Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-02
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE COLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY,
Its Annals and Prospects.


situated at Cambridge In the state Of Massa-
chusetts, was converted into the first permanent
college of America by the timely gift of 9779.
made by John Harvard. and in testimony Of
gratitude for that saving mercy the institu-
tion took the name of Harvard College. In the
year 100 ten Congregational cergymen met at
thetown Of Bradford. in the state of Connecti-
cut, to deliberate on the expedeEcy offounding a
college in that part of New England. Each of
them came bringing in his hands a few books,
which he laid on the table with the words: 81
give these books for founding college in Con-
hecticut." That contribution of forty volumes
was the beginning of Yale College, and the
nucleus of those eyer-9rOwing benefactions which
have made IL to-day one of the most prosperous
and useful OF our educational centers.
The primary motive. if not the procuring
cause, OF these institutions. in their inception,
was to round establishments for the increase
and education of the christian ministry A
similar motive lay at the basis of Princeton Col
leGe- And So when in the year 1918 or 1919
the Baptsts Of the United States ren that they
were called to vie with the Congregational and
Presbyterian churches in making provision for
an educated ministry. their thoughts turned to
the founding of a college which should have the
support of their brethren throughout the whole
United states. How the national scope of the
Institution was emphasized Dy the choice Of it's
site will sufficiently appear from the following
paper. which. az prepared and circulated in the
year 1919. became the germ of the old Column
blan College.
slot OF hand adjoining the city Of Washington,
for college and Theological inStituLion:-It Is
derstoOd that lot suitable fo the above loned
purpose. every way eligible, may be obtained for
5000 We, the subscribers, therefore deeply Inn
pressed with the Importance or p occurring such
lot TOR such OBJECT, do SOeinnly pledge ourselves
TO make purchase or said lot for said object, pro-
vided adequate funds for the same shall be con-
fided TO US; it being distinctly understood and
hs f1lpO M a col.
lege and OF a theological Institution, under the
direstion OF the Genera! Missionary convention
OF the Baptist denomination OF the u s."
(SLneD o. b. Brown,
LUTHER RICE,
ESOCH REYNOLDS,
S. II. CONE.
In the following year the Rev. Luther Rice
one of the signers of this paper and q returned
missionary from India, who mad made himself
the efficient leader of the movement, was able
to report that the sum of nearly 80 600 had
been subscribed for the purpose indicated; and
% sure was he of the support which the move
Snent would receive at the hands of the g mis-
sionary convention" that he began to lay at
once the foundations of college building, 116
feet by AZ feet. the northern heights of
Washington. subsequently known as College
HILL The lot Of ground comprising nearly AZ
acres, and extending nearly half mile north
ward from Boundary street between 18th and
18th streets, if those streets were projected, had
been already purchased for about $1,000.
The missionary convention of the Baptist de-
nomination, assembled at Philadelphia in May
1S2O. accepted the premises rendered to them
" for the site OF an institution for the education
of gospel ministers. and for a college" 1t will
be seen that the theological Institution WIS to
be separate and distinctfrom the college, and
go express was the convention on this point that
1t directed the missionary board, in tie prose-
cufion OF this scheme. mot to incur expenses
beyond the amount of funds which may be OBJ
tanned for the establishment of ether of the in
situations"
TERMS Of THE CHARTER.
In the year 1921 an act of incorporation was
procured from Congress erecting and establish
ing in the District of Columbia "a college fer
the sole and exclusive purpose Of educating
youth in the English. learned and foreign lam
guages, the liberal arts sciences and literature;
the style and title Of which shall be- and hereby
Is declared to be. The Columbian College in the
District of Columbia
The corporation created by tbs act was en-
powered to grant such degrees in the liberal
arts and sciences as are usually granted and
conferred in Colleges; but. while Yestlng this
power in body composed almost exclusively of
the members OF a single denomination the Con-
gress was careful to guard against the Intrusion
OF religious and stCfarian tests in its manage
ment by adding the following section to the or
ganic act: -,-.-.= .5.~r-
'-Sec. z. And De IL further enacted That persons
OF every religious denomination shall be capable
either president prsHesr tutor or pupil. be re-
fused aamitttnce into said college. Oh Genied any
or the privileges, iamubjl2S or advantages there
Of 1or or on account Oh his sentiments N matters
OF religion"
Accordingly from its foundation down to the
present day men of different religious denOmi-
nations have participated in itsXyupport as men
OF different religious denominatf@us have parti-
cipated in It's government and itslnstructions
former president Of the college. Dr. Samson
writing in the year 1868 held the following Ian
guage:
AT the opening of the college, though most Of It's
funds were obtained by Nj. Rice the agent from
members OF single religious denomination, per-
sOna1 donations and expressions OF interest were
abroad: from Moss stuart, Richard Rusn and
others o! Ike standing in the religious and literary
clrclss OF the United States. and Kindred Spirits
such as Joseph Butterworth and WIN. Wilberfofre
In the mother country. In Great Britain, a,so an
appeal Jn behalf o. the collage IS signed by Sir
James Macintosh. OiinJhuS Gre-ory Rev Dr. E.
bichtrstetn, Adam Clarke, and John Nippon,
with about ~ other distinguished PERSONS, ex-
pressing their 'p.e lSure at The Efforts making for
Metropolis OF the Unitei States" and urging
n.fous eo-oper;at'5n Of tae friends OF ntera-
tuEe, science, anu LEARNING, In its support"
President Monroe. in the Year 1922 greeted
the establishment of the College in the follow
ing terms:
''The act OF Incorporation Is we'll I.grsted looks
10 The proper OBJECTS and sTahts tn powers we'll
adapted To their att4in.utLt TIE eSta Adjustment
OF The Institution within the federal district, In
the presence o. Congress, and OF all the DEPART
mehtS or tla government. will secure to tie
young men who may be educated IN Il many i'm
POEtant adFant isseS, dmoag which he oEportuttty
which IL VIII afford them OF hels Eg the debates
In Congress, and n the Supreme Court, on i'm
po-tahL subjects. must D. obvious 20 all
REyERSES AND DIssESsIoNs,
In less than two years after the college char
ter had been procured its trustees were called
TO Confront debt OF 1000 accumulated by
expenses incurred beyond the funds collected
for IFS support. In the midst OF these rsTarses.
says the biographer OF Luther Rice, some I'M
happy differences arose between the faculty and
the board Of trustees which incre ased tna peril
OF the institution" Mr. Rice. the financial
agent. soon became Involved in this cautro-
sersy. and the dssenSion spread until it resulted
In the resignation OF part of the ficuitv. of a
part OF the board OF trustees ana in the at-
pomfIEent OF q new general agent and treas
urer, IN the person of the Rev. E.ur Gsslrisi,a
From this time onward for May wars III. his
tory of the College is history OF constant
struggles against the press are of peeuniary EN-
barriisshltats- But in these eIuhsrrt;ssma,,ts il
never failed TO hgd timely sIcev7 and r,.e,
John Quincy Adams President ~ the Uu:tst
States. made it a loan of $500 and suisse
queItfiy gave To it - Goo. rs sn eyDreSsiop rE