The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-07
BAPTIST FATHERS WERE CONVINCED
HIGHER EDUCATION WAS NECESSARY
cmmak Religious Early History Denominations
Efforts Provide Iuflmn Tasks Christian Citizen
shp-How Richmond College Was Developed.

II ship-H,
Address delivered yesterday by DIR.
~. w. Cammack. Of the Religious
Herald. At the dedication Of the me-
mortal gateways marking the entrance
to the old site Of Richmond College:
On August IL, 1888. delegates from
hve Baptist Associations met at
Dupuy's Meeting House In Powhatan
(then Cumberland) County and re-
solved: That committee of I'VE per-
sons on each side of the James River
be appointed to forward the business
respecting a seminary OF learning"
We are not made familiar with all the
difficulties which confronted this COM
mittee of ten. They reported from
time to time. but no material results
are recorded. The Baptist fathers con-
Itinued the agitation of the question of
an institution of learning and later
committee of fourteen was appoint
ed to consider the best course to pur-
sue. Seven members of other de-
nominations were added. The salient
record of these activities show that In
those early days. even before the
founding OF the University of Virginia.
convinced that higher education was
necessary to the fulnlment of the tasks
| of Christian citizens
| On June 8, 1880. at o'clock in the
morning. In the Second Baptist Church
in this city, then located on Eleventh
Street. between Main and Cary, at
point still marked with the sign.
Church Court" the Virginia Baptist
Education Society was organized. Al
fifteen minutes past nine o'clock on
June 8. 1915. we assemble to dedicate
the memorial gateways which are to
mark for future generations the
bounds of the campus whereon the
work projected at that early hour.
four score and six years ago. by our
fathers. came to a glorious fruition.
SURPRISING the reach of their daring
faith. What brickmaker in Egypt
foresaw the glory Of solomon's
Temple?
| Small Beginnings.
| Thinking back to that little group
which met at the early hour when
Elder John Kerr presided Elder
James B. Taylor acted as secretary,
and Elder James Fife prayed, and
then thinking of the fruits Of that
! sacred hour we al moved to say first,
"Despise not the day of small things"
and second. What hath God
wrought On the evening Of June
the executive board Of the newly Gre
ated Education Society met in the
First Baptist Church and there were
present John Kerr. Edward Baptist.
/ ELI Ball. Henry Keeling, James r.
Taylor, Richard G.. Workman, George
r. Myers. witham Crane, Luther Rice,
James c. Crane. jeremiah r. letter.
Valentine NJ. Mason. James Fife,
r. B. G. Howell. J. III. Stegar and ]. c.
Judson II was on motion, Resolved.
/ That the corresponding secretary be
directed TIC prepare a circular for the
purpose Of explaining the objects Of
our society and of giving such infor-
nation as may direct inquiring appli-
| cants. and publish the same In the
Religious Herald" Thus was launched
in day movement which was
destined to go on as long as time shall
last. In the second year Of the enter
prise the brethren were sufficiently
encouraged to vote Brother Keeling"
a salary OF $50 per month that he
might go out and collect funds for the
proposed school and. In order that he
! might speed his work. they voted that
j $50 be used to purchase a horse. sad
die and Birdie: and last but not least
they voted to engage Brother Robert
Ryland at a salary of $500 per year
for his services as teacher"
was done in an irregular way at the
homes OF ministers and In the Virginia
Baptist Seminary. which was con-
Quoted at Spring Farm, the school
opened in 1884 on this campus near
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