BETHANY COLLEGE.

            This is the Theological Seminary of the New Sect, known in these States as “the Campbellites.” Its founder and president is the Rev. Alexander Campbell after whom the denomination is named. In the early part of his career he was inveterately opposed to schools for the education of young men for the ministry; but by the following extract from his Millennial Harbinger, it appears he now approves them, and is greatly in favor of Almae Matres and endowments! Hear him: —

            “Our brethren are beginning to see the bearing of Bethany College upon the fortunes and progress of the Reformation. Her graduates, who have entered the evangelical field, are proving themselves worthy of their Alma Mater, and, more and better worthy of their high and responsible position before God and man. The intelligent and conscientious portions of the brotherhood are beginning, in a very general degree, to see and acknowledge that our college must be sustained, and the number of her students must be increased. Education is the great handmaid of religion, and we want educated minds to train the vineyard of the Lord; mind educated, not only intellectually, but morally, religiously; educated not only in the subtleties of metaphysics, and the learning of the dead, but in the pure ethics of inspiration, and the learning of that word which liveth and abideth forever. These, Bethany College has proved herself able to furnish, if the brethren will but support her in the work. We still believe they will do so; and though nine years have rolled by and she is yet unendowed, the prospects are beginning to be fairer, and we trust that before another year shall have elapsed, she will be on a better footing to secure for herself a permanent and lasting influence for good.

            “Since last year, subscriptions nearly equal to the endowment of the chair of sacred history, have been obtained; of which a portion has been collected, and the remainder bearing interest. The State of Kentucky has taken this chair. Indiana has proposed to endow the chair of ancient languages. And it is presumed that the Missouri brotherhood will endow the chair of natural philosophy. But of these matters we shall speak more in detail in our next number. We would now state to the brethren in Kentucky, that we will expect to receive the entire amount of their subscriptions at the annual convention in Lexington, in November next, at which we hope to be present. Also, at the same time, we will receive the amounts due on unconditional scholarship bonds, given by that State for reducing the price of tuition. We expect also, the week before, to be present at the Cincinnati convention; and the week following at the Indiana convention at Indianapolis. Those desirous of seeing us on these occasions, will please attend these very interesting meetings.”

SCHOLIA.

            The italics in the above are ours except the words Alma Mater.

“The Reformation.”—A phrase signifying an attempt, began some years ago in these States, to return to the christianity of the apostolic era in faith and practice. The endeavour made some progress for a few years, but was rendered null and void in the hands of its originators, because of their ambition, worldliness, and want of intelligence in the word. The “bearing of Bethany College on its fortunes and progress” is seen in its rapid retrogression, caused by its carnalizing influence wherever it prevails; and the corrupting agency of the boy-evangelicals it sends forth with a smattering of “sacred history,” to officiate as the hirelings of “the churches.” Perceiving the ruinous tendency of things, we withstood its leaders to the face, protested against their evil deeds, called the attention of the people from them to the things they had betrayed, unfolded the gospel of the kingdom, and so carried on the advocacy of “the reformation,” President Campbell and his coadjutors have so perversely, and unblushingly abandoned. Bethany College is the Apollyon of “the reformation” if our advocacy be suppressed.

“The intelligent and conscientious portions of the brotherhood.”—These are the present and future patrons of the college! The others, who regard it as an evil, are, of course, neither one nor the other.

“OUR College must be sustained.”—No matter what becomes of Bacon and other colleges patronised by “the brotherhood,” ours must monopolise the cash! Poor Bacon has been ruined by this necessity.

“The vineyard of the Lord.”—The yard where lord Campbell’s vine is trained by the Bethany vinedressers. “He looked that it should have brought forth grapes, but it brings forth wild grapes;” and if those in these parts be a fair sample, they are very sour!

“She is yet unendowed.”—This is an important item in the account. As few marry old ladies for love, an unendowed widow would have but a sorry chance of a second husband. It is very considerate, therefore, of Mrs. Bethany’s present spouse to provide for her a handsome dowry, that she may not only not be left dependant upon the cold charity of the world, but be also at a premium with professors of piety, when he has gone to his fathers. The children of this world are wise in their generation; and so is the husband of Alma Mater Bethaniae. He would endow her by subscription, and make her Mother of a Sect, whose children shall glorify him as a second Wesley, when they grind divinity in the millennium of which he is now the harbinger! Certainly she must be endowed. It will enhance the value of the coal fields beneath, and the broad acres above, and the town lots around the Fostering Mother! She will keep the sect together, and be the patroness of its vested interests to the end of time. Like all other mothers of her class, she will preserve “the pure ethics of inspiration” from all heretical contamination. Her future spouses, like the present, will be the Papas (anglice, Popes,) of her admiring progeny; and the holy guardians of the faith, and dispensers of the good things to those who glorify her name. By all means, then, endow her; for what would become of “the Lord’s vineyard” if Bethany College were to fail!

“The chair of Sacred History.”—That is, the chair of Bethanian Divinity, which resolves the gospel into historical facts, and makes its faith the belief of history; for it teaches that historical faith is the very best faith! It is the chair that constitutes Bethany College a theological institution.

“We will expect.”—A Scotch-Irish barbarism for we do, or shall, expect to receive—a provincialism the learned should be careful to avoid. What a grandiloquous array of States! “Kentucky has taken” this; “Indiana has proposed” that; while it is “presumed that Missouri” will do the thing broadly hinted to be done! And the Conventions too! There in Lexington; here in Cincinnati, and yonder in Indianapolis! The Bethany speculation must be the great mountain that is to fill the whole earth! Our heads become dizzy in beholding its towering altitude! After all this Bethanian castle is but a chateau en Espagne—a fairy building in the air. The fabric of a vision ere long to be dispelled by the unexpected, sudden, and stealthy coming of the Lord of all.

EDITOR.