The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-25
WESLEY COLLEGE PROBLEM.

Tha Ti.nss wauiG not place eve. a
pebble iii Iii. path &C progress Of the
western part OF the state: neither
~ou!G it do ought tx take from the
cities az The Slope, u single advantage
they may seek. We would go far
to aid in anything that means tl.e
urhniid;ng Ct THAI or any other Sec
ton. H:mt in Tho decision o! the
Mntho,i;ct conferences to unite its sup
;,or, upm Wesley college, the wiscst
and hes; rian was We believe. adopt
el. Thert can be 10 doubt 81 this if
,ha rtat.er is viewed strictly fiom
the poin, OF church utility.
il candid analysis Of the situation
leads only t" IL conclusion. a theo-
logical institution. to meet the de-
-mands of the church it represents.
must; send out men to Engage in
church activities who are educated in
the broades1 sense of that term. In
no other calling is so much demanded
in tn" way of educational endowment
in those who are leaders. a theo-
logical. or if the term is less CONVEX
tional. q church education can not
he built upon an insufficient founda-
ton. There is required q large
an,cun of mental training before the
church work can begin. The essen
tiais of a liberal education must he
acquired first. These essentials are
largely the same whether the student
is preparing for any of the secular
professions or the ministry. The
course may he directed toward the
end sought. hut i'll the main the men,
tai discipline mast be acquired in the
same ann for all.
The conditions enumerated make a
course equivalent TO n university
course essential for a student who
Is entering upon church training. A
college which is not affiliated with a
secular institution giving a university
course must establish and maintain
a course equal to that of a university.
In a word. to maintain 81 Methodist
college equal in opportunities with
Wesley. would require an institution
equal in every way to the state uni
versity. Here the students who are
planning for church work a utilize
every advantage offered by the uni
versity and then pursue III strictly
sectarian course in the church coll
lego. 1t would tax the Methodist
church beyond reason to endow and
the state university. Besides, 1t
would be a double taxation. The
Methedists are taxpayers and con
tribute their share az citizens to the
support of the state university. They
are entitled to its benefits for the edu-
cation of their children just the same
as other citizens are. But to tax
themselves gratuitously to support an
Institution doing the same work
would he onerous.
The reasons advanced by those who
favored another college are not
strong ones. That such ar institution
would draw enough students to make
it self-supporting, and this irrespec-
tive of church affiliations. hardly
squares with logic. Very few Meth
odists would send their children to be
educated in a college where the relig-
ious atmosphere was entirely Episco-
palian: neither would the Baptist
send his children to an educational
Institution conducted by Presbyte-
rians. These instances are merely
illustrative. The same reasoning APP
plies to the membership Of every
denomination The non-church ad-
herent Is the only one who cares
nothing fos the religious environment
III Which his children are educated
FED is as ready to patronize n in
s:itu'ion as another. These facts
sacm to meet and overcome ono of
i:!s arguments in favor of another
college.
Another point made in favor Of a
new institution was that IT would rot
''e s,nothcred by the larger influence
aud reputation of the state university.
That woulG be true IL the new sec
tartan college were equal In It's op-
portunities to the state Institution.
That kind of q denomina:ional coll
lege is practically impossible. Hence,
whiia the university may hold tho
centre of the liinelight. the %sectarian
college stands alone IN its field, and
fully occupies its position. The uni.
versity can rot be s%ectarian. Tho
%gectariar coi'age can not be non-sec-
tartan. SO shat each institution
stands distictively alone in Its pa.ticu-
laT field. Tho only place the .wo
meet Is in utilizing the non-sectarian
work Of the university as the founde-
ton education in Wesley college,.
This use is possible because Of tn:
geographical proximity Of the two.
The student may pursue his courses
in the two institutions at the same
lime. thus economtzing in both a.
nances and time.
The problem Of a~filiation IS bei,,x
worked out between the university
and Wesley college. If ms:ccry 1.
correct. 1t was the first attempt os the
kind. The Methodists have been lib
cral IN their donations. ana VIC be-
lieve they will be more 20 in the 1r-
ture. az the Importance of a church
college takes fir,ner hold upon the
church membership . Tho buildings
nro worthy of their donors end g.
to the Denomination. It
hardly seeing best 10 divide the forces
w:en SO much has been accomplished.
What Is said hero in reference to
the Mcthodtsts would apply with the
same :orce to any Other church or
which might decide to util-
ize the university opportunities in the
same or soma other manner.