Baptist Educational Institutions in the 19th Century
By A. H. Newman, 1894The work of the denomination in literary and theological education during the past fifty years has been too large and manifold to be treated advantageously in the space that is available. Most of the colleges North and South founded before 1845 have survived and have greatly added to their endowments, equipment, and usefulness. Brown University, the oldest of them all, was never so prosperous as within the last few years. Its endowment and equipment have made rapid strides, and the number of its students has greatly increased. Its present staff numbers 66, and its assets aggregate $2,979,570. Colgate University (the successor of the old Hamilton Theological Institute and Madison University) has been amply endowed and equipped by the sons of William Colgate and is going rapidly forward in arts and theological work. The late President E. Dodge doubtless deserves chief credit for what has been accomplished. It has property and endowments valued at $2,265,000
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The University of Rochester was founded in 1850 as a result of an effort to remove the institution from Hamilton. Under the presidency of Martin B. Anderson, one of the ablest of educators, the university attained to the front rank of denominational institutions. Under President David J. Hill it is still advancing. Its property and endowments now amount to $1,129,262. The Rochester Theological Seminary was an offshoot of the university (1851). The late Ezekiel G. Robinson gave it a commanding position by his strong personality and his power as a teacher. Under Augustus H. Strong, an educator and writer of high rank (1872 onward), large additions have been made to endowment and equipment, and there has been progress in many directions. Its assets aggregate $777,515.Newton Theological Institution, though venerable with age, has lost nothing of the elasticity of youth. During the long presidency of Alvah Hovey, one of the foremost educators and theological authors of the denomination, it has maintained its position as one of the leading theological seminaries of th.e country. Steady progress has been made in endowment and equipment. It has a faculty of 10, and assets valued at $639,603.
The Baptist Union Theological Seminary (founded in 1867, now the Divinity School of the University of Chicago) had already attained to a position of usefulness and influence not greatly surpassed by the older institutions of the denomination when in 1890 it became a department of the University of Chicago. George W. Northrup, one of the ablest theologians and most inspiring teachers that the denomination has produced, was president up to 1890. The present dean is Eri B. Hulbert. It has 12 instructors, and its assets are valued at $525,000.
Crozer Theological Seminary (Upland, Pa.) was founded a year later. It has enjoyed the efficient services of
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President Henry G. Weston from the beginning, and has under his leadership, and with the generous support of the Crozer family and others, taken its place side by side with the other great theological institutions that have been mentioned, all of which are so excellent that comparisons would be invidious. It has a staff of 8 and assets worth $594,500.The founding of the University of Chicago (incorporated 1890, opened 1892) has already been referred to. President William R. Harper, one of the foremost teachers of oriental languages, with the financial support of John D. Rockefeller and others, has placed this new institution alongside of Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Cornell, as one of the great universities of America. Its property and endowments now aggregate more than $6,500,000 and are likely to be largely increased. More than $4,000,000 have been given by the chief founder. The number of instructors has already reached 162.
Columbian University has gone steadily forward in endowments and usefulness. Although its property and endowments amount to only a little over $1,000,000, it enjoys unique facilities from its location in the national capital. In all departments there are 112 instructors and 900 students. The late President James C. Welling deserves much of the credit for the expansion of the work of the university.
The rest of the colleges founded since 1844 may be mentioned in alphabetical order. Many of them have fair endowments and all are doing valuable work. Baylor University, Waco, Texas (1845), has long had at its head Rufus C. Burleson, a man of marked ability. It has 27 instructors, 800 students, and property and endowments valued at $402,000. Bethel College, Russellville, Ky., has 7 instructors and assets of $235,000. Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa. (1846), J. W. Harris president, has a faculty
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of 22 and property and endowments valued at $650,000. California College, Oakland (1874), is presided over by S. B. Morse, and has a faculty of 9 and assets worth $107,000. Carson-Newman College, Mossy Creek, Tennessee, presided over by J. T. Henderson, has a faculty of 10 and assets worth $104,000. Central University, Pella, lowa (1858), is prospering under the administration of President John Stuart. Des Moines College, Iowa (1865), has H. L. Stetson for its president, is affiliated with the University of Chicago, has 11 instructors, and its assets amount to $180,000. Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina (1852), is presided over by Charles Manly, and has 10 instructors and assets valued at $150,000. Howard Payne College, Brownwood, Texas (1890), has J. D. Robnett for its president, 13 instructors, and property worth $90,000. Kalamazoo College, Michigan (1855), has 8 instructors and assets worth $217,000. La Grange College, Mo. (1866), J. F. Cook president, has 8 instructors and assets valued at $50,000. Leland University, New Orleans (1870), E. C. Mitchell president, has 15 instructors and assets worth $253,750. Los Angeles College, California (1887), has 8 instructors and assets valued at $55,000. McMinnville College, Ore. (1859), T. G. Brownson president, has 5 instructors and $68,800 worth of assets. Mississippi College, Clinton, Miss. (1850), R. A. Venable president, has 7 instructors and $90,000 in buildings and endowments. Mount Lebanon College, La. (1854), W. C. Robinson president, has 9 instructors and property valued at $32,000. Ottawa University, Kansas (1865), F. W. Colgrove president, has a staff of 12 and assets equal to $128,640. Ouachita College, Ark. (1886), is presided over by J. W. Conger, and has a staff of 14 and assets valued at $72,000. Sioux Falls University, South Dak. (1883), has E. D. Meredith for president, 8 instructors, and assets valued at $43,000
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Southwestern University, Jackson, Tenn. (1849), G. M. Savage president, has 7 instructors and property and endowments valued at $142,500. William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri (1849), J. P. Greene president, has 12 instructors and assets valued at $303,629.The number of ladies' colleges and seminaries is too great for even brief mention. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. (1861), occupies a position so unique that it may well be singled out for special mention. It ranks in endowment, equipment, and in the grade and quality of its work with the best colleges for men. It has a staff of 45, and property and endowments amounting to $1,941,956, due chiefly to the benefactions of the Vassar family. The present head of the institution, James M. Taylor, ranks high among the educators of the country.
The Regular Baptists of America have 7 theological seminaries, besides theological departments in several of the colleges; 36 universities and colleges; 32 ladies' seminaries of various grades; 47 coeducational seminaries and academies; and 31 institutions for colored people and Indians. The aggregate value of educational property and endowments exceeds $33,000,000.
========================= [From A. H. Newman, A History of the Baptist Churches in the United States, 1894. The title is supplied. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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