Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-05-26
UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH
Report ofthe Rev. Telfair Hodg-
son, Vice-Chancellor Of the
University Of the South,


University Of the South,
To the Convention of the Diocese of Ten
nessee, Held in clarksville,
Tenn, May, 1883.
The plan of the University Ot
the South originated with certain
Bishops of our church in 1856.
Prominent in their counsels was
the Rt. Rev. John Henry Hopkins,
ID. D., the then Bishop of Vermont.
All the Bishops of the Southern
DiOces were deeply interested in its
development, but the connexiOn
with it of the venerable Bishop OF
Vermont will, your committee con-
ceives, Vouch for its general, rather
than sectional, character.
Its critics have unreasonably con-
strued its name into the narrowest
meaning. The church could not
assume the title of University OF
Tennessee, that belonged to the
State; nor would this have repre-
sented its character as an Institution
appealing for patronage to the
whole South. Hence, being under
the patronage of the Bishops OF
North and South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and
Texas, it took the geographical
name of "I'HE UNIVERSITY OF THE
SOUTH"
The cornerstone of the institu-
ton was laid with imposing cere-
mony, A. d. 1860, twenty-three
years ago. That event assembled
at Sewanee some of the most distin-
guished clergymen and laymen
from all parts of the United States.
The significance of that ceremony,
solemnized by the benedictiOn OF
the church of God, was then regard
ed as of the deepest importance to
the future of this whole section OF
our country; it was to inaugurate a
certain kind of home culture for the
youth of the South which had
scarcely been known before.
The tender plant just set out was
nipped in the bud by the blasts OF a
civil and disastrous war. The next
year, 1861, hOstilities began between
the two sections of the Union Ten
nessee was one of the chief seats of
the civil war. Its tide swept over
the domain of the University of the
South, destroying every vestige OF
the cornerstone which had been
laid with such high hopes IL year or
two before. A large endowment,
which had been subscribed through
the jealous efforts of the Bishops OF
Louisiana and Georgia and left in
vested in the notes OF the subscri-
bers throughout the South, melted
away in the general wreck during
those four bitter years.
Since that sad episode in our ma
tion's history, times have changed
the aspect and character of the
South. The new South has efnerg-
ed a different but equally potent
factor in the community of States ;
but the general idea of the Univer-
sity of the South has not changed.
That idea was bred from a great
truth, and born from general need.
1t was that a truly Christian educa-
ton should be impressed upon the
youthful mind of the land. And
those who knew the South of the
olden time will know that there
was a crying call for such culture.
Religion was then relegated to wo-
men and children.
The idea from which the UniVer-
sity of the South sprung still lives,
viz: TO impress upon the youth OF
the South an education that has
more in it than mere training in
the classical and scientific schools
to impress upon them a knowledge
and appreciation of the wisdom
whose price is above rubies and
whose ways are ways of pleasant
ness, and whose paths are peace.
Whether there is still need for such
an institution, let those decide who
know the new South, with its looms,
its furnaces, and its rolling-mills,
az well as we know, the old South,
with only its tobacco, its rice, its
sugar, and its cotton.
We have no reason TO believe that
the busy generation of to-day is
not putting its whole trust in its
machinery as entirely As the quiet;
self contained generation Of forty
years ago put its trust in its planta'
tions and Its slaves.
The character and hearts then o.
the youth of the South as regards
Christianity, or we may say relig
ion, has not changed in the past
fifty years. Luxurious Indifference
has to great extent given place tC
positive disbelief. The license
which followed our late civil wal
aggravated recklesSness in spirit
ual matters which began in the bit
ter disappointment experienced al
the result of that war i'll the South
ern mind.
This spiritual recklessness is
shown in the fact that our church
if it has not positively retrOgraded
has certainly made no progress III
proportion to the growth of the
South in the other directions for the
past eighteen years. II is the same
we believe, with the various de
nominations around Us.
At the close oi the late war, as a
rule, the men who had the pluck
set about building up their mate
rial fortunes To the neglect of every
thing spiritual. Those who had
not the energy to begin life anew
went to the bad, repining at al
things.
Those who did start anew have
succeeded bevnud expectation
fnpttInnC HhG
South Was never so substantially
rich before. Is it not time ther
your committee should ask for this
church to pause at least, and SEE
what can be done to arrest the tide
of unbelief and irreligiOn that rest>
upon us like a black pail? Do we
not owe some of our wealth to Goo
who gave it to be used in teaching
our young men the knowledge o.
and obedience due to Him who
rules all things?
The government of the United
States is finding that the wild In
dians may be tanned more easily
and far more cheaply by school:
than by the pomp and circumstance
and cruelty of war. But men have
not only to be tanned. After they
have been tanned they still chea
and lie and steal and murder; they
must be elevated beyond mere civ
ilization before the hand learns tC
refrain from blOodshed, from grasp
ing that which is not its own. An(
we believe that Christian men viii
soon learn that it will be easier fal
To tame and elevate our Yiciou!