The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-22

lance on CHRISTIAN Colleges u uOt AZ
icreasing actually to any Appreciable
degree. but is decreasing relatively
TO a marked degree In the light OF
the unprecedented growth in enroll
, ment OF the State independent insti-
tutions. The moral Of these facts Is
suggestive of serious lowering or
moral. intellectual. and promessionai
standards. unless the sober second
thought for which the American peo-
pie are proverbially noted shall turn
the tide back into the safe channel
of century of magnificent achieve
ment. Manifestly the State needs the
Christian college.
Church Cannot Do Without IT.
! But the church needs IL even more
cannot possibly permit its extinction
and will not. 1t is a matter of com
mon knowledge that the church has
always led In education. The first
universities of the Christian world
were differed by clergy only. and not
until 1892 did Iaymen acquire the right
Of serving on their teaching staffs.
In our own country all education was
OF the church tin Thomas jefferson
in 1915 founded the University of Vir-
GINA Even today of the somewhat
I more than four hundred colleges in
the United States. above three hun
( dred are of the church. II would
be equally gratifying TO record that
! seventy-five per cent of college stu
dents are enrolled with these colleges
but the fact is far different and the
disparity is growing annually greater.
II is time that the American people
the people of her churches, | mean,
were waking UP to the enormity OF
situation growing ominous with as
tonishing rapidity. / am no pessi-
mist; have confidence In the Chris
tian college and it's future, but l am
not blind. nor can I call my hopes my
facts, II is time to indulge In little
sober thinking along the line of eternal
rerities OF education in their relation
to national life and prosperity.
But what special need has the
church for the Christian college? Here
again let, facts speak. They are elo-
quent and convincing. The Christian
college furnishes eighty per cent OF the
ministers of the country; all other ed
ucational institutions of the higher
grade six per cent, OF foreign mis-
sloraries the proportion is greater
eighty-four per cent. from the CHRIS
titan college as against seven per cent
/ from all other colleges. More than
ninety per cent of the lay-workers in
! the various communions are estimat-
ed to come from these same Chris
tian colleges. great many young
men decide on the ministry during
! their college career in these colleges
! In State colleges many candidates for
the ministry at entrance have chosen
some other profession before gradua-
/ ton The Y. NJ. G. A. liz doing no.
BILE work In many Instances, but 1t
! cannot generate the spiritual atmos-
phere of the church, and 1t is the at
mosphere that makes life or death.
not only physically. but also spiritual
/ ly. The large decrease in candidates
for the ministry. deplored by all. may
be accounted for in part, no doubt. by
the unparalleled growth in power and
numbers of the State colleges, whose
students by the very necessity of their
aims are not drawn toward the gospel
ministry as the same of professions.
In our own State, one Christian col
lege with $50 students had in theo-
logical seminaries during the year
1910 sixty-one graduates: the State
| University with twice as great an en-
rollment, only four. One Christian
! college in Virginia has. during all its
existence, sent more than fifty per
cent Of It's graduates into the minis
try. and all its graduates have been
Christians The Christian college rare
ly graduates a student who is not a
Christian, while the State and other
colleges show a record just the oppo-
site. without doubt the church, too.
needs the Christian college.
; Relations Toward IT.
This discussion would not be COM
plete without an inquiry into the duty
and privilege of Christian men toward
these colleges. There will surely be
no opposing voice TO the proposition
that 1t is the duty Of the church to
provide for higher education. nor to
. p. s.14 10
:, the privilege Of Christian men and
women to avail themselves of the OPP
portunlty thus afforded for the very
best results educationaly for their
children The State colleges are sup
ported by taxation Their teachers are
we'll paid and etire-allowances are
provided. The same is true Of the, in
dependent colleges which are usually
: we'll endowed and for whose teachers
, 1.-THE Carnegie Foundation makes gem
erous provision. The teachers In the
Christian colleges are willing to serve
Il an appreciative constituency at H.
, nancial sacrifice, but the church
should see to II that this sacrifice
should be as small as possible and
) that provision is made for retiring al
= llowances when old age renders fur
l Their service impossible. No college
5 can earn enough money to pay its cur
rent expenses, TO SAY uplHlnS W III
terest on the cost of it's plant. An en-
dowment of 500. 600 is required of all
: colleges in many States, Of $1,000
| in others. none Of which can be in
s vested in buildings or equipment. This
is done not so much to crush out the
: weaker colleges as in recognition OF
= the fact that a college cannot do good
= work with a smaller productive in
. come beyond tuition and fees from
. students. I have no doubt that Chris
t tians will realize the strategic value
2 of these true colleges, and that gener-
= Gus provision IN equipment and en-
= dnwment will he made and an in
{ crease in enrolment, both actual and
4 relative. will ultimately be accorded
Germany Testing the Monroe Doctrine
In July. 1914. Germany made q
, proposition for customs control In
) Haitai. The note from the German
! embassy pointed out That. even though
the American Government believes ii
I III no Mt cd