Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-13
GREAT GAINS AND GREAT GIFTS
BY BISHOP WARREN A. GAMBLER.

to wars amounting to deeds OF inter-
national assassination.
Pacific railways and ocean steam
ship companies made by Leland Stan
ford create conditions which call for the
civilizing influences that Leland Stan
ford's widow seeks to produce. The
vast extension of our federal territory,
with the consequent centrifugal forces
which arise from such extension calls
for some great centripetal attraction
like Mr.. Carnegie's proposed institu-
tion at the national capital, to solidify
the nation through its most command
ing inteIlects. and to thus strongly ce-
ment the union as the University of
Berlin was designed to overcome the
divisive tendencies of the German en-
pire and unity 1.-The fatherland."
God is nanifestly preparing to send
all the races of the earth to school
for instruction by the Christian ma
tions: Siberian railways. isthmian ca
nails and transcontinental lines are
merely school roaOs. made to give pu-
pills ready and easy access 70 their
teachers, although over these great
highways stupid beasts of burden may
draw heavy loads and vainly imagine
they only have the right of way.
While these school roads are building
the school houses and chapels must be
going up, for it will never do to bring
the pupils faster than we are prepared
to house and teach them. If we do. they
will fall into mischief. hurtful to
themselves and ruinous to us. Chinese
exclusion laws show what comes of
bringing pagans faster than you are
prepared to handle them.
These immense gifts fer human en-
Iightenment are not greater than the
~. old -raNN
for, nor have they come too soon. The
walls which will rise from them will
be the Notifications behind which the
forces of a Christian civilization will
resist the allied hosts of barbarism in
the mighty conflict which is coming
between them for supremacy in the
earth.
The only sad fact about all these ex-
traordinary gifts is that southern col
leges have received next TO nothing.
especially the colleges in the south for
whites While the south is less wealthy
than other sections, the colleges Of the
south have fallen behind the colleges
of other sections much further than
our wealth has fallen behind that OF
other sections. Most of our rich men
get money like hucksters and expend
1t like misers. They are utterly want
ing I'm that broad craftsmanship with
out which a man of wealth is always
an object of Just derision. A creature
bulged in purse and pinched in brain
and heart cannot be saved from con-
tempt, however splendid his mansion
may be, or costly his equipage. re does
not rise higher in the esteem Of
thoughtful people than a man-shaped
tin bank from a toy store, with penl
ny catching mouth so adjusted that
when a coin falls in the hole phono-
graph in it's back falls to singing
Farewell vain world, I'm going
home"
We have had in Georgia during re-
cent years some disgracefully rich
men-some of them millionaires. Some
of them have died within the last de-
cade and left wills which for the sake
of their posterity ought to have been
kept secret. Some are yet living. as
shamefully ignorant of the obligations
of wealth and as shamefully indiffer-
ent to the welfare of mankind as those
who in death have advertised their
narrowness of mind and meanness of
spirit.
If the south is to be educationally
equipped to bear her part in the great
work of civilization now going on. she
must depend upon her people of small
means, with here and there wealthy
man as rich IN character as IN purse.
With the few among us who ara both
wise and wealthy We may hope to
make up what our institutions have
hitherto lacked. If the many who can
do only small things will give small
sums often. Our case is not remediless
II we all heartily lay hold of our duty.
Let US hope that during 1902 in the
south may be recorded not only great
gains but some great gifts to Christian
education. Our country as a whole
leads the world in such gifts, but our
section is hindmost in this glorious
procession. Let US break this bad
record in the south. and break it
soon. The sooner the better.