The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-21
PRAISE FOR MONTPELIER SEM.
Christian Advocate Gives Credit
Where Credit Is Due in the Matter
OF the Endowment Fund.

ton OF Montpelier Seminary"
One of the most hopeful items of
Methodist educational news that have
come from New England in many a
year was the announcement of Presi-
dent Bishop last week that the en-
dowment of Montpelier Seminary
was completed.
This Seminary, the child of YER
mont Conference, has experienced
the financial troubles which have en-
comprised so many of the academies
which were once the pride and
strength of New England. When
DR.. Bishop accepted for the second
time, in 1904, the presidency which
he had formerly held (1SS1-93),
the situation was critical For the
buildings were out of repair, the an
nual deficit had produced a menac-
ing debt, and, worse than all, preach
ers and people had heard it's plea so
often that they had become callous
to its distress, or perhaps despaired
altogether of saving the institution.
But Dr.. Bishop believed that the
Seminary had a future as we'll as a
glorious past. He knew that the public
High school which had sapped the
life from so many secondary schools
was not to be found in more than
one-fourth of the towns of Vermont,
and he knew that to revive an insti-
tuition which could give the young
people of Vermont a thorough prep
aration for life under Christian home
influences was task upon which
Christian man might lavish his full
strength with confidence that his la
Dor would be not in vain in the Lord.
He was reminded that DR.. d. X.
Pearsons, of Chicago, donor of mil
lions for Christian education, was
Vermont boy, and had been a stu
dent in Vermont Conference Semin-
airy 20 years before, when it was
located at Newbury. To him he wrote
for aid. DR.. Pearsons said, Come"
DR.. Bishop saw him, told his story,
and left the Office with a pledge OF
$4,000, conditioned upon the n.y.
ment of the debt of $4,000 and the
raising of 100000 more for endow-
ment. This was four years ago. The
trustees accepted the challenge and
the president put his hand to the
plow
Vermont is a small State and has
few men of wealth. Methodistism is
by no means the established religion,
and there were many who said that
it was no use to attempt the impos-
sible. The work told heavily upon
DR.. Bishop. His wife's long and fatal
illness supervened. But his spirit
did not fail, and last fall, when the
financial stringencey began to relax,
the campaign was renewed with Wig
or. Enthusiasm took the place OF
despair. Friends were raised UP in
unexpected places. In the little city
of Montpelier 100000 was pledged, |
and in the Congregational, Unitarian
and other churches public prayers
were offered that the Methodist |
school might be saved.
In June last Dr. Pearsons fixed Oc- |
tober l as the limit of his offer. The |
struggle became intense as the DAYS |
slipped by. The last day found the
list $4,000 short. The president from
his desk secured nearly $4,000 by
telephone. A subscription of $500 /
by telegraph, others by mail.
In the evening seventeen citizens of
Montpelier met to figure up the re-
suits, and when they learned that
$3.50 would complete the fund, they
united to give it,
Including the churches, the total
number of subscribers is about 500.
them the leading men and wo-
men of Vermont, as we'll as many
humble men and women who have
given their dollars at personal sacri.
flee.
This fund of more than S150,000
raises Montpelier Seminary to the
first grade among our secondary
schools. 1t has property valued at
100000, and enrolled last year 223
students. The direct results of this
victory include the cancellation OF
iebt and the transformation of the
annual deficiency into a useful sur
)lus. Scarcely less direct and none
he less desirable in it's consequences
S the renewed and extl1ded const.-
uency which has been gained for the
chool by the Statewide canvass.
There is no locality in the Green
fountain State that does not know
hat that the old school at Montpc-
Ter is held to be so valuable an asset
hat the best men of Vermont are
Wiling to give a fifth of a million
ollars to reinvigorate it, There are
ew Methodist churches in which
'rayer has not risen for the Semin-
ry, and good people of many creeGs
ave given their prayers and their
ollars to strengthen the Christian
orces of the State.
What President Bishop and his peo-