Oberlin College - Hi-O-Hi Yearbook (Oberlin, OH)

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20 OBERLINIANA. It thus appears that extreme views did prevail here in those early times, but it was always the extremeness of conviction, and never that of dogmatism. They were feeling after the truth. This may also be shown by an incident often quoted a.s one of the most extreme. A Southern student had written anonymous letters con- taining outrageous propositions to a certain young lady. These letters were intercepted by some theological students, and a meeting appointed, under the lady's name, at a certain time and place. Said student was considerably surprised on said occasion at being seized, bound, and most severely flogged. Before flogging him, however, the theologues talked to him long and earnestly and prayed for him fervently. Afterwards, however, the leader in the punishment con- fessed, with tears in his eyes: HI was all wrong, all wrongg and yet, before God, Ithoughlf I was right. I thought I was serving Him. , The same man is now presiderft of a prominent Southern college. IVe of to-day would be willing to say that the young libertine did not get half what he deserved, yet the incident is quoted to show the remarkable sincerity among the early colonists and students. They acted, not under impulse, but from conviction, and were al- ways ready afterward, as in the instance above, to acknowl-edge their mistake if they had been in error. 94 ii- ' if Another peculiarity was the character of the Sabbath worship. Three long services per day were held. When the people became sleepy it was customary to rise and remain standing. Thus, often several hundred would be on their feet at once, and no comment was excited. President Finney was very plain-spoken and direct in his sermons. He would pray for the owner of a cow which was in the habit of wandering around promiscuously, and the act was not con- sideredridiculous. He could do what other men could not. I-Ie might pray for the organist with reference to his proneness to vani- ity, or for some professor who was inclined to be lazy, and no one -could take offense. In any other this would have been unpardon- able. Although the community was so positive and settled in its own views, yet the people were never intolerant. Representatives of every creed and faith were permitted to speak in public, but it was customary to provide for a reply the same or the following night. The monopoly of intolerance was in'the hands of Oberlirfs blatant enemies. The simplicity in dress and manners was marked, yet in perfect keeping with the spirit of the work to be done. President Finney

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, PIONEER REMINISGENCES. 19' In 1842 the first church, still in excellent condition, was begun. It was said, in those early chronicles, to admit 2,700 people and shade half as many more? Doubtless this was extravagant, but certainly it was the largest building in the State for years. The- worshipping body in the church was also the largest, with one- exception, in the whole country. The resident membership rose to 1,200, the choir numbered 150 trained singers, and grand almost be- yond conception was the melody they made. p Incidents might be multiplied almost endlessly, exhibiting the early spirit of the place. It was an ideal. community, a sort of prophecy of half a century later. Somewhat like the early disci- ples, they had all things measurably in common. ' . ' 55 i ' 5? 95 ' The two following incidents illustrate the spirit of honesty which prevailed in the early days. WVe believe that the same spirit of in- tegrity permeates the college to-day, and that the same could re- occur did the occasion arise. ' A professor relates how the farmers about Oberlin used to bring in nuts, apples, potatoes and other such produce, and tie them in bags to the fence in the college yard. The price of the articles was marked on the bags, and' the owners would then go off about other business. On their return at night they would find the proper money in the otherwise empty sacks. 66 ar it -Rev. Geo. Thompson says that at one time during his student days, he made a long trip into the country one afternoon and brought back a quantity of apples. These were placed in a basket in one of the halls of Tappan, with a card marking the price. The students helped themselves and left the required amount of money in place of the apples, X- . Much has been said of the forms of diet observed. Tea, coffee, salt, pepper and meat were banished, even at the hotel, even warm food was at one time deprecated. ' Afterward what was called meat was served at the boarding-hall once a week. President Finney and other ministers preached openly against these indulgences. The boarding-hall at one time afforded two grades of board, the fifty and seventy-five cent tables. The first was called the t'Graham Table, as providing that quality of bread with cold water, for breakfast and supper, with a half bowl of milk added for dinner. The higher priced or Vegetable Tablej, had a little more variety, but furnished no pies or cakes. '

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Q I PIONEER REMINISCENCES. 21 was once presented with a beautiful cloak, he refused, however, to Wear it, preferring to part with it that the poor might not suffer for clothing. A notice, which would seem very-strange should it appearin these days when Oberlin students are constantly sending boxes oi' clothing to the needy of other places, Was printed in the Oberlin Evangelist for 1840. MAID on 1NDrGEN'r STUDENTS. The Oberlin Board of Education would respectfully suggest to their patrons that articles of clothing are of great value to the in- digent students under their care. There is constant demand for all kinds, especially for socks, shirts, bosoms, and collars, fulled or broad cloth, and also such articles as are suitable for the Warm season. The two latter kinds may Well be sent before being made up. Dona- tions in money are also earnestly solicited. tThe Lord loveth a cheerful giver., L. BURNELL, Acting Agentf' 96 79 96 To illustrate the privations endured in the early days an old set- tler tells us of having paid out his last dollar one Winter for t'shorts Hour and carrying it home on his back through snow knee- deep. Having helped his Wife to prepare some of it in the shape of griddle cakes they discovered, at the last moment, that there was no grease. The old saying: t4When poor, grease your griddle with corn cobs, came to their aid,-and the experiment proved a success. A king never enjoyed his banquet more than these pioneers did those cakes. V In those same days for endurance the gentlemenis pants were often made out of cotton bed-ticking. Clearing up land was the oc- cupation for the winter days. Economy, diligence, sobriety and faithfulness were lessons cheerfully learned, and which have never been forgotten. A Q