The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1890-01-04
PRESIDENCY OF HOWARD,

PoRT-AU-PRINcE, December Z, 1889.
Nv Dear DIR. Rankin: / congratulate you
upou our election 10 the presidency OF how
ard University. but have tar grea er reason
70 congratulate the un verstty. You nave
taken upon you q greaL labor OF love, ano
have made a great sacrifice. 1t is Ike yoc'
You could easily hs e iound many DO itions
with less exacting and IN many respects more
agreeable conditions Your talents, might
Gay your character and eenlOus, Woulu open
doors on golden hinges before you, but you
have chosen a place though high yet among
The lowly. May Heaven bless yol In ard for
the choice you have made. Your heart (hoW
should [ not know it?) s with m p or, per-
secuted a, d strugg ing ople, and no man In
my range OF acQ uaintauce has la ger or more
helpful powers. You can not only teach the
letter but the spirit of Christianity, so muc,
need d In the capt. 81 of our great republic 1
never became reconcied u your absence from
Washington; yo had "a fixed position among
the moral and religious forces IF th1t city,
and were Q terror 10 evil doors. 1t was never
your misfortune to be misundeIstoOd; your
trumpet gave no uncertain sound, Your IAN
guage was nevsr made 10 conceal your
Thought. You said what you meant and
meant what you said Trimmers TOOK no
stock in you, hence the true friends OF tenn
perance OF freed I'M deeply regretted the
da that saw you depa and are glad ti'at
you have returned. had some thought OF re
signing my Lrusteeship on account OF nay alb
sence from the country. but am reluctant TO
do 30: especially since you are president OF
the university. / should like to continue with
the institution 10 the end"
Miss Willard, president OF the w G. L. U,
Wiote q long inspiring letter, In which she
said: 1T is once mole as If we had a brother
beloved on duty at the national capital"
The above letter coming as ii
does from a colored man, is so sig
ni6cant in one point especially,
that it must not be past without
comment. II is true that DR.. Ran.
kin 10 a person of high characters
tics, scholarly attainments, excel
lent name, bis position heretofore,
however, az a minister of the gos-
pei, whether in the congregation
of Washington or that of
Orange, N. j., has moi been, we
think, of e. ch signal dignity AID |
influence as to Lead an intelligent |
aud fair-miuded person to cun-
clude that the presidency of How
ard University, although cnlored
students, young ladies and gentle
men sttehd there, is not a thing
OF larger dignity and broader in
fuence, wi b greater opportunity
for display of power aud commen-
surste achievement than any posi-
tion heretofore occupied by this
scholarly and christian gentleman.
If the position is not thus digni>
fed and elevsting 10 a while man
what effect would it have lad on
one of our scholarly colored men?
Scarborough, Mitchell, DR.. Stew
art or some such gentlemen OF
christian charac'er, general attain
ment without, classic and sc'enti.
&c culture. Ii is understood that
no such gentlemen had his name
called in connection with this posi-
ton. Since some white man must
be called to such place we are
satisfied with DIR Rankin,
our friend, aud bid him hearty
God speed in his Efforts 10 advance
the education and culture Of our
colored youths in the institution,