Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-09-19
call as it rings out the word of command,
or celebrate victory,

dltlOns be more favorable for fruitful
work than here and now.
All the elements of society within
reach, and all plastic to the touch.
Men busy building for self, forgetting
humanity and God, and so plupgine
recklessly into infinite peril. Nothing
in private or public life to put check
to the mad race for gain. The very
bounty of Gods green world turned into
the means of death, by ministering all the
while to the material, ,pross needs Of to. day
which in brief breath is gone, while
the permanent because unseen is wholly
ignored. In all the forces that fill life
with whirling cares until society is q
seething vortex-hastenlng to what end
none can foretell. or even cares to ask,
when even the christian pulpit and at.
tendant services from the very urgency
OF the situation cannot hold back from
the hot haste that marks the days, 1t ie
blessed thing that the Christian college
can plant itself fearlessly in the very
current of affairs. Knowing surely from
past experience the needs of men, it
calmly lays hands on those that have
the making of leaders. and says to them
Turn aside and wait Take council
with the past awhile. that you may be
better fitted to serve the present age.
Those who have ears to hear listen and
obey, and become guides, prophets, for
the saving of the world.
II college did nothing else in this
western land than by its sharp contrast
with eager haste for wealth and power
to show BY it's quiet, patient long con.
tinued following of something that did
not Immediately pay, that life had an
other and possibly wiser Interpretation
this result alone would justify all that
10 done to build them up.
1s it small thing to turn man or
woman aside from mere gain, to the
building up of character? Is it nothing
to train up citizens that can find no
temptation in wealth to make them neg
lect duty? Is 1t wasted time to fit men
to do things thoroughly, just for the
sake OF doing them, even though they
may never be paid ever SO remotely fol
it?
What can be nobler than to found AZ
institution that by the simple force ol
its daily life shall go out among the
young and call each one to higher life
than he could have found without it (:
Our feet are every day treading on
gems that are only sordid earth until
we see their value. Our paths are Dor.
dered with weeds, until we have the
wit to turn then into flowers for beauty
or simples for healing, and he who has
this power becomes a benefactor of the
race. Shall We take thought for the
grass of the field, and not plan patiently
for turning human feet into higher
walks. for opening eyes that else were
blind to see the glories that are always
shining for all that have the grace to
see.
1t is work like this which the
christian college does for any regior
where it standa. If the choice were
given to the church, between one ereat
university favorsbly situated and amply
endowed, and the same funds put int
twenty colleges in as many place,
through the country, there should be n,
atom OF hesitation in choosing the latter
1t is great thing to have universit,
where any man can study any subject b
chooses under the most favorable condi
tions, but it is @ greater thing to dis
cover the men who are not studying, no
even thinking Of it, and turn them int
students. There is no need to belittl,
the great institutions-they are doinI
great work. But they would close thei
doors in less than one generation TO
lack OF students if their pet plan be car
ried ont OF one or two great universities
with all 80 called colleges (as they ar,
pleased to term them) closed. Thes,
despised little ones are the feeders o
the older and larger ones. Every colleg,
property located, so far from cutting Of
supplies of those already existing, in
creases their range of influence. Th
local influence of college, awaken
ing, or rather creating the student spirit
discovering those who never would hea
of the distant institution, and startin,
them on course of honorable study
this alone is sufficient cause for colleg
to be.
But there are not wanting other quail
ltications more congent still. 1t ha
long been very plain that the supply O
ministers and christian teachers come
in larger proportion from the small col
leges. This is natural. When the mum
bers are few not only is more time givel
to the development of students as indi
viduals in their class room work, but th
unfolding of each character is NOR
closely watched. It becomes possibl
for the faculty to know their pupils sep
arately. both as pupils and as mer
They are not treated in the mass, but 6
persons, and the good effect is strikingl
apparent. There is time and opportu
nifty for helping the formation Of mora
character at this most critical time, an
the result is seen in bringing into activ
service many who otherwise would NO
have been brought out at all. Anothe
reason for increasing the number of col
leges is found in the fact that the cond
tions OF society are changing. Their
are problems asking solution that ver
unheard OF even Q century ago. Thes
can be met by new institution that
free from long fixed lines of polio
elaborated under other conditions. 1t
sometimes an advantage not to have an
record. Presidential candidates hav
been selected for that reason alone, an
others who had not that recommend,
tion would find it greatly conducive /
peace Of mind.
The problem Of co-educstion no,
vefing the board of trust in many q
eastern college has no terrors for tt
newer ones ct the west. Il 10 % natur,
to have boys and glrls together in GO
lege as in the public school. or the hom
and when nev doon Of study are opene
there 10 NO thought Of excluding eth,
sex.
| But q before indicated the efande
value Of college 10 that il becomes
center for all good influences to 90
from. Nor can This ever ceAse to be tru
neithsr can any substitute be foun
There will always be the demand for
'sheapful power. Our land cannot in u