The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-27 00:00:00

RUGBY TBRCENTENARK

The tercentenary of Rugby School was cele-
brated yesterday with great festivity. The general holi-
day was observed, and the town was quite en flee. The
residents displayed oharacteristib determination to show
respect to the memory of the illustrious founder of
this famous seminary, Lawrence Sheriff. The sm.
vices of four bands were engaged. The Odd Fellows
and other friendly societies took part, and the day's
rejoicings passed off with great eclat. It being the annual
speech day, as well as the tercentenary, the coca.
sion drew together a numerous and fashionable assem-
blage of visitors, including a number of old Rugbeiaus,
who thus evinced their attachment to this institution
In the morning service was held in the chapel. The
sermon was preached by Dr. Temple. The annual
speeches began in the great school at three, before a bril-
liant company.

The tercentenary was celebrated in the evening by a
banquet at the Town Hall,which was elaborately decorated
for the occasion. A large and distinguished company,
consisting for the most part of old Rugbeians,was present.
The Very Rev. the Dean of Westminster presided, and
he was supported on the right by the Rev. Dr. Temple,
Lord Leigh, the Rev. C. W. Holbech, Mr. \V. Dickens.
Colonel Fans, M.P.. the Rev. 11. Biddulph, Mr. T. t'. S.
Hynneraley, and Mr. J. E. Curry ; and upon the left by
the Bishop of London, the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, the Rev.
H. Buckeill, the Venerable Archdeacon Sandford, the
Right Hon. G. J. Geechen, 3Ll'., Sir James Ferguson,
Bart., M.P., Sir James Stewart, Bart., the Hon. W. Ward,
R.N., Mr. C. M. Caldecott, and Archdeacon Philpotts. A
number of ladies were present to hear the poatpnusdial
speeches. Before the list of toasts was commenced, Mr.
Caldecott read the following letter :
" Rugby, June 26, 1867.—My dear Mr. Caldecott,— Will
you oblige us by handing over the accompanying letter to
you committee. It announces a contribution to the
Tercentenary funds of 2071. ; and may be entered, we
think, as • a token of regard from parents of foundational,
and other friends of the school in Rugby.' If you can,
I shall be glad if you will let me have the letter again when
you have done with it, that I may get the signatures of a
few friends who are absent.—Your very faithfully, G.
FRYER." (('heers.)
The Bishop of LONDON, in reply to a toast to " The
Church," said that all great educational institutions
in this country, whatever they might be, were con-
nected with the church. (Hear, hear.) Some great
educational institutions had been founded in ill times
by famous bishops of the middle ages. The great
Chancellor of England, who founded Winchester, lived
ins. the recollection of all who were lovers of learning ;
but Rugby School, quite ae much as Wiuchester, was con-
nected with the church. It was not indeed founded by
medieval bishops, but it was founded at the time of the
Reformation by an English layman of the middle classes.
(Hear, hear.) Three hundred years had since then passed,
and Rugby School had attained an amount of distinction
which probably their founder never contemplated, and it
might be that though be desired to promote education
in the country, and to do good to the church in this land,
yet still he never contemplated how much good might be
done by the little seed he then planted. (Cheers.) The
time in which he lived was a time when men, who before
dedicated their wealth to the foundation of monastic in-
stitutions, thought it better to dedicate it to places
of religions and secular learning, and the great
work which he and those who were like-
minded with him did, had given its character to
the church of England ever since. (Cheers.) The church
of England, indeed, lived in the associations of the past.
It bad never separated itself from the meth:evil church ;
but it has learned always to unite itself also with the church
of the present and the futons ; and, above all things, where
it has beet done its work it has united itself with the edu-
cation of the whole nation, and has endeavoured also, in
remembrance of such founders as he whom they that day
commemorated, to bear in mind that the laity were an
essential portion of the church. (Hear, hear.) In the
middle classes of this country was to be found the strength,
not only of their political, but also of their ecclesistical
institutions. He had sometimes wondered what it was
that gave such marvellous popularity to the life of Dr.
Arnold, when it first appeared before the world.
True, the character of the man was sufficient to
recommend it to persona who were able to enter fully into
his sentiments, and to appreciate the greatness of his cha-
racter ; hut he had a popularity with others beyond those
who were thus able to enter into the peculiarities of his
character. He thought that his popularity, both in this
country and in America, was mainly to be attributed to
the fact that in his living he set forth this great lesson,
that a man might be fully abreast of the age, and fully
understand the wants of the nineteenth century, that he
might he a man who entered fully into all the politics of
the time in which he lived, and yet be a devoted servant of
the church of Christ. (Cheers.) The same thought bad
suggested itself to him when their dear friend, who had
lately departed from amongst them was so suddenly called
to his account. What was it that gave to him that marvellous
power in India, so that no bishop that had gone before him,
though great were the names of those who had tilled the
see, bad had the same influence as be had ? (Hear, hear.)
What enabled him to exercise this influence over Gover-
nor-Generale, over judges, and over military and civil
servants of the crown iu that land except that .ame
testi-
mony which his life always bore to the fact that a man
zealously devoted to secular cdtication, and fully alive to
all the wants of the age in which he lived, could also mani-
fest to those around him that with all those things he
could be a devoted servant of the church of Christ. (Cheers.)
They had heard that day, in the solemn service which bad
gathered them within that chapel which they all loved—
' (cheers)—and which none of them, he believed,wished to see
dutroyed—(renewed cheers)—even though a gorgeous
mediaeval cathedral were to rise in its place. (More cheers.)
Rut in that chapel they had bawd, that day, that a great
public school was the best representation of the church as
' it caine down from the bands of the Apostles ; and cer-
; tainly it was his full belief that, during the time of its ex-
istence, Rugby Scheel had faithfully done it, work as the
representative of the church in its bigheA acme. (Cheers.)
His own connexion with Rugby was that of a teacher.
He hoped he was saying nothing singular for a teacher in
i such a position, when be said that he, for one, learned far
more than hewn able toteach;and be believed theyears of

