The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-10-12

SdlIOu. II was not uuLll SCleHCe Ooh OL
the form of christian thought, and vi
tailed itself at the fountain of a Cody
knowledge, that it ever attained TO any
real responsibility. And it is certainly
worthy of note that the revival of learn.
ing and the revival of what may properly
be called evangelical christianity are CO.
evil, as we'll as o-ordinate, with the very
best and highest civilization. And while
we find here and there an inidel scient.
ist, we think it may be safely said that
eight in every ten Of those who investi-
gate the mysteries and wonders Of the
natural world are believers in God and
have pierced the heavens, and they are
HER wires which have made pathways
at the bottom of the seas for the needs
of a world, and flashed the thoughts of
God around the globe.
We come then to dedicate these
grounds and buildings to christian edu-
cation. And we do this because a cor
rect knowledge of God is the key to all
true knowledge. And it is this reveal ed
and heartily embraced knowledge that
furnishes the incentive to all real en-
deavor to bless the world.
What motive prompted the gift of
they the gifts of infidels and atheists?
Does pantheism suggest ~benevolence, or
does unchristlike selfshness sacrifice
money to help others? If it ever did
anything like it, the very act was a gar
land hung upon the pillars of christi
anity, or a premium offered for the good
opinion of the christian world. The
tree Of the cross furnishes the only sap
that blooms the flower and ripens the
LIuIL VI IuC UCuCNOlCuCC.
We dedicate these grounds and build
ings then to christian education. They
will stand here as a lasting monument
to the ~benevolence of christian men. In
their beauty and %perpetuity they will
silently challenge the gratitude Of all
who love and would benefit humanity.
Here genius will kindle her torch for
the enlightenment of the world, and tell
along the highways of the coming years
that our God is marching on.
1t will be the conspicuous object of all
who teach here to purify the streams of
learning by the filter of revealed religion.
And religion has no affinity for a bad
partizan spirit, and she does not seek
such to teach her sublime and pure pre-
cepts. In its bad sense, "sectarianism"
is a drawback to religion. The zeal that
makes a mar a bigot is hardly christian
zeal, or, at least, it lacks the best ele-
ments of christian spirit. God only
knows the use He has in the animal
world for the dog-in the-manger! We
can discern some use for a vulture in the
economy of the natural world but surely
it must be a very low order o. religion
that could prompt any soul to aspire to
such an office.
We dedicate these grounds and build
ings then to a broad christian education.
Not so broad as to make it identical with
rationalism; nor yet so narrow as to
make it synonymous with Pharaseeism
but broad enough to embrace all who
love God in Christ Jesus.
We dedicate these grounds and build
ings then to God and His cause. We
dedicate them to the church as the Gus
of the divine ~oracles. We dedi-
cate them to humanity with its u%niver.
sal needs and its high possibilities. May
perpetuate forever the memory of
noble deeds, and may the streams of
sanctiied learning that shall go out from
high places of knowledge, not only
make glad the habitations of men, but
may they bring back upon their ever
tides stores of blessings for the
generous donors, their children, and their
,hildren's children, to the latest genera
ion. In the years that are coming, thou
sands and thousands shall learn 10 write
heir names with reverence; and when
he shadows of time have given place TO
IN eternal and unclouded day, the count