GREENVILLE, S. C., Oct. 25, 1860: We now number thirty-one
students, adding one more from Mississippi to a statement which will probably appear
in the “Herald” of to-day. We feel encouraged by the increase, and by the
general character of the students, and the spirit they manifest. My class in
New Testament Greek numbers sixteen. They are nearly all graduates of colleges
and universities, but the standard of graduation, and often of instruction, is
deplorably low in most of the institutions of the land, and I find it necessary
to spend a good part of the session in teaching Greek in general, classic
Greek, which they ought to have learned at college. But I can better afford to
do this since they go over a large portion of the New Testament in the English
class. The difference in other theological seminaries is, not that they have
students better prepared, but that they make little or no effort to remedy the
evil. . . I have two of last year's
students reading, once a week, some selections from the Greek Fathers; and
Brother Boyce is doing something similar this year, with some of the Latin
Fathers. This would be impracticable in a seminary where there was a
curriculum, the same for all. . .
I am glad to say that my health continues about as good as in
September. If I can be careful still, I trust I shall be able to go steadily
through the session. But it is not easy to be careful.
Please remember me most respectfully to your honored
grandmother, to your uncle, and all the family. Mr. Barbour may be interested
in the opinion (though of course he is better posted on the whole subject than
I am) which I formed upon the statements of gentlemen here, that in the event
of Lincoln's election, South Carolina will certainly not secede alone, but will
gladly join any one other State, and that her secession leaders will move
heaven and earth to aid their sympathizers in Alabama and Virginia with the hope
of such a result. Very many people here are as much opposed to a dissolution of
the Union as you or I, but there can be little doubt that a majority of the
voters in the State would be in favor of seceding with any other State.
Two or three books that I think would please you are, “Five
Sermons on St. Paul,” by A. Monod (from the French); “Memoir of Kingman Nott”; “Angus'
Bible Handbook.” All small volumes.
SOURCE: Archibald Thomas Robertson, Life and Letters of John Albert Broadus, p. 176-177
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