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.

ditions 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 plupging
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, gross 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
seethlng 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 is
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 its 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
Is done to build them up.
ls it small thing to turn a 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 for
it?
What can be nobler than to found an
institution that by the simple force of
its daily life shall go out among the
young and call each one to higher life
Our feet are every day treading on
gems that are only sordid earth until
we see their value. Our paths are bor-
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 q 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.
It is work like this which the
christian college does for any region
where it stands. If the choice were
given to the church, between one great
university favorably situated and amply
endowed, and the same funds put into
twenty colleges in as many places
through the country, there should be no
atom of hesitation in choosing the latter
1t is great thing to have university
where any man can study any subject be
chooses under the most favorable condi.
tions, but it is greater thing to dis
cover the men who are not studying, not
even thinking OF it, and turn them into
students. There is no need to belittle
the great institutions-they are doing
great work. But they would close their
doors in less than one generation for
lack OF students if their pet plan be car
ried ont of one or two great universities
with all SO called colleges (as they are
pleased to term them) closed. These
despised little ones are the feeders of
the older and larger ones. Every college
property located, so far from cutting Of
supplies of those already existing, in.
creases their range of influence. The
local influence of college, awaken.
ing, or rather creating the student spirit
discovering those who never would hear
of the distant institution, and starting
them on course of honorable study
this alone is sufficient cause for COLLEGE
to be.
But there are not wanting other quail
lficatiOns more congent still. It has
long been very plain that the supply oi
ministers and christian teachers comes
in larger proportion from the small col
leges. This is natural. When the mum.
bers are few not only is more time given
to the development of students as iudi
viduals in their class room work, bat the
unfolding of each character is more
closely watched. It becomes possible
for the faculty to know their pupils sep-
arately, both as pupils and as men
They are not treated in the mass, but 81
persons, and the good effect is strikipgly
apparent. There is time and opportu
nifty for helping the formation OF mora
character at this most critical time, an6
the result is seen in bringing into active
service many who otherwise would MOI
have been brought out at all. Another
reason for increasing the number of col
leges is found in the fact that the condi
tions OF society are changing. There
are problems asking solution that ver,
unheard of even century ago. Thes,
can be met by new institution that il
free from long fixed lines of policy
elaborated under other conditions. 1t il
sometimes an advantage not to have an,
record. Presidential candidates hav,
been selected for that reason alone, an,
others who had not that recommends
tion would find it greatly conducive t,
peace Of mind.
The problem Of co-education nov
veFing the board OF trust in many u
eastern college has no terrors for th
newer ones ct the west. Tits % naturs
to have boys and girls together in col
lege as in the public school. or the home
and when new DOOR Of study are opened
there Is no thought Of excluding eithe
ocx. e
But - before indicated the grandes
valne Of college is that il becomes
center for all good influences to 10,
from. Nor can this ever ceAse TO be tru,
neither can any substitute be iouni
There will always be the demand for !,
: helpful power. Our land cannot in an