Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-02
Religious Influence i'm College.

lalsiy uedfu u ISudFheu InaH
student could not enter one of our
Agricultural Colleges and stay for any
length of time without becoming skep-
teal or losing his respect for religion.
This, in my opinion is Ridiculous.
That such an opinion exists to a GER
tain extent is very evident, and GER
tainly very injurious to the class OF
schools called agricultural Colleges.
[ believe that UNCONVENTIONAL col.
leges are generally recognized as ex-
erting a healthful Christian influence
upon their students and yet | have
heard them severely critisized for al
lowing skeptical influences to creep in
which they have no power to keep out
But against the state institutions and
scientific schools and their supposed
skeptical tendencies is discharged
fusilade from every class. ''from the
little pop-gun of wit to the great
bomb-shell of the pulpit" | have no
way of ascertaining the condition of
other schools, but CLEAN from one of
our exchanges that fully one half Of
the students in the various American
colleges are protesting Christians.
The largest proportion of Christians in
any college III the United States is at
Oberlin, Ohio, where ninety per cent !.
of the students profess religion; the
smallest | have heard is at Harvard
about twenty-five per cent. This col
lege shows about thirty per cent.
The three higher classes, according to
as accurate statistics as could be pro-
cured, present the following figures on
religious matters.
Believe, Disbelieve, Profess, Do not profess
5 5s55ss 1 { /, ! : i j
Of the Freshman and sub-Fresh-
men we were unable to obtain COM
plete information. Not far from one
hundred have reported that they be-
live in religion, and four or five that
they don't, while others are undecid-
ed. From twenty five to thirty pro-
TESS religion and attend the prayer
meetings (Which are held every Sun
day evening" regularly. About fifty
report their belief strengthened while
here, and one that it has been weaken
ed-the rest unchanged.
Glasses may differ mnch originally
One class may be eminently Christian,
while another may be eminently skep-
tical, but [ think as much reliability
can be placed in figures in this in
stance, as in similar figures concerning
illiterayc, crime etc. To get at the
real tendency would require statistics
of several years. But these figures, if
they show anything, show that the
longer the students stay here, the lar
ger is the per cent. that believe and
profess religion. AS to whether this
has always been the case [ know not;
| know of no previous statistics. 1t
is my opinion that in past years some
have become skeptical while attending
the college and perhaps others may
| likewise become disbelievers in the fu-
ture. But what does this prove ?
Do not people Of similar age, and i'll
as large numbers, become skeptics all
over the world? Have not the sons
of the pious divines turned out the
most pronounced infdels ? In my
opinion it is weak, sickly, bringing
religion that cannot stand the light of
intelligence without backsliding. The
more true religion isesillumned and
adorned by knowledge, the more firm
and sincere it becomes. If a young
mans religion is overturned by the
study of Gods work in the sciences
while in college, what would become
of such religion in an average life in
the woods If skeptical influences in
colleges (and such influences do ex-
ist in colleges and out) kill his faith
would such faith survive the skepti-
cal influences of the world [ think
that even in a scientific school where
infdelity is not actually taught-and
[ know of no school where it is-the
i tendencies toward a belief in God,
Christ and broad religion, far out
weigh the tendencies toward skepti-
cism.
| believe-am sure-that the ten
dency Of this college is toward Christ
ianty. I am sorry that this tenden-
dency is no stronger. fthe press and
the people would always spread truth
ful reports instead of representing
state colleges as a SOFT of elysium for
infdels, the Christian influence would
be greater. I have heard of young
Christians desiring to come here who