Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

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an honest man's the noblest work of God. IIe was wholly nnprctentioiis, absolutely without ostentation, free from the shoddyism and seltlcxaltation sometimes seen ill the pulpit ot' the present day. His worth was that of solid and pure gold, and l1is influence iV6l1t to make people humble, and honest and truthful and good. Dr. Atkinsonis service to the church and the world apart from Ztlltl beyond the work perforined by him as the head of a Christian household, the citizen of a free COll11HOIlXVQillfl1, the trusted friend, tl1e courteous and hospitable host and neighbor, and in the other 111ore private relations of life, was performed chieliy ill two directions: First, as a Christian minister, a11d second, as the President of Halnpden-Sidney College, a Christian College. In regard to the fiI'St poi11t, it goes without saying that he was an able and faithful minister of the gospel. The care he took to tit himself for the sacred oiiice by completing a regular and full collegiate and theological course supplemented by post-graduate study, gave assurance that he would be equally faithful a11d diligent in discharging its duties after they were i1SSl.l1H9Cl. He felt the need of CO1l11flQtGIlt scholarship, that he might correctly understzmd and expound Grod's word, and he obtained it before presuming to obtrude himself into tl1is responsible position. He became an accurate and trustworthy theologian, 4' able rightly to divide the word of truth, witl1 a. thorough comprehension of the system of doctrine taught ill the sacred scriptures and was 't ready always to give an answer to every man that asked l1i111 a reason of the hope that was i11 him. As a preacher, he was QV21l1g9liC2ll, instructive and earnest. As a pastor, he was faithful, sympathetic and unwearied. The writer happens to have known some members of l1is congregations at XVarrenton and Georgetown, and the affectionate and honorable regard in whicl1 he was held by them is the highest testimony to l1is ministerial efficiency. Another evidence of the same thing is the relatively large I1ll1HlJG1' of students from Northern Virginia, where he was best known, who attended Hampden-Sid11ey duri11g his administration. - 15

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from Halnpden-Sidney College. At the opening of the war between the States, he organized a eompany from among the students of the college-sixty strong-of which he became captain and commanded with undaunted courage during the brief period of its separate history. 'lille retined home in which Dr. Atkinson was reared, was situated three or four miles from the city of Petersburg, and was surrounded by families of culture and independent means. Three of his brothers became ministers ot' the gospel, the eldest ot' whom was Williani M. Atkinson. ll. D., sometime a lawyer in Petersburg, afterwards a devoted minister, and pastor ot' the Presbyterian Church in YVinchester, Virginiag the second, Thomas Atkinson, D. D., LL.D.. ot' the Episcopal Church, the distinguished Bishop ofthe Diocese of North Carolina, and the third, Rev. Joseph M. Atkinson. D. D., for many years pastor ot' the Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. The two latter were alumni ot' Hampden-Sidney College. The social environment ot' Dr. Atkinsou's youth was genial and inspiring and exerted a profound intluenee on his subsequent life. Reared in a pure, chivalric and Christian atmos- phere, with shining examples of true nobility ot' character and virtuous conduct constantly before him, in his own family and the community in which he dwelt, he naturally termed ideals which at once weaned him from everything sordid and incited him to seek the best thingsg and early acknowledging his allegiance to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, to whose word he bowed with reverence and whose law he accepted as the guide of his life, he gave himselt' unreservedly to the service of his heavenly Master, in ettorts to hallow and bless and save l1is fellowmen. Duty early became his watehword. WVhatever it commanded, he did! wherever it led, he went. Conseientious tidelity, was the moving force of his con- duct: earetiil and candid in investigation, his allegiance to its results was absolute. Show him the right and you would know exactly where to lind him. This was the supreme charac- teristic, the eontrolling principle of his life. It' ever there was an honest man, in the broadest and highest sense ot' the term, -T. SI. P. Atkinson was one, and in this sense, it is true that 14

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Valuable, however. as were his labors, in the direet work of the ministry, it is perhaps true, that the great service pertormed by l1im was as President and Professor of Moral l'hilosophy in Hampden-Sidney College. To the discharge of these duties he came in the maturity ot' his powers, bringing with him a rich experienee garnered in intimate Contact with mankind, with a thoroughly furnished and trained mind and a full appreciation of the importance of, and a sincere atleetion for, the institution whose destinies were placed in his hands. Taking the helm at a time when the College had enjoyed unwonted prosperity under the brilliant presidency ot' the gifted Green, he addressed himself to his duties with sneh assiduity and suceess that no loss was felt in the change of administration but everything moved evenly on. the numbers and morale of the College being fully maintained up to the period ofthe war. As a teaeher Dr. Atkinson was painstaking, accurate and thorough. As a eollege otlicer, he was perhaps, a little too rigid and exaeting in his expectations and require- ments, but always solieitous tor the weltare of his students and anxious by all the means in his power to promote their temporal and spiritual interests. As President, he represented the institution with dignity and sua,-cess, being ever on the alert to bring it to the front and by his well-directed Gil'iJl'tS won to it many friends. During his administration the funds ofthe eollegc were increased from S70,ooo to 251150001 important and expensive improvements were made to the college buildings and residences, a second professor in the department of Ancient Languages was added, instruetion in German and French was introduced, the Bible Course was established and the professorship ot' English and History ewas created. Thus both tl1e material and literary position ofthe college was advanced by him to a far greater extent than by any other president in its history, with the possible exception of Dr. Jonathan P. Cushing, flxfl to 1835 Q, and that during a period mostly eovered by domestic war and the evils uf' reefinstruction and its desolatiug consequences. At the same time he was sending out into the ditlerent professions and employments hundreds of honorable and in