and whose whole life was illustrated and beautified by a sincere and consistent devotion to the principles of his religious faith. As a teacher, Dr. Way land was remarkably original. He always aimed to make his pupils think for themselves, and, therefore, encouraged in the recitation room every one who had doubts upon any particular point, to state them freely. When he perceived that the enquirer was honestly searching for the truth, no one could be more attentive, or take more pains to make the point at issue perfectly clear. It is truly stated by his biographers, that, in these and all similar cases, he never argued for victory, but for truth; and when he became satisfied that his own positions were unsound, he was prompt to acknowledge the error. At the same time, however, he hated shams of every description; and when he discovered in the questioner a disposition to excite a useless discussion for the mere purpose of display, or any other frivolous object, his manner of terminating the debate was very summary. The following instance is in point:
A sceptical student, promising himself the pleasure of a prolonged controversy, once informed the president that he had been unable to discover any internal evidence that the Old Testament was inspired. "For instance, take the Book of Proverbs, certainly, it needed no inspiration to write that portion of the Bible. A man not inspired could have done it just as well. Indeed, I have often thought I could write just as good proverbs myself." "Very well, my son, perhaps you can," was the prompt reply. "Suppose you make the experiment. Prepare a few proverbs and read them to the class to-morrow. The next."
It was also his delight to inspire in his pupils an equal enthusiasm with himself in the discussion of the various topics that came under discussion. The great secret of this was, that "he never chilled them by any formality of manner, nor intimidated them by any needless display of personal dignity. While his discipline was strict, and his authority absolute and undisputed, he never, for a moment, forgot that his duty as an instructor required him to present truth in its most winning and attractive form to the minds of his pupils." Thus, many, whose footsteps have long ceased to echo through college halls, still recall the too-brief hour devoted to his recitations as the most agreeable incidents of their college life.
It has been frequently alleged against Dr. Wayland, both as a teacher and as a man, that he was stern, imperious, and dictatorial, without charity for human frailty. Nothing can be more unjust. His own ideal of right rendered him, it is true, at all times, impatient of wilful wrong in others; but once he was convinced that a person sincerely endeavored to do right—even though the flesh sometimes got the mastery—no one was more gentle and loving than this stern man. His practical kindnesses toward students struggling after an education, were both numerous and delicate.
Nor was this sternness—as many have supposed—habitual. Once freed from the official harness, his intercourse with all was marked
