The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-13
MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY.
the INTEREST OFTBE BAPTIsTs
IN IT.
Figures and Facts Tbat ought 10
Have weight with the Trustees
In Restoring the Professors.
To the Editors of the Appeal:

To the Editors of the Appeal:
OXFORD. MISS, July l0-Thanke,
many hanks, to the grand old APPEAL
and it's writers for articles written on
the affair OF the onslaught OF the entire
faculty OF the State University, so gem
orally condemned. The difficulty is
not seen and cannot be remedied
without a little more light, which /
will try tn help in giving very brief
history OF this inst tut on.
The university is really the creation
OF the United S ates Congress- gift OF
tbirty-six sections "a township OF land
for the creation OF seminary Of Learn
ing. The State OF Mississippi, 30 to
say, WAS made the fduciary agent to
select the sections, sell, fund in State
securities, build and support the sem
nary. The State in the long ago APP
piled the fund TO the university;
the site selected by three commission
ers, the casting vote given by a Pres
byterian minister who, years after,
sought and obtained authority to
preach under BApttt ordination.
The fund was calculated up to 1874
/ think, by an expert, all moneys re-
Ceived, all moneys paid out, s per cent.
interest, the States own figures, and
left an Indebtedness OF about 81 $780,
600 by the State. The writer knows
Of two sections in Warren county sold
to Judge n and two sections south
Of V. & M. r. r., in Hir )unty
sold TO Mr.. B. at over $50 per acre
S33 believed. A part Of this fund
was lost, for the State admitted TO be
due only about s55O,0O0, and at 6
per cent. interest. Interest for fully
30 years had been fixed at Sper cent.
The interest on the amount acknowl-
edged due is the amount that the citi-
Gems are taxed to pay, for money and
by the Sta and the in crest thereon,
(which we all pay our portion.
You will see by markings in the
catalogue for 1886, that there were
fiity-two students OF Baptist families,
over fourth, as, indeed, it has been
for some two years prior, and how
much longer inquiry has.not reached.
You will see aleo the religious leaning
Of each Presbytery and Board OF
Trustees--five being Methodist, six OF
Presbyterian tendency, two Episco-
palian, one Baptist after his appoint
ment; every one member Of the law
except two, who are said TO be
traders.
Is it any wonder that for many
years the large body Of the teachers
we're Presby and MethodistsP
Perhaps Baptist fault In not seeking
and asking for place.
Is 1t q mere accident that Baptists
are left out in the cold when favors
are scattersd2 Is 1t part of the Gov
ernor's policy to give bread, buttered
aud eugared on both sides to his own
kith and hin, leaving out the ignorant
and the privilege OF taxed aud vote?
Is there any harm in telling come
$4,000 Baptists that they are only
asked TO be taxed and voted2
And that their 10000 Methodist
neighboR, with not $4,000 OF their
Presbyterian neighbors and Episcopa-
lians, ETC, all included, are only fit ID
furnish material for trustees and pro.
fessors2
Yet the seat OF disease and cause OF
evil is not yet reached. l
A college near enough to feel, with
In few years has suffered PROBES or
TO resign advised "for the good OF the
school, because the students insisted
Prof. A. B., a pets graduate at Annap'
oils, and q year on board OF vessel,
knew not mathematics. One OF eaid
boys (his uncle said) spelt sugar with
an h, aud the writer told him, "You
know as much rs graduate OF our
naval academy, and yet do not know
arithmetic"
There lies the difficulty II the
boys are to be consulted ss to who ia
fit to teach, save the $50, 900 to $40, 900
spent in salaries aud keeping the uni
versity. Consult students Fiddle
sticks
1t is proposed that at the Baptist
State Convention, TO meet about the
third Sunday (lSth) in July, that it
should resolve, and put in Immediate
practice, to raise at least half the
salary OF the faculty in the Mississippi
col eye by an endoGment fund so the
trustees land reduce them in number
to nine) can with propIiety require
strict discipline, and then to ssnd all
of our Baptist youths TO Clinton, still
pay taxes and do our share Of voting
Tor Governor, Yours in gratitude,
A BAPTIST.
7. S.--The Baptists number $4,000,
one trustee; Methodists number co.
0O0l five trustees; Presbyterians num-
Der ABOUT 10000 to 10000, four trus-
tees. "The,e are unfortunate acci.
dents for the Baptists,' l ask Spord
and Shield In notina how his "DeaT