Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-07
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
A Baptist View Of Washington -
Seat Of Learning.


A Baptist View Of Washington a. q
Seat Of Learning.
George Dana Boardman, D. D., LII D., writes
in The National Boptst as follows: It is an open
secret that the distinguished president of Ro-
chester theological seminary has projected the
scheme OF q great Christian unworthy to De
established in New York city. His majestic
ideal, so lofty in aim, solid in basis, broad in
sweep, elaborate in details, is presented with
| force which is quite worthy Of the presidents
own strong name. 1t must also be admitted
that his arguments in favor Of New York-such,
Tor instance, as the vastness of its population
and richness Of its intellectual facilities-are
powerfully presented. Nevertheless, think
that the city Of Washington is the best place
for an American Christian university. Let me
mention few Of my reasons. First Washing
ton IL the capital Of our country. As such 1t is
neutral ground for our whole nation, the COM
mon property Of north, SOUTH east, west II
our national university is planted at our ma
tional capital no one can complain Of sectional
Partially. Again, Washington is not only the
civic capital OF our Union, il 10 also our scien-
tine capital, and bids fair to be our intellectual
Recall its magnificent educational appliances;
for example, the Smithsonian Institution. the
bureau of ethnology, the patent Office, the
army medical museum, the naval museum OF
hygiene the weather bureau, the coast survey,
the bureau Of photography. the national
observatory, the Agricultural department,
GARDEN ae Ss ssTss. the q, ssassan
the Corcoran gallery of art, the Historical as
ISOLATION, the Anthropological society, the b.
tanical society, the Chemical society, the Geo.
graphical society, the Mathematical society,
the Philosophical society, the Biological 80,
ciety, DC, DC. comprising national body of
some six hundred eminent experts; in fact,
nearly all the great scientific associations in
our land now hold their annual meetings at
Washington. Recall also the magnificent libra
ries OF Washington, containing more than
million OF volumes, on every variety OF sub
ject, free to every inquirer. All these rich
educational opportunities, and many others,
already exist at Washington, and could hardly
be duplicated elsewhere except at cost of many
years OF toll and many millions OF money.
Again. Washington is becoming more and more
the winter home of cultivated and opulent
families, thus rapidly taking rank as one of the
social centers OF the United States. In brief,
Washington is largely, SO to speak, the nations
sensorium-the point where the nations i'm
pressions are received and whence the nations
conclusions are distributed. Once more, Rome
has been quick to perceive all this and to take
advantage of it. In planting her great national
university at Washington she has shown her
self worthy OF her historic renown for sagacity;
in fact, this selection of our national capital as
her educational metropolis is a supreme sample
Of her consummate strategy.
How then shall we. who as Protestants are
forever protesting against Rome, protest
against her here? By promptly adopting her
own policy, putting strategy against strategy,
Protestant wisdom against papal adroitness.
For Christendom, surveyed as a whole, consists
OF only two great parties-Romanists and
Protestants. These are the two mighty hosts
now confronting each other. But, while Ro-
manism presents united front, Professionalism,
alas presents divided front. Now, why not
consolidate our divided forces, henceforth CO.
operate instead Of competing? Now, it does
not seem possible, and, even il it were, proba-
bly, twould not be desirable, for the various
sects to agree in the matter of creed and polity.
But it is possible, and, as I think, supremacy
desirable, for the various sects to agree in the
matter Of secular education. For knowledge
is not sectarian; knowledge is catholic. There
Is, there can be, no ecclesiasticism in the
sciences. but there can be, and ought to be,
no reason in the nature of things
why in an institution Of learning, that
has the right to the exalted name of univer-
sity, the Baptsts may not have their own
theological department., the Presbyterians
theirs, the Methodists theirs, the Congreea-
tionalists theirs, the Episcopalians theirs and
so on. Now, 1t is a providential circumstance
that there akeady exists at Washington the
nucleus of national Christian institution of
learning known as the Columbian university.
True, it was founded by Baptists, and it is still
IN their custody; nevertheless, it is, in the
strictest sense, and has been from the begin
ming, non -sectarian institution. The seventh
section of its charter reads as follows:
And be it further enacted, That all persons
ofevery religious denomination shall be capa-
BILE OF being elected trustees; nor shall any
person, either as president, professor, tutor or
pupil be refused admittance into said college
or denied any Of the privileges, immunities or
advantages thereof for or on account OF his
sentiments in matters of religion.
The Columbian university has had an honor
able history, and already gives instruction in
medicine and law, as we'll as in literature and
science. Under the wise administration of its
accomplished president. Jas. G. Yelling LID.
it enjoys the confidence and respect OF the in
tellectual authorities at Washington. and in
fact has in its corps of instructors and lecturers
some OF the foremost savants OF the country
1t Is a tremendous argument in its favor that
1t has the right to the peerless educational
facilities afforded by the fifteen or twenty mil
lions Of dollars already appropriated by the
government for scientific and educational pur-
poses. Instead, therefore, of mourning the
enormous expense Of starting, al opo, at Wash
ington or elsewhere, a national Christian uni
versity, is it not infinitely wiser for the Chris
tians Of America, irrespective Of sect, to adopt
the non-sectarian institution already existing
at our national capital adding to the secular
faculties furnished by government a specific
endowment Of two or three millions