Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-09
Afternoon at Ham1sne Unsysrsi,v..

At 2o'clock six coaches, filed to their Mt
most capacity, with members of the conference
and laymen of the various city chuches, left
the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railway
depot, for Hamline university. The clergy.
men add the parties who comprised the ex-
cursion. spent the time occupied in going
down, IN conversation and social interchanges
They really eujoyed themselves, aud were
merry as Methodists have always had the credit
of being on such occasions.
Soon after arriving the services were opened
the chapel OF the university, by singing the
l24oth hymn 'Coronation," with q piano
accompaniment, followed by prayer by DR..
Cobb.
He began by saying we stand here to-day the
representatives of an idea which history has
demonstrated to be necessity to the existence
of the Christian church and the fulillment of
her missions in the world. No church can
exist and flourish in State which persistentlv
neglects the higher education. Obscure and
uninhuential religious communities may exist
for a few generations without it, but sooner or
later they must necessarily succomb to the
superior intellect which surrounds them.
He spoke of Asbury who wanted an academy,
and Cape who wanted coll
lege, and the manner in which
satisfactory compromise was attained be-
tween them. He mourned the misfortune that
Coke. who was Asbury's superior. did not iden-
tify himself more closely with American Meth
odism. Two small fires were allowed to burn
out all the convictions that Asbury and bis
coadjutors bad upon the subject of higher ed.
ucatlon and they very iliOgically, if not SUPER
stitiousy, concluded that they were not called
to the work of higher education. Asbury
never had such obstacles to dampen his ardor.
and lead him to doubt his mission; but be
was al Evangelist only and not an educat or.
and it was unfortunate that Coke did not
remain in America long enough to counteract
the erroneous policy adopted. For an entire
generation higher education was neglected, and
the church got the reputation of opposing ed
ucation. This might have been avoided by a
more liberal policy. Middletown university
and Cozmoria seminary sprang into existence
in 1888, and from that time forward institu-
tions were rapidly multiplied, and in towns
and villages an educational spirit was awak
ened. In thirty years, the period of
her educational activity, she has
completely wiped our her reproacb and became
worthy competitor Of churches that antedate
her full century. Necessity drove her to the
work.
But without Our schools we would be practi.
cally without pastors, and our young people
would go elsewhere to be educated. and lost to
our communion, if not to Christianity. Edu-
cation is the handmade of religion. It is a
source of influence and power to the existence
of the church-a truth our fathers were reluc
taut 70 learn.
In speaking on skepticism he said: "Our
fathers honored themselves in properly inter-
preting the signs of the times against thei.
own prejudices, and engaging in the work of
education with vigor. The educational history
of the M. E. church challenges the admiration
of the world. Skepticism possesses neither the
unity, inspiration. nor iberali y adequate to the
production of such natural phenomenon as
we solicit. These same schools are to day our
ouly protection against scientific skepticism
by teaching the same science that was wont to
be arrayed against it, They also have a body
of professors and teachers who, though the
peers of those who despise this Christian faith
live in humble obedience thereto, and thus
counterfeit the evil influences of skspti-
eism on minds of the young.
1t is lamentabIe that q feeling prevails
among young persons who have received a
purely secular education. that it is no longer
scientifically respectable to believe In the
supernatural and to ACCEPT the bible theory of
the creation. The only possible way of CONN.,
teracting this is by establishing institutions Of
higher education. upon positively religious
busis and show by demonstration that science
may be as vigorously taught from
our standpoints as from skeptical basis.
Science and religion are inseparable. He gave
the reasons for establishing Hamline so near to
the State university as being, not from feel
ing OF antagonlsm as an impression had gone
out, but the best interests of the Methodist
church demands it.. That it is unsafe that the
higher education of our children be intrusted
to the tutorship of the State, for which he gave
he following reasons: Common schools are
necessary to the existence of free
State, but this can not he said of colleges.
Il is no more true of colleges than of Law
schools, medical Schools theological schools
schools etc., Once past the limit of the
necessity to preserve its OWE existence the
State function ceases. Higher education will
be secured among all enlightened people, NO
matter what their form of govern ment. De-
nomination schools are maintained at one-half
the cost of Statec olleges. On the score of
economy the churches have immensely the
advantage, while in the maintenance
Of common schools, the facts are the opposite
and SO must continue.
He said the educational principles of our
church is based upon two principles. That
intelligence as well az piety is essential to
moral and spiritual leadership. To secure
harmony between science and religion they
must be taught Simultaneous. The State can
not teach religion and is therefore partial
and imperfect educator.
The speaker dwelt upon the necessity of re-
stricting the student to certain amount of
study.
He would have the student devote eight
hours to study and recitation, eight hours to
physical exercise. reading. eating and social
enjoyment, and eight hours to sleep.
He particularly thou2ht it es-s
sential that they should have q fully
equipped gymnasium, and called upon all the
friends who are able to donate means toward
getting one. He esteemed healthful exercise
as one of the essentials of great men and per
feet education. He advocated regularity of
eating and disparaged the idea of dieting. Give
the student good variety of food and sufH-
Gent amount.
study only such branches a. be was to use in