Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-02-12
GAINESVILLE ABROAD.

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the South Western Presbyterian which
is published at New Orleans just to
show our readers what nice things
other people have chance of reading
about US. No one will say that the
picture is overdrawn. The article is
understood to be from the pen Of a
very intellige1t old gentleman who
visited our city few weeks ago for the
first time, and whose warm heart was
completely won by what he saw here.
He writes as follows
GAINESVILLE, TENNESSEE.
DEAR BROTHER SMITH-This is
rather an unpretending place of some
| four to FIVE thousand inha bitants, who,
| for solid worth and cultivated refine
ment, will compare favorably with any
place of its size on this continent
while in point of morality and religion
doubt if its equal can be found any
where. l am assured that there is
scarcely a man of any standing in this
place who is not member, or closely
identified with some evangelical
church, (only one lawyer in the town
that is not a church member.) The
religious element so predominates that
any one not identified with it is very
little thought Of Ali seem thrifty
and no destitute poor, and none that
might be classed Uery wealthy. The
residences are fitted up with an air of
neatness, comfort and good taste, with
out the least attempt at display.
There is a degree of self-contained in
dependence and elevation of character
about the people that challenges ones
unqualified respect. Drinking saloons
are by no means prominent places |
only noticed one, and that seemed |
very much in the back ground, as if /
ashamed to intrude itself on the pub
lie notice; hence you see no drunk
ards and no beggars. 1t is rare that
there are any calls on the poor fund of
the churches, and contributions to
that fund have often to be appropria-
ted to other objects. Sabbath break
ing, profanity. or any species of imor-
atty would be frowned down. have
not heard a prOfane oath during the
three days have spent here.
From the foregoing you may judge
Clarksville desirable place to spend
the Sabbath, and | found it SO. The
Sabbath schools begin at o'clock.
made my way to the Presbyterian
church In time to witnesses the open
ing exercises. The children seemed
quiet and orderly, and repaired to
their respective classes as they entered.
DIR. Shearer, President of the Stewart
University, accompanied by the en-
tire faculty, and students, arrived on
time-students and professors taking
seats allotted to them in the school.
room. AS soon as the opening exer-
clses were over the infant class filed
off to their own room, and professors
and students to the church, where
they are all divided into Bible classes
Ia class for each professor) They
spend an hour to an hour and quar-
ter, and when the superintendent is
ready to close he taps bell, which
brings in the infant class, the students
and professors, who all engage most
devotedly and heartily in the closing
exercises. The students look cheer {
full and happy. | was told that much ,
attention is paid to vocal music. The
students seemed to sing with the spir-
1t and understanding also. have
seen college boys summoned early In ,
the morning to the prayer hall, whose
looks indicated anything else than a
spirit of prayer. / am sure the stu
dents of this university relish all the
religious exercises prescribed. What {
a relief and satisfaction it must be
to parents who have their sons in such
an institution-under such delightful J
influences and surrounded by such
an atmosphere The President of
bank superintends the Sabbath school,
and the manager of another leads the
choir; both men of fifty or over.
When we see the order and deport-
ment of these highly favored students,
and contrast their situation and fore
cast their future with the students t
of those German universities-I have
seen them at Bonn and at Heidelberg,
seven hundred to nine hundred scape-
graces turned loose on Sabbath morn '
ing without any restraint, to spend the t
sacred day in beer gardens, dancing,
gaming and'all conceivable degrading
vices ; | thank God for our pure home
Institutions, and felt degree of pride
that this Stewart University was ours
that it is the privilege and duty of s
every one connected with our South ,
ern Church to pray for its success
and that every member, rich or poor,
should constitute himself voluntary
agent to influence students to it and
to raise funds for its full equipment, :,
so that in efficiency and power it will a
be second to none in our land. All
can do something and if every men, !
Der of our Church could only feel the
Importance of fostering and building /
up this university, the work would be
more than half done. Our Church
Papers, our ecclesiastical bodies, 6
(Presbyteries and Synods) our pastors
in fact the whole Church seems at
fault in not giving this university a
prominent place in their hearts affec-
tions, prayers and efforts. ~