The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-07-10
THE FOURTH ON LOOKOUT.
LOOKOUT MousrAIs, july A, 1857.

Editor Post:-To-day we have witnessed
scene Of no ordinary interest upon this
mountain height. Several hundred assembled
here to celebrate the Fourth, and to show
spirit Of cooperation with the Episcopal
Church in the establishment of Southern
University" The bishops of South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and
Tennessee. together with delegates and min
listers from all these States, met their friends
from East and Middle Tennessee, to consider
of the location of this University. A few
years ago the wild grass and the mountain
flowers waved here in unindsturbed loneli-
ness; the Indian hunter 10 his ramLes looked
out upon his nations home and the burial
grounds Of his ancestors, soon to be taken BY
the white man; and the eagle reposed upon
these crags in conscious security from all hu.
man disturbance; but to day, what change !!
Here are large numbers of the most learned
church dignitaries; those who worthily wear
judicial honors; many Of the best cultivated
intelects from the bar and the medical facul-
ty; and representations from all other depart
ments of business; listening to an address by
Bishop Otey, st to be heard by so apprecia-
tive an audience. would not fail to say that
the most attractive feature of the assembly
was the large array Of female loneliness, CON-
ing from the Mississippi valley, the Crescent
City, Savannah, and other points in the sunny
South, equalled, however, in beauty and
goodness by sour own loved ones" of Ten
nessee. Ever and anon the scream of the
steam whistle below rang out and reverbera;-
ed from cliff to cliff, and from mountain base
to mountain top, signalling the transit of
passengers and freight through Businesses
where the echoes were once only awakened
by the awful voice of God speaking in storm
and tempest. And now from the SUNNI. of
this great altar an offering of praise and
Thanksgiving is made, waited heavenward by
hundreds of voices upon the notes of Old
Hundred. Then we renew our allegiance to
the Union and again pledge ourselves to lib
erty in the words of our Declaration of indie
pendence. The solemn TIE Deum 10 sung,
prayer and suppication are made, and Gloria
in Excelsis, affords us another opportunity TO
praise God "for all his benefits"
! shall not attempt sketch of Bishop
Otey's address He dwelt upon the religious
element involved in our revolutionary strug-
gle; and maintained that education and reli-
gion are essential and inseperabIe in every
successful popular government; that institu-
tons founded upon state endowment alone
could not meet the demands of the age and
country, that whilst they might afford suffi-
cient cultivation for the head, that the heart
is neglected; which proposition is proved by
the present alarming increase Of infidelity, MS
the learned Bishop conieLded. He developed
the plan of the "Southern University" rs de-
nominational and not sectaran-intended to
teach the arts and sciences, and also the dis
tinctive features of Christianity as set forth in
the Apostles Creed; and as forms are neces-
sary in all teaching, the Episcopal form will
be used in Mis- University. The plan contem.
.,.as the rais,-.- ,f 49, M =" -.~'''..e.
Nothing has yet come to the public ear ind-
eating the place for its location. Only two
of the Bishops have made much examination
of the country; aud some of the others, per-
haps all, will spend some time in satisfying
themselves as to the point possessing the
greatest natural advantages.
! will add a line as to accommodations for
boarders at this summer retreat. The rooms
are good and well furnished; and the table
compares advantageously with any hotel in
the country. The weather has been uncom-
fortably cool for several mornings and eve
niugs. There is good society now located in
their cottages on the mountain for the sum
mer. TT.
P. s. July 6. The convention adjourned
this evening, to meet at Montgomery, Ala, in
Nov; at which time the locating committee
will report their final action. The Bishops
and several delegates 60 hence to Warren
county, Tennessee, to examine the site pro-
posed by the citizens of that county. l do
not doubt that this point is now most in IA
vor. The whole proceedings, including the
Grafton, will be published in pamphle. form.
T.
REWARD CT PRIVATE FAvoRs-President
nhar L l. |.