The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-05-13
FROM ODFRlIE.
OBERLIS, o., May 10, 1876.

To the Editor Of the woRENsNAx's ADVOCATE.
THE REASON WHY.
Some thirty odd years since. the late
Hon. Amasa Walker was Professor of Po-
litical Economy in our college, and our
citizens were cordially invited to attend his
classes or lectures free of expense and
few of us did attend, and were intensely
interested in the money question for this
we saw to be the great center Of the
science, and about all there was Of it, The
interest increased continually. until, like
thunder and lightning from clear sky, it
was announced to US, we think by the Pro-
fessor himself, that his yearly visits and
lectures to us were to terminate with that
course, and we were cut to the heart and
sad with the announcement, and sought y
reason for it, but could find none. In ad-
dition to the Professors donating his
time and defraying all his own expenses,
he was a most genial man, being then in
the prime of life. Every Que spoke we'll
Of him, and he was our pet Professor, and
his visits were anticipated as the event Of
the season. He spent the hot term here
dog days-and instigated, at the same
time, that he taught us political science,
thus killing two birds with stone, as we
say. Prof Walker was a gentleman
withal, very affable and communicative.
He could, and did, take pupil by the arm
and walk with him and communicate at
the same time rom his richest stores Of
knowledge, and did 80 with US on more
than one occasion and among other
things he communicated this fact, to-wit !:
That he was more than willing was
anxious tn come here, as his custom had
been, and instruct the students, and all
who could be induced to attend. free, not
only, but he would cheerfnlly and gladly
expend one thousand dollars per annum in
SO doing, and still he was cut of We
said and did what we sll could think Of to
save the blow, but to no avail We could
not and did not discover a single reason, or
even pretext, as We recollect, furthe deed,
and have not to this day. If there had
been anything, We could and should have
discovered it, through our sister and
brother-in-law, DR.. Morgan, who was a
member Of the college faculty, and was
ever ready and anxious to defend it.
Doubtless there was some pretext offered,
but ifthere was. it was so trihing We have
forgotten it entirely.
Now, of late, the reason comes to the
surface 1t was, no doubt, done at the
dictation Of the money power mammon,
at that remote period. A whole genera
tion since, and far back Of that, the seeds
we're sown, which are now producing such
abundant harvests. New York capitalists
Of that day had discovered as early AZ
1884, that Oberlin was to be a power in
the land. That God and the Holy Ghost
were with us and had dictated our cove
nant. They accordingly commissioned and
dispatched a man, rather two men, if not
three, in whom their spirit dwelt, not all
from New York City, and in whom they
could rely, to the utmost extent, and thus
the seed was sown which is producing
these fruits, concealed under the garb Of
holiness, entire sancti6cation, perfec-
tion, &C., g., and the cheat was not even
suspected by us How could we have sus-
pected the real animus Il has been
said by one of the shrewdest and wisest
men of the age. and one, too, who does
not speak at random, that Mr.. Finney
came to OberHn the emissary Of New York
capitalists, and we do not know Of q single
fact going to disprove the assertion, from
an acquaintance since the day Of his arri-
val in Oberlin. We believe Mr. N. knew
whereof he affirmed, and that he might
have added and included Boston capitalists
with New York, for both cities joined in
furnishing funds, and there seemed to be
no lack to the day Of the death Of this
great apostle Of usury. Mr.. FInney's
bread and butter being made secure, thus
he could and did cut and slash among us,
from the pulpit, as he pleased, and as no
man could or would, under other or ordi-
nary circumstances, where the support
comes from the people addressed. Capital
men did shrewder thing or made better
investment than in this case, snppOsing
the implication true, an we fully believe
it to be, and NO person, probably, has had
more or less faith in the individual under
discussion than the writer, although we
have heard one Of his oldest deacons as
sert, that he had not one particle Of faith
in him, and he was always ready to back
his assertion with his reasons, and we can
riye some reasons for the faith that is in
us in the matter. When the nation in
which the hopes Of the entire world center
ia nigh unto death and utters destruction,
we think that any and every one who can
contribute anything tending to assist in
the least, to diagnose the disease or NAL
ady, or its causes, is bound to do 90
J l..