The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-06-29

Of Virginia, which is situated on the hills Of
Fairfsx county, few miles from this city, CON
oluded yesterday i,s session Of 1S0o-'67, This
Institution 10 the religious alma mater Of nearly
all the clergymsn Of tho Protestant Episcopal
Church. oiiciating In this vicinity. II was opened
in Alexandria In 1929 In 1897, after the erec-
ton Of the frat building, II was removed TO Its
present site, hill two hundred and my feet
above the tide Of the Potomac, two and a half
miles west Of Alexandria, and seven miles 10
direct line from Washington, overlooking both
cities and the river. 10 February, 1854, q char.
ter was granted BY the Legislature Of Virginia
| and soon Afterwards new buildings were erected.
These consist Of the library, ST. Georges Hall
Aspinwali Hail. Bohlen Hall, and Meade
Hall The buildings, besides these, are the
profes'ors' house: and the 9hoPel The style Of
the corporation Is, "The Protestant Episcopal
Theological Seminary and High School In Vir.
ginia"
| The oorporators are as follows:
| RI. Rev. John johns, d. D., president, Rev
John Grammer Rev. John P. Mcclure, Rev.
George Woodbridge, D. D., Rev. Charles W.
Andrews, d. d, Rev. Cornelius Walker, d. d,
son, Cassius y. Ice, esq, Thomas II. Clngget
NJ. D., Richard II. Cunningham, esq 4. s.
Pegraw, esq Col A. Herbept.
Secretary, Rev. Cornelius Walker, D. D.,
Theological Seminary, Va treasurer, CassiuS
Y. Lee, esq Alexandria, Va
Inc faculty. ~ present hTo IOHOWbs
President, ri. Rev. John Johns, D. D.; Rev,
William Sparrow, d. D professor Of Systematic
Divinity, and Of the Evidences Of Christianity;
Rev. Joseph Packard, d. D. professor Of Sacred
Literature, and Librarian Rev. Cornelius Wal.
her, D. D., professor Of Ecclesiastical History
and Pollty, and Pulpit Eloquepce.
The ciosipg exercises OF this institution gen.
orally extend ovor period Of three days; the
first day being usually devoted to the examina.
tion of students in tho curriculum Of studies pur.
sued at the institutions the second day In the
usual graduation exercises, addresses, and the
reading Of essays, and the third in exercises of
religious character.
This year the examination Of tho senior class
took place. for tho Arst time since 1850. II was
begun on Wednesday last. Rev DR.. Dalrymple,
Of Baltimore, and Rev. George A. Smith, Of Viz
ginia, were deputei as examiners, and the abil.
ity OF the class was tested by written questions
In the departments Of Hebrew and Greek litera-
ture, biblical learning, ecclesiastical history,
systematic divinity, church polity and pastoral
theology. This examination was thorough and
| searching, and Its result most satisfactory.
On Thursday morning at II o'clock the annual
exercises Of the graduating olass took place in
the chapel Of the seminary. A select assem-
blage was present, embracing representatives
from each Of the three cities Of the neighborhood
Appropriate collects, read by Rev, J. Pack
ard, D. b opened the exercises. after which
Essays were read by the following gentlemen Of
| the Senior class
Horace L. Hayden, on "Tho collateral tOsti.
mony of Christisnity-The involuntary testi.
mory of Judas Iscariot.'
Walter q. Hullihep, Thought on Prayer, !"
and N. II. Lewis on The Scriptures as the sole
rule of faith"
The morning exercises were then closed by o
discourse upon Tho Divine Gifts involved In a
Divine conservation to the ministry" The dis.
course was one Of the ablest ever delivered at
| the Institution.
After an interval Of an hour and a half, the
assembly gathered again in the chapel, and Rev.
John Johns. D. D., Bishop, presiding, and the
afternoon exercises begun.
| Thomas u. Dudley, jr., another promising
| member OF the Senior class, pronounced dis.
course upon "The true and false systems Of
Christian Asceticisn, logical and learned pro-
ductioh.
The Valedictory Address from tho same gen.
tleman closed the exercises of Thursday.
On yesterday morning, the third day, the clos.
ing exercises terminated 10 the ordination OF tho
| members of the Senior Gle as Deacons Of the
Protestant Episcopal church.
| The ordination service took place at / O'Clock
in the chapel, which was filled by an attentive
| and reyeTent congregation.
After the usual devotion OF Morning Prayer
according to the ritual,
| Rev John HoH, D. D., Of Baltimore county,
| Md delivered the ordination sermon, urging
with much zeal and ability the necessity of n
Divinely constituted ministry, and explaining
the Office duties and functions Of the ministerial
| order.
Tho following gentlemen were then presented
to Rt. Rev. John johns, Bishop Of Virginia,
to be admitted as Deaoons:
Thomas U Dudley, jr., Of Virginia; Horace G
Hayden, Of Maryland Walter Q Hullihen, Of
Virginiai N. II. Lewis, Of Virginia, and W. q.
Stewart, of Pennsylvania.
After prayer, and promises Of fidelity by the
candidates, the Bishop laying his hands on the
head Of each one Of them, said:
Take thou authority to execute the office oil
a Deacon in the Church of God committed with
thee, in the name of the Father, and Of the
Son, and Of the Holy Ghost"
The scriptures were then delivered to the new
ministers, with power to preach the gospel, and
the ordination exercises were concluded by few
words of exortation, delivered by Bishop Johns,
to the newly consecrated Deaoons.
This seminary takes q deservidly high raRh
among the Theological institutions Of the ooun
try, and IL Is tho leading religious school Of thu
Protestant Episcopal Church in the Southern
States.