Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-06-21

art and adjusting myself to my new sur
| roundings. A similar indulgence, CRATE
fully acknowledge, has been extended TO me
| by the faculty, the students and the alum
| nj, and already have become accustomed
| to many Of the duties and difficulties, the
anticipation Of which once caused me no
little anxiety. III the same indulgence can
be exercised little while longer I shall
cease to expect il as special favor, and will
hold myself ready to be Judged by the Or
dinaiy standard.
trust can say truthfully, gentlemen,
that We have all entered into this new re-
lationship with good degree of confidence
that the same gracious Providence which
our Lord has exercised over the education
al history embodied in our college will be
extended over il in the years to come. The
wonderful and honorable work in church
and State effected by Jefferson and Wash
ington colleges could not have been accom-.
plished by two institutions so inadeq uately
endowed and equipped IL the Lord had not
added his blessing to the self-denying Ia.
bors of his devoted servants. The death
that at last seemed inevitable was ayerted
/ bya union ir4he history Of which Il II not
difficult to trace the finger OF Him who had
proved His care for each Of them. The
measure Of prosperity which has followed
that union, the safe passage through the
additions to the endowment, the new build.
ing the steadily increasing attendance OF
young men, and the growing interest ofou
alumni in all sections OF the land where
they are found, are evidences that Gods
care has not been withdrawn, and tokens,
trust, of greater blessings yet 10 follow. III
we are true to the aim which inspired the
founders, supporters and the selfsacriiicing
teachers of past years seeking chiefly the
glory of God and the advancement Of His
church, He surely will not fail to prosper
us and give us favor in the eyes Of His peo-
pie. For myself may say that | never
responsibilities OF this position but for my
trust that God, who had guarded the inter.
ests of the college in the past, would grant
me wisdom and knowledge" to serve him
here in a new capacity.
You will naturally expect me, on this
occasion, to give expression 10 some
of the convictions by which
intend to be guided. You cannot
expect the mature convictions OF expert.
ence, and scarcely the judicous selection
of principles which might result from wide
| reading and careful study in educational
literature; but you have right to know
| that do not enter on this work without
some principles to inspire and regulate my
efforts to meet the requirements OF the
place.
First of all, then, avow my hearty SYM
pathy with the controlling purpose which
brought our college, with the best OF Amer
| lean colleges, into being, and my determin.
alton to keep, as far as possible, its instruc-
ton. its discipline, its exercises and its at
| titude before the public, true TO that purpose.
| We belong to that class of colleges whose
| aim ii has ever been. to render efficient ser.
| vice to the cause OF the true religion. In
| the very dawn Of the Christian Church the
| importance of educating the energy OF be.
| levers was fully recognized. The new ex.
| perience of converts and the powerful feel
| ing excited by the conviction that the
| Messiah had come and that the reign OF
| righteousness and JOY would soon be estab.
| lished in all the earth, created an unwonted
energy; but ii needed to be educated to be
made efficient, TO save II from becoming a
| self.destructive zeal Moreover, 1t was not
persecution alone, with its appeal to physi.
cal fear, that the peaching OF the Gospel
met, but the opposition Of argument and
the eloquent appeal to popular prejudices.
Hence, schools OF high grade for the
education OF men for the ministry were
trunfff faqtu ualehRadria, ] arthage. Antioch.
ment which our college represents may be
said to have had its source In the joint
working of the Holy Spirit and the Apos
| tolic Church. The Spirit OF God created the
energy and the Christian Church educated
| il, and this educated energy OF Christian
men revolutionized Europe and is yet ele-
| waiting the human race.
In the course of time the church grew
unfaithful to her Lord and education lost
| sight OF its high aim. The faith demanded
| of the sinner was the implicit faith, the un-
| intelligent avogal OF assent TO the doctrine
| of the. church even when unapprehended
by tina professor; the worship demanded,
chiefly, o series Of physical acts, the prlnci'
| pal instrument OF conversion, not preach.
| ing. but the sword and the rack. But
when the 7eformers restored GODS WORD 70
| its proper pre- eminence, and insisted on
| faith based on an intelligent apprehension
| of its truths, and a worship that should
| engage the SOUL there came q return OF that
| energy of which the Spirit is the author,
| and the need that the energy should be
thoroughly educated was again fully real
| lied. 1t was not solely because OF his
natural interest in children or his desire 70
promote the welfare OF the fatherland, that
| Luther urged the authorities of German
cities to establish schools, but chiefly be
cause Of his earnest conviction that thereby
the kingdom of Christ would be benefited
at is he wrote, "a grave and serious
thing affecting the interests OF the King
dom OF Chris. and Of all the world that VIC
apply ourselves to the work OF instructine
the Young" And John Knox, inSimilar ell
forts to arouse the church in England and
scotlaHda t.3 the importance OF general sys
TENS OF education, affirmed them TO be nee
essary "for the preservation OF religion
and FOR the profit Of Chrisrs church
It is surely not needful to repeat here
the history Of our New England colleges
founded and cherished chiefly for the
efficient service il was believed they would
render To the church OF Christ; but 10 Illus
trate the spirit OF these Puritan Fathers
let me quote the language Of one OF them
after God had carried US safely to New
England, and we had builded our houses
provided necessaries for Our livelihood
raised convenient places for Gods worship
and settled the civil government. one ol
the next things we longed and looked aftei
was to advance learning, and TO perpetuatt
ii TO posterity. dreading TO have an Hitter
ate ministry TO the churches when the pres
ent ministers shall be in the dust" Ths
best commentary on this language II thu
fact that within twenty years after Brew
ster leaped on Plymouth Rock the founda
tions of Harvard we're laid and consecrated
10 Christ and His church. But Harvard Ii
In this respect, the historical type OF thu
large class OF colleges which have sine
| been e1taDllSDeu Ol tuc UcucncrhNS ", ehA -
! tian people. The history Of Yale, Prince
ton, Rutgers, Union, Dickinson ant
many others only adds examples
of how the desire TO help the cause OF Chris
led TO the establishment Of our best Ameri
can colleges. A hundred years ago. within
our own county, two ministers were laying
the foundation OF our own college. Befor'
his people had erected in the wilderness
church building for their worship OF God
Rev. Thsddeus bod built his log schoo
house on his farm and opened . cla,sica
and matbmematical school; and Df. JOIN
McMjllan's log academy on Charters cresl
was in operation 10 educate young men 10
the ministry. In this centennial year, dat
ing our century from the earliest yea
which we have certain historical evidenc
for regarding As the beginning Of that move
ment, though admitting the probabilit
that DR.. McMillan's school was founde'
earlier, we gladly remind ourselves, tbs
these fathers OF our churches and ou