The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-31
Higher. EDUCATION
and RELIGION /
The Uses and Work Of the De-
nominationaI Colleges.
THEY The ARE NOT sEcTARlAN
President Boatwrlght, of Richmond
College, Gives Sensible Views on
the Scope and Mission of
Such Institutions.
THEY ARE NOT sEcTARlAN
BY F. w. Boatwright.

BY F. w. Boatwright.
The earlier UNCONVENTIONAL colleges
were founded for the purpose of training
young men for the ministry. Most OF
them, however, quickly admitted other
students, and in many cases all tholosl-
cal instruction was finally dropped from
the course of study. Richmond College
may serve as an illustration Of this de-
velcpment. Founded in 1882 as a theologl-
cal and manual labor school lit Is worth
remembering at this time that a majority
of the denominational colleges founded in
the first half of the last century were also
manual labor schoolsl, it received at first
only young ministers. Then followed the
admission of students in general studies,
ana in 1910 the teaching of theology was
discontinued and has newer been reintro-
drced
1t is evident therefore that the work
OF degominational colleges has in most
instances ceased to be theological. In
every such college will be found Il larger
or smaller number of students who nave
announced their intention to become
preachers but they have the same lessons
and are on the same footing in all re-
spects, except that they receive free tut
ton. IS other young men who look Tor
ward after their academic training to the
study OF law medicine, engineering or
any other profession In Richmond Col
lego there are usually about seventy min
isterial students, representing four or five
demo limitations, though, as WOULD be eN-
pected. the large majority are Baptlsts.
All these young men receive free tuition,
1{N,,, {11aN
logical seminary of their own, faith 1t
may be said in passing that such a. body
OF active Christians eXerts in college a
strong and benefcent influence ill behalf
of right living.
EDUCATION MISSIONARIES.
One CT the most valuable functions that
O. cenominational college performs is mis-
sionary service in behalf of education.
This service is rendered primarily to the
membership of the denomination that con-
trolls the college, but extends to the en-
tire citizenship. The professors preach
education everywhere. They go among
the people, among all classes OF people,
and insist that they must give their chill
Gren the advantages of higher training.
BY necessity. almost every professor in
q denomina tional college is an educational
missionary This service to the denomi-
nation is beyond computation, and it is
also a service TO the State. Large num-
hers of INDECENT young men and women
are encouraged to help themselves, and
are given financial aid. The denomination
al colleges have educated thousands who
We're too poor to nay their expenses any
where else
Another function of the denomination
al college is to emphasize the value of re-
liGion in education and in life. Other
colleges may not be goddess, and we of
the South have cause for rejoicing that
all our higher schools are Dcrvaded with
the spirit of Christianity. but the denom-
national college is free beyond all others
in matters of religion. 1t is offensive
to some good souls who profess to es-
TEEN religion Very highly that Christian
colleges insist on having a. particular
brand on their religion. Surely an in
telligent public now understands that so
long as we do not find aggressive en-
during Christianity apart from denoml-
nations, we may not expect to find Chris
tan seats of learning out of touch with
the vitalizins influences of the churches.
In the millennium there will probably
be no denominations and no denomina-
tional colleges.
ARE NOT SECTARIAN.
A considerable number of respectable
citizens believe that UNCONVENTIONAL col
leges are sectariar, and some few others
maintain that, if they are not, they ought
to be. For my part, I do not believe
that any OF the better class of colleges
are sectarian. They believe in an open
Bible and they INSTANTLY proclaim mans
need of salvation Gods merciful love and
Christ the Precipitation for sim They
teach that youth should "seek hrst the
Kingdom of God and His Righteousness
but, so far as know, they do not insist
that students shall accept the particular
faith OF their professors. This would ne
contrary to the principles of our COM
mon protestant faith, and 1t is a form
of propa gandism unworthy of institutions
which cultivate independent seeking after
truth.
Summing UP the preceding paragraph
in a. sentence I would say that the bust
ness of the Genominational college IS to
associate religion and culture IN education,
to safeguard youths adoescent steps
among the pitfalls Of human speculation,
to make the graduates thinking on re-
ligious topics of similar grade with ms
thinking on questions OF science. govern
ment, or finance.
CHRISTIAN TEACHERS.
It is assumed as a matter of course that
the denominational college will employ
great investigator, a specialist of interna-
tional repute. but unless he is an active,
warm-hearted Christian he has no place
in O UNCONVENTIONAL college. This ex-
pectaton of the public, which the de-
nc r,inational colleges generally live up
to. gives such schools great advantage
Every one knows that the boy or girl of
eighteen needs above all things sympathy.
personal touch. the stimulation Of loving
erroura cement. These things cost the
eiver something. They mean that he
must be willing to leave his cozy study
and his alluring investigations to advise
Tom Jones, and a lot of ether fellows
VINO need his help. and that he must do
this tomorrow and the days after that.
This is Christian service. Only the love
OF God IN mans heart will enable him
to render such service year after year.
Other institutions may have more or fewer
OF such men. but the dencnainational COL
lege must have faculty made up Of them
More and more the UNCONVENTIONAL COL
leges broaden their conception Of service.
Once the aim was simply to train a GER
tain restricted class in a certain denomi-