Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-03-06
Correspondence of the standard.
CHAPEL HILL, March I'd, 1852,


Ma. EDITOR: You recollect that during the last
session, Mr.. Bennett, a member of the Freshman
Glass, from Edencombe County, died at the Unversi-
ty. The Rev. Da. HooPER, OF your City, was Sc
lected to deliver discourse in cOmmemoration of that
melancholy event, and circumstances having prevent
ed an earlier fulfment of the engagement he preach
ed before the young gentlemen upon last Sunday.
The sermon was most impressive and afectionate
warning of the dangers 10 which the young-wheth-
gay studious-are exposed. Finding text in
our Saviours lament Jerusalem: g If thou hads
known, even thou, at least in this thy day. the things
which belong unto thy peace! bat now they are hid
from thine eyes," DR.. Hooper, with great power
and eloquence, instituted parallel between that ia
vored city and the youthful audience before him. nd
called his hearers to oper their eyes upon the things
which belong TO their peace, in this their day. He
commenced his discourse with exposition of his
text, which, to some least of his audience was
as well as striking. Observing that every COM
mentator with whose writings he was conversant
explained the if Christ had said that the day
of Jerusalem had passed, and the things which be-
long unto her peace were hid OreDer, he showed by
verbal criticism and from history, how untrue the DO.
sition was. and proceeded to assign the touching
passage It's true import. that s-hat these things
were hidden from her eyes, but as it would not al
ways be, when her day had passed, then her eyes
would be opened and would remain SO forever. Here
DR.. Hooper called attention to the fact that the eyes
of dead Jerusalem" had been opened to these things
for nearly eighteen hundred years. The solilo-
ques in another world of the young voluttuary and
the youthful student, who had passed through life with
unopened eyes, were g ven with very great impress
siveness. With regard to the latter he said, there
room for hope that his eyes might be opened at
time in his day, and alluded to the dying excla
nation of Grotius-' Prob! vitarn perdidi, operose
niAH agentem.'' No student, however large his am
btion, could hope to excel Grotius, who had gather
ed into his head all learning ancient and modern and
whose writings still give law to Kings and States i;
yet when his eyes were opened, such the poor
estimate which he set upon his gigantic attalnments
and his fame.
The sermon will undoubtedly be printed, and there
fore it is unnecessary to proloDg this imperfect
count 1t was throug bout, worthy of the reputation
which surrounds the pieiy and the classic taste OF
rare scholar and divine. Excepting his own Vale
dctory discourse at COMMENCEMENT two years since,
have heard nothing that be reckoned superior.
DR.. Hooper preached again at night TO crowded
audience of the students and his old friends in Chapel
Hill. The subject was the - conscience void of Of
fence" Many who in earlier days had hung upon
his lips, and with the greater attention that they
knew his daily lite and conversation preached the
sermon that came from his pulpit. prvl-
eyed once more to be warned and exhorted as few
others warn and exhort. Doubt was expressed
whether the sermon at night was excelled by what
had been heard in the morning Although there is
manifest hesitation in Dr. Hopper's delivery, and
apparent difficulty about words, (lo be ascribed
doubt 10 too great nicely about expression arising
perhaps from early habits of careful composition,)
yet when he becomes aroused-and he upon
this occasion-no seems TO have greater gifts in
extemporaneous utterance. A passage of denunca-
ton leveed at those evil pastors who soothe the
sinners perturbed conscience with opate draughts,
was as fine as anything in the mornings discourse
and perhaps, from the heat in which it struck
off, even more impressive.
1t is matter of honest congratu!aton for North Ca
ronians that the gentleman who is perhaps the very
first pull pit-orator in the State is native born of
its soil. Of all our imported ministers, and We have
of this kind men who rank very high, none come up
to the standard we have erected within own boun-
daries of native material. Fie then, upon all who
hat hauo in fo-
boast that the past or the present have about them
anything ominous in regard future standing
among the States of the Union This is certainly
opportunity for entering upon the discussion but,
in the walks of Literature, sacred and classic, we
point to a HOOPER. Let their voice cling to their
laws