiment becomes duty.
Hence the origin Of controversy II then the spirit Of
religious controversy maintained during the second gen
ArtOu which contributed the means of keeping up the
popular interest in education at this college. CoDtrO
versy necessarily implies possession OF certain gifts
which can be readily made effective by culture in
university. 1t is invigorated by access to the
higher sources Of learning and the discipline
imposed by the study Of logic. Moreover, the
sense OF opposition energy which stamps its
force the language giving expression to thought On
the other hand the fact Of controversy especially
on the most grave of questions touching equally the
interests Of an human kind. ensts the sympathies Of
ruuttudes on side or the other. No more striking
evidence OF this truth remains than the brilliant
triumph Of Bcuos Pascal who so long hxed the atten-
,iou even of the frivolous and most volatile OF his
ronnryc-by concentrating his logic and his wit even
in A cnanuel Of the most absruse pOlemics directed
against the Jesuits under the pseudonym of Louis de
Mnut.lto Hence il may think, be safely affirmed
from this review of the first century OF the Colonial
period that political and literary life was sustained
y the presence Of Harvard College from whose portals
sSued many sons, of whom at least one-hat were OF
those WHO devoted themselves 10 the work of promoting
tho religious culture of the people. AT this day, We
look back upon the details OF what appears TO
Ms so much wesrisome and Improbable contention,
Ne are ant 10 wonder how it possible that 1t
should have held its interest so long The fact that II
did go and thereby entailed blessing, however lndl-
enough for US 1t preserved the college through
ts most critical period For 1t may be readily assumed
that there is nothing in tue world great institutions
of education have to dread in loss OF influence than
A passng or sluggish reception by the community OF
the lessous II their province TO Disseminate The in
,eret thus maintained in the preservation Of an elevated
taodard OF scholarship throughout the critical period
Of colonial infancy had another good effect apart from
the agitation Of solemn questions of welfare hel CATER
IL incidentally furnished the means OF check
Iug retrograde tendency almost insepGrable
tr,m new and isolated communities IN
tho generations Immediately succeeding that OF
the founder 1t the presence Of the college which
supplied the means of practically executing the legal
uroyisons for the primary forms Of instruction genor
ally Experience long ago taught tAe danger OF leaving
these TO degenerate the hands Of ignorant pretenders
IL has Oiten happened TO small community starting
with quiet selfcOmplacency on conviction that the
system OF teaching adopted was the very best IN the
world 20 be, after an lnterNa more Ut Ioss Os luuoS
forced TO open its eyes the fact that stiff and pretend
ing Ignorance had become nestled in the garb intended
for scholarship and skill. Nothing makes rust 50 fast
"A routine The maIim trite among us that the price
of liberty is eternal vigilance Is not less true as applied
10 all sorIs OF proficiency in learning.
TIE ERA OF NEWSPAPER STRIFE
Thus passed the ecclesiastical period Of our educa
ona history II served its turn TO protect the infancy
aud youth OF colonial society and on the whole it did
it well But the time came when another anda very
different species OF contention called for new species
Of preparation the newspaper press began to take TIE
sce of the pulpit aud secular antagonists appeared