The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-06-03
Inaugural Address
William CoodeIl Frost Berea College, June I'll, 1893

swamp angel tailed 10 capture
Charleston by a direct siege Of four
years. sherman swept the country
behind Charleston, and captured the
city by turning his back on it, Our
cities may be purified by air from
these Cumberland Mountains. The
verdi is redeemed by the thought
and prayer and youthful consecra-
ton which find birth In classic
shades like these.
And in doing this quiet, leavening,
educational work, Berea is accom-
plishing a far greater mission, and
one which is shared by no other
college in the land. We have a race
problem in America. The Lord
might have saved us vast deal OF
| trouble in this world If he had made
us all white, or all black On this
difference Of color, men have built
up a system of caste-an arlstoc-
racy of complexion. We believe
that such a race prejudice is op-
posed to the American idea, and OPP
posed 10 the Christian idea. II IL
detrimental TO both races. Too
many white boys feel that they do
not need to be educated or enter
lrrising-they belong TO the super
Tor class" and have accomplished
all they ever need tn accomplish III
simply beng born v,h.tel Too many
colored boys feel that it is no use
for them TO attempt to improve
they can never be anything but
servants and underlings. No mat
ter how educated or how worthy
they might become, they must al
WAYS ride in the Jim Crow" car,
and sit in the negro pew. And this
IL not all. The two races are grow
my up in the same territory with
sullen and hostile feelings.
The cure for this state of things,
the safeguard against we know not
what of danger, is to stand by Gods
principle that character and mora!
orth shall be the sole criterion Of
merit. Let every man feel that he
may be respected on one condition,
and one Only-that he will increase
his personal worthiness.
This cure Berea College is apply
ing, in this Southern State, this GEN.
trail region of the Union. II is a
wonderful providence which has
enabled us TO do this. Berea is not
an invasion from the North-it grew
where it stands. Kentucky has the
most varied products of any State
IN the Union, and this is one Of
them. The founders were Kentuck-
/ ians, and their courage has won the
respect of the whole South. II is
one of my regrets to-day that was
not born in Kentucky. ! intend at
least to die herel The mountain
whites" stand by US. The State has
placed a Berea graduate at the
head of one of its normal schools.
This is the only place, as General
Armstrong used TO say, where the
lion and the lamb lie down tOgeth-
err The white student learns TO
respect character in all men; the
cOlOred student learns to get on
with white people without being
either cringing or obtrusive. In
fact, we forget that there is a race
prOblem-and that is its best solu-
ton.
Thus it is that Berea stands as an
Object-lessOn TO the world-a dem
OnstratiOn that what is right is also
practicable.
Now, if all this is not Christ's
work, what can be? II it is his
work, he will sustain it through our
efforts. Graves and Roswell Smith,
and others who have aided in the
past, are dead, but the Lord is not
dead.
IL is a blessed thing that the
Lords work is carried forward on
the cooperative plan. He does not
intend that any one person should
say, Il did it," sympathy for this
cause has overleaped all boundaries
Cf section and OF sect, realizing, in
a limited but prophetic way, the
longed-fOr contamination Of Chris
tian union.
How many lives have been, in
whole or in part, built into this col
lege. We are partners with the
living and the dead. Hundreds OF
donors, friends and former students
are with us in thought to-day, And
if the blessed dead know aught Of
what is passing here, we are COM
passed about by a cloud Of wit