bie Wrier-ion with that school were the mod valuable years
of his life. Rugby School would, he was sure, as long as it
lasted havo a great and influential effect upon the church.
Men were in the habitof saying that the church of England
was going through a great crude. It had gone through a
great many crises, and he did not know that the
present was worse than any of theme it had gone
through before. (Hear, bear.) Rut in this respect it
was a crisis—that there was danger in these days lest
all laymen who studied doctrinal m►tters should hesitate
to become clergymen, and all who abhorred free inquiry
should become clergymen. Of all the misfortunes which
could befall the church of England it would be the greatest
that all the inquiry and all the freedom should he on
the aide of the laity, and all the refusal to inquire.
and all the falling back on old precedents, should be
on the part of the clergy. (Hear.) Rugby School,
with its usociations, was • protest against this error.
(Hear, hear.) He trusted that the path which Rugby
School had hitherto occupied in the church of England
would be continued, and that it would produce generation
after generation a set of men who, fully entering into the
wants of the age, would at the same time show that thee
were devoted servants of the church of Christ. (Loud and

prolonged cheering.)
The Rev. 11M4RT BIDDELPH also responded.
Sir J. FERGESSON, Bart., proposed, • TLe Almy, Navb
and Volunteers."
Major MARTINDALE and Captain the Iton. H. C. Wow,
R.N., responded.
The CHAIRMAN proposed "Floreat Rugbeia."
The other toasts on the list were " The Trustees," pro.
posed by the Rev. Dr. Temple, and responded to by Lord
Leigh ; ' The Masters, past and present," proposed by the
Rev. Dr. Vaughan, and responded to by the Rev. Dr.
Temple and the Rev. G. G. Bradley ; " Distinguished
Rugbeians," proposed by Mr. T. C. S. Nynneraley, and re-
sponded to by Mr. Coaches, ; " The Chairman, " pro-
posed by the Rev. W. L. Collins, and responded to by the
Rev. Dean Stanley ; " The Games and the Rifle Corp.,'
proposed by Sir J. M. Stewart, Bart., and responded to by
Mr. T. M. Davenport ; and " The Ladies," responded ta
by Mr. A. Sidgwick.

DOWNING-STREET' Joss 24. —The Queen hei
been pleased to appoint George French. Esq., to be Chi d
Justice of her Majesty's Settlement oi Sierra Leone, on the
Western Coast of Africa. Gazeac.
_ . .

A meeting of the Trades Unions Commissioners
was held yesterday. Present: Right Hon. Sir William
Earle (chairman), Earl of Lichfield, Lord Elcho,
Right Hon. Sir Edmund W. Head, Bart., K.C.8,. and
Mr. James Booth, C.B. Mr. J. H. Patteson, secretary to
the commission, was also present.
An adjourned special meeting in connection with
court " Goal Samaritan," Bishopegate, wan held last
evening at the Freemasons' Tavern, for the purpose of
initiating Lord Elcho. Captain Handier, D. M. Ream,
Edmund Levy, and Messrs. Ratchelors, as members
of the ancient order of Foresters. Apologies were made
for Sir B. Phillips (late Lord Mayor) and the Right 1100.
G. J. Goschen, M.P., who were also expected to take part
in the ceremony of initiation. Brother Cotten was p•
pointed as the chief, and Brother Morley as the sub-chief
ranger, and loud cheers were accorded the new members
after the rowel forms had been proceeded with. The
" Health of Lord Moho" waspropostal by Brother Fletcher,
of Shrewsbury, and the noble lord replied in a humoorous
speech, cordially approving of the objects for which the
order was instituted, and promising his aupport for the
promotion of the same. The other men.heni also addnese‘i
the meeting.