The Portland daily press., 1884-12-29

|
% in KENTUCKY and though this educational work
langushed for season, Methodism could not let 1t
cease. After time they entered afresh upon the
work; and thoughsas denomination but hundred
years DID, they now have L colleges and uniVersi-
ties e7 classical seminaries rs female seriinaries,
with total of "a ,90I students. The cost of build
ings and grounds has been $7,500O00, and their
endowment funds amount to about $2,O 5000 At
the present time the work GOES on with increased
and increasing interest Some of the phases of the
work be easily estimated as to their value; but
how can we estimate the wide reaching influence of
educational work, its value to the present gem
eraton ite priceless worth to those who will follow
us? Again. look at the spirit that has pervaded the
Methodist educational work; its earnestness,
thoroughness, universality and benevoence. But
its crowning characteristc'1s found in the pros
pectus of Arlington College, in these words: 1.-THE
two greatest ornaments of intelligent beings are
deep learning united with genuine religion" That
is the spirit that actuated The founders of nsti
tutions of learning, and it still inspires their best
triehds and supporters. Loyalty to Christ was the
foundation prin iple in Methodist educational
work; and this Christian type of education con-
fronts and opposes the whole track of recent popu-
lar educational movements in our country. There
fore it follows that if this prevailing popular notion
is right, then Methodism is wrong Though
we have not time to develop this thought, We may
look at two aspects OF it. First, call attention
70 the poltlc2 bearing OF the educational spirit of
Methodsm. Our prosperity does not depend upon
our veal territory. numbers but upon the re-
lgious instruction and spirit of people. Our
national educational system aims at the intellect
alonei but what will the outcome be if learning
shall be permanently divorced from religion? In
bne carrier days OF the republic 1t different:
and Methodism struggles for a return to those bet
ter ways of the fathers. Anarchy, monarchy or des
potism viii come in the train of irrelgious educa-
t1on; and, ae our fathers saw, coming TO
see that our only hope of natl Jnal safety and pros
perty rests upon the close union of religious teach
ing with intellectual culture: A stream of healthy
vitalizing blood combining both learning and re-
ligion sent into the national arteries from the
evangelical schools and colleges of the land which
on this ground merit perpetual support; also from
the humbest Sunday school worker who meets his
class on the Lords day, and from such magnificent
educational movements as that of ChautauQua
which is an outgroWth of a Methodist campmeeting,
born and bred in the heart and brain of detho-
dist. These are the agencies that bring to the
State Christian inteligence and it is Christiauzed
intelligence aud that alone can life this count
aoove the peris now threatening it, 1t is the union
of learning and religion in our citizenship which
can restore the lost confidence between man and
man. 1t is this which can quiet the conflicts be-
tween labor and capital, which can make capital
more benevolent and labor more law abiding ann
In hard times more patient 1t ia this which can
develop the child that he will become nation al
defender rather than national DESTROYER; which
can harmonize the naturally conflicting Interests
between North aud South, East and West; which
can make each political party and each territorial
section blessing and means of security to the
common republic, instead of being a threatening
factor in our national existence. AMI it is this
union of learning and religion which can make 10y
atty supreme,-supreme in the North, supreme in
the South, supreme everywhere, rendering our
country safe, and hitting the nation into royal
heights and into superb atmosphere, that peo-
pie far and near would say, Behold the kingdom of
God is established on the earth -
Lastly, we call attention to the educational spirit
OF Methodism in its bearing upon The personal well
vidual has within him the possibility of endless
life Methodsm has this foundation thought that
the regeneration and sanctifcation of the humsu
soul is 10 be sought above all else Education is
he as means to this end. The prejudice of some
early Methodists against colleges and theological
semnaries arose from the ides that these institu
tions we're unfavorable TO piety. But statistics
prove that this idea is erroneous Methodism holds
that unless the soul is regenerated the intellect bet
that the educational work and spirit of Methooism
is to present to The world, the day of Judgment
a full orbed man. Hence, Methodism de lights to
point to her representative men. both dead liv-
ing But the interest of MethodIsm is not confined
| 10 her distinguished names. She delights to well
| come into her communion all who desire TO flee
from the wrath to come and to be saved from their
SINS" She lays her benehcent hand upon the poor
the unfortunate the iliterate, and even the half
| wit; saying to each, "Come, and welcome to ouI
| communion"
but all this is done, and has always been DONE be-
cause of the faith in endless glorious life where
| the poor, ii regenerated, are made forever rich
where the unfortunate are elevated to the rank o
peinces and where with spiritual bodies and minds
filled with divine inspirations, and amid heavenly
atmospheres one sweep of vision may clear away
the densest ignorance, making full amends for the
| lack of education which in the present life has
been the poor mans misfortune and grief. o, thou
great university of an endless glorious life; they
are the doors which, for hundred years, dear
mother church has been trying to open tc all the
| children of men.
| Hon. j. A Locke presided at the evening
session, and introduced the exercises with ap
| propriate remarks upon the great work thai
| has been done by the Methodist denomination
in the century jast closed, and the bright out
| look for tae future. Dr.. Townsend's address
was eloquent and able, holding the close atten
tion of the audiencs and elciting hearty ap
plause. AL the exercises of the day were sp
| propriate to the occasion, and our Methods
brethren may justly rejoice over the grand
work accomplished ia the last hundred years
and entar with courage and hope upon the
work OF the new century.