News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1900-09-26
COPYRIGHT 99 IN T. A. BY ADVANCE PUBLISHING CO.. CHICAGO


|
all. If Professor Clark in his lectures
has shown, as | think he has, that GER
tain transactions in the mercantile
world are contrary to the moral laws
of Gods universe, then it seems to me
that he is teaching in the department
of political economy just the truth that
has always needed to be taught. and if
it had been taught by professors of po-
| litical economy years ago we might
have a different business world from
the one we have now"
81 do not understand the matter as
| you do at all. sir" replied Mr.. Rankin,
land it is no use to discuss it. Our fail.
ure to agree in our correspondence
shows me plainly that we never can
agree in this interview understand
| plainly that it is your intention to do
nothing in the matter, or the board of
trusteesP'
81 do not know what action the board
of trustees may take" replied the pres
ident slowly, but |, for my part. shall
never attempt to interfere with Profess
or Clark as long as he teaches what he
is teaching now. | may say, in fact,
that rejoice in the work be is doing.
and shall uphold him in it for the
good of the students and the college
generally"
"Then the college can look to some
one else for funds to build up it's en-.
dowment," replied Mr.. Rankin stilfly
81 do not give a cent to the institution
as long as the present method of in
struction is employed by the professor
Of political economy AS | said be-
| fore"-Mr Rankin rose and moved
across the study-"I am not the only
man who feels this way. Hope college
will lose thousands Of dollars as long
as Clark is allowed to teach his doc.
trines"
The president rose and stood calmly
by his desk He looked thoughtfully
at Rankin, but did not speak
Il shall inform the trustees of my
determinations sir. 1t is possible they
may have different views from yours.
SIR"
at is altogether possible they may"
Mr. Rankin had reached the door
81 bid you good day. Sir" he said
coldly and went out
' The president remained standing for
minute with look on his face that
Edward understood, in part at least
In the intense stiffness that followed
Mr.. Rankin's departure a good deal of
thinking was going on in that little
room.
Finally the president broke the ST.
lence by saying:
1.-THE time will come, Blake, when it
will not be believed that such a scene
as we have just, witnessed could occur
in America. 1t is simply one mani
festation out of good many that you
and may live to witness Of the anger
and opposition reused by the greed of
wealth and acquisition when brought
face to face with the teachings of
Jesus. 1t is the same spirit that he
faced and rebuked in his own age when
he said, How hardly shall they that
trust in riches enter into the kingdom
of heaven"
Edward hesitated to ask any ques-
tons, but from his experience with the
president he had come to love him
more than he feared him. What effect
will this have on you. sir" he ventured
to ask.
The president did not answer for a
little while. His face was very thought.
full
ut depends on the attitude of the
trustees. do not know how a majori-
ty Of them feel. | know that some of
them will urge the need of the money
at just this time in our history. OF
course 1t is public knowledge that the
college Is very much embarrassed Just
at present for funds. But what shall
we do, my boy. in the face of such a
situation as confronts us now? Shall
we yield to the demands of men of
means who do not wish certain things
taught In college when that teaching
conflicts with the very methods which
have made possible the great wealth of
the men who objectf There is a great
principle at stake here. 1t is the sacred
right of free and unrestrained speech
when that speech is perfectly right and
proper and imperatlvely needed for the
good of an educated man. Professor
Clark Is giving his class in political
economy exactly the ethical truths they
need to train them up in ways of
Christian integrity in business affairs.
Ihat is one of the things this college
was founded to do. Hope college was
started by devout Christian men. who
put In the charter the words. we de-
sire to found a Christian college, where
the foundation principles of the Chris.
tan religion shall be inculcated no less
than the humanlties, and, indeed, made
foremost in the training of the youth
who shall receive instruction there If
this purpose Of the founders of the col
lege is to be carried out, 1t can only be
done by making all our instruction vi
tally Christian. There is nothing in the
subject of political economy that bars
1t out of the NChristian education. In
deed, as l told Mr.. Rankin, the very
foundation of any true political econo-
my must be its moral account of the re-
lations between man and man. And
that Is just what Professor Clark has
han % Il ~