The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-21
Or BLACKWELL AND THE
RELATION OF RANDOLPH
MACON TO THE CHURCH


18th instant are published state
wents OF the relation OF the Randolph
Macon System OF Schools to the Meth
odist Church by Or. r. n. Blackwell.
AS he refers tome In several places I
trust you will allow a reply. An ex-
PLANTATION ought to explain, but this
does not; and the Methodist Church, or
at least nine-tenths OF them, are not
satisfied; and the renewed agitntion'
Will continue. and will greatly aug
ment under present conditions. From
It's foundation Randolph-A1acon Col
1ege has been we'll known by every
one ne established. owned and con-
trolled by the Methodist Church: and
every cent that has been contributed
to- 1t has been with that knowledge
BY the The GEN
through It's committees, about 1880.
planned and located the college, named
1t, selected every one OF the original
had them named IN the charter obtain
ed from the Legislature by tile. cons
ference. At that time the Legislature
would not charter n church school, and
hence the board had to be made self
perpstuatng else the orisma,cha o,hf
that the trustees should continue to
be selected by church authorities. lrby's
history OF the college confirms these
statements; and, as further proof, I
1884. of DR.. Stephen olin, a Methodist
minister. the first president of the
college (see 'Dr. Olin's Works Vol.
2. p. 2sf, etc.: ut behooyes the re-
ligious denomination under whose au-
spices this youthful seminary mas
.,,tco n,,iu 81 nd N,Sunf1i1npSg.
to prosecute It's benevolent objects with
the most jealous perseverance: We
have been called to engage in tho
business Of education by omens OF nc
doubtful import, and 1t rests upon US
with all the Imperative urgency Oh
,ly do not misinterpret the signs oi
the times when say the church VIII
respond to this affecting appeal. she
owes 1t to her character, to her IN
terest, to self-preservation. she owes yes
SO plenteous q harvest. and to the
people who have greeted with SO cor
dial AZ welcome She owes " to our
republican institutions. and, above al;
to the immortal destinies which 900
Church will do her duty. BE-
sides a number OF academies establish
ed upon an extensive and liberai scaie.
four colleges are already successfully
engaged Ia diffusing the blessings OF
control Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. The Virginia Con-
ference. II not the first to engage IN
this good work. has emulated the eS-
ample of her younger sisters OF .ie
West with zeal and liberanty Woru a.
OF her character and OF the cause.
But in coming, as do upon
the present occasion. to dedicate my
humble powers to this enterprise Oh
philanthropy and religion, l derive my
most cheering hopes, OF success from
another source. derive them from
firm and cherished confidence that
this Institution will live and flourisn
in the prayers OF the righteous; me
preachers of the Gospel VIII be It's az
of their labors, its interests VIII be
remembered in the tntercessions OF t,e
congregation. They Will be borne 70
the throne of grace on humble anu co .,,a
trite hearts. In the devotions OF ens
family and the closet. God. who heareth
snraver, viii send His spirit TO guide
The teachers and the pupils;
He makes no reference to tie .poaru
of trustees. From that day TO TINS no :.
other voice has been heard from any M.
of the faculty. or any officer or mem ,,n,
her OF board Of trustees. Nothing nus
come from them other than that me
colleges and the Randolph-ha y ne
TEN are owned and controllen, !. py t .nv
vears I doubt II the statement, now
paraded as having been in the GAIA .nan
inr,ie az the system for more than
a dozen years" ever enanated ison'
the board OF trustees. or was consluel -
ed in any meeting they ever mao. ~
NAV be mistaken: am / right?) Tor
one. take it as having come alone l.u...
the chancellor Of the system. knoW.ns
that catalogues are generally got.sn
I'M by the faculty. or the mead OF ert
tnot eathese five institutions are owned
nv one chartered sclf-perpetn
board Of trustees. to which public SPIT !,
tied men and women nave ~ lu srI,,
la rye MEANS" etc. That statement, o,ity
about twelve years 9la '1 history Of the
college. If owners, why called t1us-
Tees, and not incorporates! .ho+
Dr. blackwell makes 1t appear I'M ma.
the sole cause OF the present asitat M
"a that the Church has no voice IN ~. NJ.
the same matter was agitated IN 10. .os -
ant, 1884. and that the trustees W. ~,
q s much opposed then as they are no "
under the influence Of the CaLnes
money. The fact an y s tha' made ,ai by me-
were never discussed, or IN ny y. .W We
hrn,,rht to the attention OF the Cnuruu
- large or Of the board OF trustees,
Or even OF the conferences, ~, nan
resolution merely read before tne '.s o
ference once. The main object OF IN, .ne 80
nrnnositions was to make the p ..,.n : :
lass innwieldy, by reducing the nu, ,,,,, :,
nf members to nine. and mus s! ~. -
. more personal and consistens n anaot :,
arement, and to forbid encuHi -, 5ti,e
tie ,property with debt: ana ~ ~
last instance only incidentally 70 10 ~, !.
! hnS trustees. two thirds, appolnteu,, ~
church authorities. I think. the op ~
lion then made by one or two O. Z, ,an -
trustees was not to the appoln!..n.;T.sse
by church authorities, but. TO , ,cmrssa te
down the board from forty,l :, "a "a "a
nine members. Until the last lev 4. ~ 3, q
there has been no issue between ~, ~ :
cnnference and the trustees OF tne ,,. ~
lereS of any sort: they have a!W tra,s :
worked in perfect HARMONY the !. tl NE
fees acceding to all requests q ! ~ ~. :.
con ference. and the conference .a4tms
the same for the trustees me :. tras 1eo1
acting simply MS trust ees Lon l,1e IN
owners, the Methodist Churc li.,, ~ :
Riackwell, in contrasting the. pro ., ppi,h,
now held by&theStrustecs OF Rahaoip...t.1
Macon with that held in SS4, say J, 4,
hnarf OF trustees that can SHOW !sut
a Drecord is surely not q badly. coMl a i,
tutad Sboard.' There Is no h1plaa ~ !.
as to the membership Of the srp y =
II is as to their real responsi,p,l,ey - !.
tho church, which has never nse ~ r.
MED until lately. To now. na - does