The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-02-24

The history of education In the
Associate Reformed Church ls Ia
miliar story. 1t has been told many
times. It has been told with q love
that was blind to defects and diHuslve
in praise, It has been told with well
Intended criticism that magnified I'M
perfections and minif1ed excellencles'
It has been told by the statisticean
who saw the small corps of teachers,
the short roll of students, the build.
ings and endowments, but saw not
the faith and love and hope that
breathed and thrilled and throbbed
in the body of the words ana acts ol
the fathers and sons of the church.
He is the wise man who knows ms
weakness as well as his strengh. Let
our history be faced with candor. Let
1t be told with frankness. We love
our institutions and point with just
pride to their successful sons, and say,
t'These are our products" But every
country has produced it's great men.
Every institution may point to lts
illustrious names. I can conceive OF
no study which, systematically and
persistently pursued, will not result
In an educated mind and strengthen
ed will. "Great men were trained IN
the schools of the Greek sophlsts and
Arabian astrologers, of the Jesults and
the Jansenists.
There were great men when nothing
was taught but School Divinity. on
Canon Law; and there would still be
great, men if nothing were taught put
the fooleries of spurzhem and
Swedenborg."
1t has been justly observed that it Is
the general course of those VINO
patronize an abuse q attribute to II
every good which exists in spite OF IT,
and to take it for granted that we are
indebted to them for all the talent
which they have not been able &c
destroy. 1t does not comport Ill Wltn
love for our institutions to compare
them with others. Let the com
parison be made. Let US seek the
truth. Let the pride we feel IL
reviewing our progress by tempered
with mOdesty. It has been remarked
that an individual should not be more
proud of his knowledge, because he
participates In the universal improve
ment, thai he is vain of bis speed, be-
cause he is flying along with the earth
and everything upon 1t, at the rate O.
seventy thousand miles an hour. It IL
only when we are going forward In
comparison with others that we have
ground for merited pride.
But criticism, even that criticism
which would rouse from lethargy anc
stimulate to action, sometimes does
scant Justice, and oftentimes much
harm. Criticism is never creative
itself, nor ever conducive to the
creative spirits in others. 1t is one
thing to find fault, it Is another thing
to remedy. Pulling down is no
building up. Some things ought to b'
pulled down. But the destructive
spirit is less noble, and Is less II
demand, than the spirit that is con
structive.
An institution must not be charged
with the faults of the age or of cir
cumstances not of its making. Th
college may say to the church give u
more members with AZ much justnes
as the church can say to the colleg
give US more students. The truth is
no college has been more ready t
serve its church, no church has beel
more loyal to it's college, than Erskin
College has been ready to serve tn
Associate Reformed church, than tn
Associate Reformed church has beel
loyal to Erskine College.
Again, if the history of rulers and G
battles Is not the true history of
nation, no more is that the true his
tory Of education in the Associat
Reformed church which gives fact
and dates, but makes no mention {
the discussions, debates and resolution
of the synod relative to this worE
That is not AN adequate history {
Erskine College, the centre Of th
church's educational work, whic
fails to give an account of the schola
ship and anecdotal side Of the pres
dents and professors, of the stndent
troubles and festivals, of the junit
exhibitions, Society celebrations an
commencement days.
Obviously then, do not purpose
give full history, and it will be ev
dent I have not given justly propo
toned history of the educational VOL
of our church.
BEFORE 1903.
One hundred years ago, scattert
over the Carolinas and Georgia for II
most part, were some nineteen hu
dred Associate Reformed Presb
terians. They had inherited fro
Scotland and ireland high standa
of requirement for the Christian mi
istry. A candidate for ordination
this office must have received
thorough classical training at son
college and have pursued a theologic
course of study either at college, or u
der the direction of some ministe
The Associate Reformed church,
which these nineteen hundred we
only a part, had established Dickins'
College, Carlisle, Pa, in 1888. He
most of the candidates for the mi
istry in the Associate Reform
church, for the first fifteen years aft
its organization, received both th'
library and theOlOpicaf trainir