The Gavelyte, July 1915

.. CEDARVILLE COLLEGE RESIG~ATION OF DR. )l'KINNEY. 1n p:·c,;enting to the Board of Trustees his resignation as Presi- dent of Ccdarvi!lc College, Dr. McKinney said: "I respect,full~.. present to you my resignatior. as P1·esidPnt of Ceda1-vilfo to take cffec~ Fdday, .Jnne 4th, 1915, after tlle Comrncn-:e- ment." · "J have be'.d :.lii:1 office :for 21 years. Durin,;,: tliat period the per- soricl of your board has changed s8veral timc·8. l >'-m the only re- rna'ir,ing member of the board which elected me in May; 1894. I acce11tcd this ollice wilh reluctance bccarnir- it was urged upon me by inen whose opinions and judgment I valued. I have carried on the woTk ·,vi.rll what abilitv and enth 1 Jsiasm l could command. During my administration three building.~ bave been added, the en- dowment has been 11~ore than quadrupleci, contributions from indiYi<l- uals-and churches for current expenses llavc increased until now they are a pcrmnnent and no inconsideTable p:trt of the resources of the C(;Uegc. The reputation of the colleri;e h:is been ffrmly estahlishe,l. Us good work has been recognized. The Alumni nre devoted in theh- allcgiance to their Alma Mater. They arc increasing- in. numbers. '!'hey a1·c now found in all parts of the world. ·The college can now look to them conlidently for the support they at'e now capable and willing to give. The condition of the collf-ge is ~ood, the prospcl't is encouraging. It seems a propitionF time fo1· a change of administra- tion which must inevitably have come in a few years. I question the wisdom of a lonrrer ten11re in the office. Twenty-011e ycrri·s i8 lorn,· ('nongh time for any man to do bis best werk in an office of this kind.. Possibly if I could have devoted my entfre time to this work more could have been accomplished. That fr: an open question. It is no,\' too late :for any change of this kind. Hut that qnesUon sugii:ests what I have' nlways believed to be a great need oi this colle_~e: a resi- dent 1iresident who can enter into, affect. an<l direct every phase of the colle.Fe life. A number of times good friends of t.he college hav,, urged me to vive myself exclusjvely to the-work of the coll('<~e. Last year members of youl' board un~ed me th3t I give up mv other work and become the resident president of the college. Were I to· continue in this office accordinr; to the pl:ii, of the past I could reasonab1y e'<- pect that very soon the alternative would be present<cd to take up this full work or permit some one else to do so. The change in my church relations during the past year has hastened this crisis. That chanQ·e would affect my ability to serve the college if the present relation ,vere to continue. l\Iy desire has always been to promote the good of the college. Heretofore that seemed to he fo,· me to continue here even with the limited amount of time T eould v,ive, But now the situation has changed. Long ago I came to the conclusion that when I mu.,t choose between the· college and the church I wou 1 d retain my pulpit. "\.Voe is me if I preach not the gospel." Thal j~ tl1e one. work of mv life. 'l'ogetl1er with this T am not wiliing: to leave th~ ·citv whel"F I have spent the best part of my life. 1 have refused opportunities to g-o elsewhere \Vith better prospectR. And now 1 am less indinf'd than ever to sunder ties of work and friendship that have .cntwin,,d .them- selves about the roots of mv life. T low• that old cit;v, and ple:rne God I should like to stay there, You have ahvavs expected me to initiate plans fo1· the collere. So I have faced this situation and afi a result I urge upon you the acceptance nf '"" resi,tnati6n as presi- dent of the college in order that a new pi-esident \Vho can give• his entire time to the work may he elected. The future of the college .. 3