The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-26
A LITERARY MONSTROSITY.
ILLOGICAL AND DISCOUNTED ARGUMENT
TO SUSTAIN AN ILL-DEvIsED
SCHEME.

SCHEME.
After Working for n Long Time In
Secret, the Design of the AgitatOrs
is Made Public.
Editorial in Il. r. Presbyterian, By j. r. c.
The question OF removing Erskine College
from the scene ofits birth its struggles and
its trump mphs-howcver startling and reYolu-
tionary-iS now an open one.
And abOveall Other questions that have
agitated the church within a generation does
this question call for the camest, coolest,
most deliberate Judgment Of the most
and progressive men In the Synod.
In reaching Il conclusion, either favorable
or adverse, the Board ofTrustees will certain
ly pick their way cautiously and pray erfully.
Unwise, hasty, rash or mistaken action one
way or the other will seriously cripple the
church and the Institution for generations.
One side will plead nightly purely person.
al preferences, selfish considerations, local at.
ciations--eUeryttin connected with the pres.
ent location and past history of tile College.
On The other hand. the minds OF many will
be daZz ed ut the offer of lordly gifts. tens OF
halls crowded with students-cverything con:
nectcd with u $4,000 or S70O00 equipment
But In ON Judgment the College is not up to
the highest bidder, and money alone is not to
There are some places where the College
ought not 20 be located oven for an offer oil
S50O,O00. And there are doubtless other points
where il might be perfectly safe TO put the
The first question. the important question
and The only question TO be considered Is,
"uhere and hoU can the best intlrexto( the COL
lege and Of The Associnte Reformed Presbyte-
rian church be promoted for the me1t fifty
yearS?"
Erskine College is the creature and servant
OF the Associate Reformed Presbyterian
church, and not Of any congregation, town,
community, county or State. 1t was born at
Cedar Spring In Abbeville county, S. g., in
year 1888, was chrlsLened with the prayers ol
but five ministers. and At that meeting, while
yet In It's swaddleing bands, was committed
to the fostering care of the congregation Mt
Due West, who had promised 5000 for the
support of the infant, as against $1,000 prom
ised By the congregations of Father Bryson
In Tennessee and smaller amounts by other
places. Rev. Isaac Grier, the pastor Of Sardis
was not present at that meeting and tradition
has ii hat Sardis lost the location by single
vote.
Erskine College ,rns created By the church, ana
for the church, and for The Whote church. The
question then Is, how can the College be made
To best fulfill It's high and holy mission
How can 1t he made an instrument OF the
greatest good to the greatest nunber?
Some considerations have been presented
In our columns why many brethren think
that the College and church would suffer In
case of removal, we now present some or the
reasons why many other brethren, equally
loyal and devoted 10 the church, think thai
the Interests Of both the church and College
would he greatly advanced by a removal o.
the COLLEGE within the near future 10 o more
central and accessible location.
/. Its proximity TO other institutions o.
learning. The territory In which it is now
situated is over crowded with colleges. With
In forty-eight miles of Due West are
a. Furman University (BaptisD ut Green
(2J WoGord (Methodisp at Spartan burg
(8j The PresbyterIan College ofsouth Car
olina At Clinton, S. G..
( ~ The Lutheran College at Newberry
(5) Clemson College (agriculturaD neal
Penuletun, S. c., which will be opened neg
year with new builnings, modern appliance!
and annual income of probably over S5o0D
Within the same distance OF Rock Hill, ol
Chi ester, S. C., there Is not a single male col
lege In South Carolina.
II. AS 10 the territory from which Erslsint
College has derived, and in the future mus
derive, its largest number of students. Leav
Due West, which would be from three to five
fold larger In town or city, and also the ter
rltory within SiXty-five niles OF either Dut
West or Rock Illil, viz. the counties OF New
berry and Laurens, which have furnished
only 8 graduates since 1875, the territory with
III siXty-ffve miles OF Due West has supplied
10 graduates since 1873. the territory Withr
sixlyEve miles of Rock Hill 50 during the
In 1876, IS77, 1870, 1888, 1887, and 1882 ther,
was not single graduate from Due West ter
ritory while the Rock Hill territory supplied
from to each year.
In the four regular college classes In lSS9-a0
emitting local patrunagr, only 7are from DUE
West territory. and Of The not one Is from
the counties OF Newncrry or 1.aurens, while
q are from the Rock lii territory.
M n n
and ofsludents in 1SSD-OO, Is three times larger
from the Rock Hill territory than from tht
Due West territory.
III. AS regards the membership of the AS
ociate Reformed Presbyterian church. Frs
kline Is n denomiuational college and like
other institutions Of this character must loot
largely TO the church 1t represents for mora
and financial support.
l. The present status ofthe church. With
in slXty-fve miles of Due West there are i
Associate Reformed Presbyterian congrega
lions, with.a membership OF l;2l, and Of tn
10 only nre on n railroud. Within sixty-fiv,
miles of Rock Hill there are AZ Associate Re
formed Presbyterian congregations with
membership Of 4, l9l, and OF the Al, 25 are on
railroad, within two hours easy run Of Rocl
Hill.
II. The growth Of the church during tn
past 10 years as Indicative ofprescnt life ant
vigor and Of future growth and prosperity.
ID Numerical growth.
In 1859 there were Is churches and 01
members within sixty. six miles OF Due West
In 1889 there were 10 churches and l.l2l mem
bers, or n net gain OF churches and li5 mem
bers in lU years.
In 1888 there were 80 churches and 2,S6
members, within sixty-flve miles Of Rock
Hill, and In 1859 AZ churches 4,19l members
or net gain OF eight churches and 1880 mem
bers in ten years.
(2) Financial growth, and presen
strength.
five miles OF Due West contributed to all pur
poses
IN lSto-y SItdso
In $751;
increase III lU 6,oiZ,R
Allthe 4. r. p. churches within slXty.fivt
miles of Rock I'LL contributed to all purpo
ScS.-
In 1888 Ziuoo,l
w. As to the movement OF the Alum nj ant
the friends of the College 10 erect new build
ing at Due West After fifteen months can
vilSs of the entire Synod, the amount realized
from June. 1889, on October 9, 1890, (See Asso
c ale Reformed Presby terian OF above date
was S9SI7,50 in subscriptions. OF this -
least ~ per cent. will never be col
lected.
In case the college is removed, Rock Hill oi
Chester will give suitable location of tel
acres or more and q cash contribution of q
least SlOOUO while it is confidently expected
that congregation. alumni and friends OF m
college within siXty-fire miles OF Rock Hill
Will add at least $4,000 by Decem
Der LIST.
Since 1870 no less than sixty of the Alumni
have located less than slXty-five miles o
Rock Hill, all occupying high positions II
every profession,