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

that time were those or Rev. Jane
Rogers, at Monticello, Fairfield cour
ty, s. c., and of Eleazer Harris II
York county, S. e. While the fol
, mer was not controlled by the church
it was presided over for more than
quarter of a century by an Associat
Reformed minister and largely patron
lied by Associate Reformed people
The latter, known as Ebenezer Acade
nv, was taken under the care Of tn
Synod in 1925. Both of these wer
established in the early part of tn
r century. Perhaps there were othe
schools which are justly entitled to b.
, mentioned, but l have no record o
them.
, OF DIR. cooPER's INFJDELITY AM
SECTIONAL HATRED ERsKINE
COLLEGE WAS BORN.
Out of the need Of education among
all classes, and especially out of th'
need of those who expected to ente
the ministry, was born the church,
desire and purpose to establish educa
tional work of its own. This need
already deeply felt, was emphasized
by two things, the growing politica
animosity between the North and the
South, and the pronounced infidelity
of DR.. Cooper, President Of the South
Carolina College. We had no college
of our own. Our young men having
the ministry in view had been attend
ing Northern institutions, principally
Jefferson College and Miami Uuiver-
sity. But bitterness had increased to
such degree between the two sections
Of country that In 1884 the Synod de-
clared in 8 resolution, "that In their
opinion it is prejudicial to the South
ern church to send our young men to
the North or West, either to college or
to theological seminary"
Thus shut off from the North many
of our people looked to the South
Carolina College. But here trouble Of
another kind existed. Thomas Coop
er, whom Jefferson thought "the
greatest man in America in the powers
of his mind and in acquired informa-
ton, and that without a single excep-
tion," but whom John Adams regard
ed as "a learned, ingenious, scientific
and talented madman," became Pro-
fessor of Chemistry in the South Car
olina College in 1919, and year later
the President of this institution.
Born in London, for short time q
resident of Paris and a congenial asso.
ciate of the Revolutionary spirits
there, Cooper came to America and
settled in Pennsylvania. For many
acts of petty tyranny, browbeating
counsel, witnesses, and parties to q
suit, he was impeached by the Senate
of Pennsylvania and removed from
the office of Judge. For a violent at
tack made on President Adams in the
press he was fined four hundred do.-
lars and imprisoned ak months.
DIR. cooPER's CHARGE.
This restless and disagreeable man, in
private conversation, classroom lecture
and pamphlet attacked the authen-
ticity and genuineness of the Scripture.
He hated the clergy venomously, and
in his report to the legislature in 1922
charged that "the most powerful OBJ
stacle to the prosperity Of this institu-
tion is the systematic hostility OF the
clergy generally, to every seminary OF
education which ia not placed under
their government and control"
sYNoD's DENIAL.
The Associate Reformed Synod of
the South at its next meeting prepared
and ordered to be published In one OF
the papers of the State an address de.
nying the charge and appealing from
the s'illiberal, unrighteous and sweep
ing charge of the learned president
against the ministers of reconciliation,
to the candor and good sense Of the
Christian commonwealth" President
Cooper continued covertly and openly
to attack the Bible, and the Christian
people did not cease to oppose Presi-
dent Cooper from the time Of his In
stallation.
ACTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENT
ATIvEs.
In 1881 John S. Pressly. a graduate
of the South Carolina College, and af-
forwards an A. r. P. minister, intro
duced in the house Of representatives
the following: -.
"Resolved, that in the opinion OF
this house it is expedient that the
Board of Trustees of the South Caro-.
lima College do forthwith investigate
the conduct of DR.. Cooper, as President
of the South Carolina College, and il
they find that his continuance In office
defeats the ends and aims of the insti'
tuition, that they be requested to re-
move him."
The board found nothing against
the president. The historian of the
college says the board made the excul
pating report through sympathy fol
the old gentleman. The cry of "reor
ganization! revolution " which had
been raised from the mountains to the
, seaboard was now heard louder thar
, ever. DIR. Cooper gave up the presi
dency, but retained position as teach
er. But even this did not satisfy th'
people, and In 1884 he severed his con
nection with the college.
The college suffered seriously in tn
loss of students and of public favor ol
, account Of DR.. Cooper's infidelity
: Ever since, the college authorize
have been careful to avoid any IRE
ligious tendency, and have beel
| stricter than most State institution
q and many denominational ones il
3 having religious exercises and in re
D quiring attendance on public worship
Q DR.. Latham credits the Associate RI
!. formed people for being among tn
j first, if not the first, to raise the alarr
r and start the opposition to DR.. Cooper
ERsKINE's FIRST CHARTER.
The need of education among ou
people, and the few facilities for SUI
:, plying the need. offered the invitatio
. and imposed the necessity for som