In South Carolina. 575 



Public education is in its nature adapted to the inculcation of 

 religion, thus proved to be essential to constitute it a blessing, and 

 not a curse. Its precepts are analogous to those of private educa- 

 tion, being merely extended on a higher scale, and removed to a 

 different sphere. The same principles and aims govern, whether 

 instruction be given at home, in the academy, or in the college. 

 These public institutions have opportunities to exercise a religious 

 influence of a very decided character. The two great conditions 

 required are, first, religious teachers, and secondly, religious teach- 

 ing. There can be no such thing as adequate religious instruction 

 without religious teachers, and religious teachers, without the priv- 

 ilege of giving definite religious instruction, labor under serious 

 disadvantages. They may, by their spirit, their example, and their 

 incidental allusions, be highly influential in recommending religion 

 to their pupils, but to maintain that definite religious instruction is 

 of no use in public institutions is to exalt Christian example at the 

 expense of Christian truth, or rather to dishonor the latter in com- 

 parison with the former. Both must be combined, and the truth of 

 God must be taught in connection with secular learning by God- 

 fearing men. Under such conditions, literary institutions are hope- 

 ful places for the nurture of our youth in knowledge, both secular 

 and divine. 



The South Carolina Conference is anxiously laboring for that 

 perfection of her educational system by which the wants of the 

 people who wait on her ministry shall be fully and completely met. 

 That system consists, at present, of Wofford College, designed to 

 impart such higher instruction as is given in the first-class male 

 colleges of our country; the Cokesbury Institute, which, in addition 

 to its relation as the principal preparatory school to Woffbrd, is also 

 adapted to give instruction to such classes of students as from ina- 

 bility or want of disposition are not inclined to take a regular col- 

 lege course ; and such other schools as either in the persons of their 

 principals or patrons are disposed to favor the cause of Christian 

 education; and for the education of the daughters of the Church 

 the Columbia Female College, the Spartanburg Female College, the 

 Carolina Female College, and the Davenport Female College, which 

 are adapted to give the highest instruction common to such institu- 

 tions, and are also provided each with efficient preparatory depart- 

 ments. 



In November, 1863, the President of Wofford Col 



