The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-08-16
people.
LUTHERAN SEMINARY.
College in Columbia Factor in States
Religious Life-Has An Inter-
esting History.

Columbia State.
Columbia has added another educa-
Itional institution to it's notable group
within the past year, and can now
point with pride to a handsome build
ing on one of its high hills to the north
the Lutheran Theological seminary.
There is long history behind this
college, a history which goes back to
the year, 1929, when the small synod
of South Carolina took initiatory steps
to establish a theological school. A
professor was elected the next year,
but the work was soon interrupted by
his premature DEATH But in 1884 the
institution got fairly under way at
Lexington, S. c., as a classical and
| theological institute with one profes-
sor and eight students in the theologi-
cal department This institution was
removed in 1859 to Newberry, S. c., and
became Newberry college. The war
brought an interruption of the work
in the theological department.
A new beginning was made in 1867,
but now as the Theological seminary
of the Evangelical Lutheran General
Synod South, temporarily located at
Newberry, then at Walhalla (whither
Newberry college had been removed),
afterwards at Columbia, until finally
permanent location was chosen at
Salem, Va, in 1878. For decade the
work was ably carried on there, but
not with as great success as many de-
sired. Discoura gement caused the dis
continuance of the seminary by the.
general synod in 1884. Bu. the South
Carolina synod took up The work again
in connection with its college at New
berry in 1886.
This year is marked bv the found
ing of the, United Synod Of the Evange-
lical Lutheran church in the, South
and this body Immediately took into
consideration the establishment of a
central theological seminary, plan
that could not be Immediately carried
out. but which at last was realized in
1898, when by the generosity OF the
Lutherans of Charleston, home was
given to the institution at Mt. Pleas
ant, S. c., and an endowment fund OF
100000 was raised throughout the
United Synod. Meanwhile the theolo-
gical school of the South Carolina sy-
nod at Newberry had been adopted by
the United Synod in 1892, without,
however, producing any essential
change in it's small operations. The 10
cation at Mt. Pleasant proved unsatis-
factory and when the question of re-
moval was thrown upon the liberal
offer of the city of Columbia of site
of six acres and large cash donation
drew the institution to that city. A
granite building was erected in 1911,
at a cost of more than $4,000. The
cornerstone was laid on January 10
and the present session was begun in
the completed building on October 4.
The building committee turned over
the keys to the board of trustees and
the building was dedicated by the
president of the board On October II.
The United Synod is not large
body, but it recognizes that it is es-
sential for every living part of the
church to produce it's own ministry,
and, therefore, maintains its own theo-
logical school, although it requires sac
ri6ces on the part of the liberal mem
bers of the church and of the directors
of the institution and self-sacrifice on
the part of the professors in 1t.
The seminary does not exist for the
development of theological science
merely as a department of knowledge.
Service rather than science is its aim.
It's design is to make pastors, al
ways keeping in view the needs Of the
Lutheran church, especially in the