The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-15

how easy and natural it was for his
language to be interpreted as IA slur
upon Page and his speech" As a gen.
tleman, what else could | do but with
draw this charge? These two cases
cover, to the fullest extent, the with
drawal and apologies" | made All the
other stands as firm and immOvable as
the everlasting pillars of justice and
| truth"
This is a very different thing from "A
| blanket apology, such as one might
| have inferred from Mr.. Harker's letter
in Sundays paper, Mr.. Page had made
| We should say that Mr.. Pages infer
ence, from DR.. Kilgo's language, that
the latter was assaultng Mr.. Walter
| Page, was Il natural and reasonable
one, but that upon hearing DR. Kilgo's
disavowal he could have done nothing
! less than withdraw his charge.
! We are not sure that we do not vio-
! late the propreties in quoting this fur
/ thet extract from Mr.. Pages letter, but
| it is part of the story:
! Il am a friend to DR. I[iIgo and to
/ Tri1ity College, and I claim that my
| friendship is proven by my efforts to
! inducc him to abandon those methods
/ which all conservative Methodists see
/ clearly are damaging to the college.
/ told him at MaXton, in open Confer
euce, that where one student was
drawn to Trinity by such speeches, ten
! We're driven away, and / knew Whcrco,
/ | spoke. Harker'S syndicate aud SYN
! dicators' cry is the yeTiest bosh and
unworthy of notice.
Letters endorsing and commencing
my course are coming daily from all
quarters of the State and from the best
people, most Of them influential Meth
odists, some of them ministers distin-
guishcd for eminent talents, wise CON
servatism, aud unflinching loyalty to
the institutions of our Church.
We give publicity to the foregoing the
more gladly because Mr. Pages posi-
ton is entirely right. With great re-
spect for Dr. Kilgo and the friendliest
feeling for Trinity College, we have no
sympathy with any war upon the old
est, most honored and one of the most
useful of the public institutions of the
State. A native North Carolinian who
wishes the University i'll or would do
it i'll does not deserve the name We
have more charity for Dr. Kilgo than
for some others because, having but
recently come into the State he cannot
be expected to feel toward it as others
| of US do"
Below follows the original article, a
symposium of which has already ap-
peared in these columns:
REV. JESSE II. PAGE VOTED NO.
Refused to Second DIR. Kilgo's Attack
on the University, and Says he Would
Just as Soon Trust the Moral and
| Religious Training of a Son to DIR.
Alderman as to DIR. Kilgo.
Charlotte Observer)
Maxton, July THE monotony Of the
District Conference proceedings was
broken by a lively incident which oc-
CURED in the closing hours of the Con-
ference recently held here by the min
listers and lay delegates of the Rock
ingham district.
DR.. Kilgo, of Trinity College, deliver
ed his well-known address on Chris
tian Education" i'm eloquent language
and with his usual fiery spirit. He
drew sharp contrasts between State in
stitutions and denominational schools,
representing the latter as conforming
to the teachings and dominated by the
spirit of Jesus Christ, while the former
acknowledge no king but Caesar.
| A resolution was offered highly eu-
logizing and heartily endorsing the
speech, and rendering the thanks of the
Conference to the eloquent orator for
his masterful address. A motion to
adopt the resolution was decided by a
rising vote. One minister, Rev. Jesse
Fl. Page, of Aberdeen boldly stood alone
until he was counted" in the negative
Subsequently, in giving his reasons for
his vote, he defined his position so clear
| ly and emphatically as to leave no room
for misunderstanding it. Without at
tempting full report, 1 will give few
things which he said:
II have several times listened with
pleasure to DIR. Kilgo on his favorite
theme-Christian education-and, while
l admire his brilliant talents and elo-
quent speech, and personally mold him
| in high esteem as a brother, | wish to
say plainly that every one of his speech
es which l have heard has been marred
to a nauseating degree by his perpet-
ual, ill-timed and ill-tempered filings at
our State institutions. /, for one, am
ashamed and sick of it, and intend here
and now to wash my hands of this
whole matter. Let it be known in all
our borders, from the mountains to the
| Sed, tuitL IutTe Is Olle NlcuuUulSI pTtdCl-
er in the Conference who, as a citizen
Of North Carolina, is proud of the noble
record made by our State University,
and the grand work she has done in the
cause Of education during the 100 years
of her misunderstanding out from her
halls a long line of illustrious men, who
have filled with credit and honor the
highest positions of responsibility in
this great country Of ours. President
Alderman and those who have charge
of our other State schools are neither
infidels, atheists nor unenlightened
heather, but are heightened, cultured
Christian gentlemen, who deserve all
honor for the great work they are doing
for our beloved State and country. To
be explicit, let me say that if had
son to be educated, would just as soon
trust his moral and religious training in
the hands Of e. A. Alderman as j. @.