The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-07-28
Iron llE CHARLOTTE DEMOCRAT
Commencement at Davidson College.

that has ever been witnessed at Davidson Col
lege. 1t looked more like reconstruction than
anything which has hitherto occurred. AS you
and many of your readers were not present to see
and hear for yourselves brief account of what
was said and done will not be out of place
At ! / o'clock on Wednesday, the Annual Ser
mon before the Williams Association of Enquiry
was preached by the Rev DR. Howe Of the
Theological Seminary at Columbia, S. G. The
object of the Association IL to enquire into the
condition and promote the work of Foreign and
Domestic Missions The text of Scripture
selected for the occasion is found III the 10Th
chapter aud 10th verse Of the Acts of the Apos
ties: "Whereupon, o King Agrppa, Was not
di5obedient unto the Heavenly vision
The venerable Divine delineated with great
force and beauty the early instruction of Saul
Of Tarsus his prosecutions of the church. his
conversion and subsequent ministry. The well
drawn picture not without effect. The Lille
and character of the great Apostle to the Gen
tiIes-the first missonary-was fitting intro
,luctiOn to an account of the progress and pre-
sent condition of the missionary work. The
carefully collected statistics presented many facts
which were as striking as they were interesting
and gratifying, and which certainly removes the
too common impression, not to say reproach, that
the good accomplished by missionary operations
is altogether inadequate to the means employed.
Publication Of the sermon would throw much
light upon the subject of which it treats. and
would doubtless tend to aid and encourage the
great work of disseminating the gospel Of peace
and good will toward men, among the nations
which have long been and are still deprived of
its blessings.
At o'clock, P. NJ, the Rev. DR.. Dabney of
Union Theological Seminary, delivered the An
nual Address before the two Literary Societies.
His subject was "the danger and duty of the
young men of the South" He listened to
with attention and frequently greeted with APP
plause. AS the Address will be published l
shall not do the distinguished orator the I'M US
ticc of attempting synopsis of it.
At O'Clock. p. NJ, the representatives Of the
two Literary Societies delivered original speeches.
First speakcr-Mr John +. Cannon, of Neck
lenburg county, representative of the Eume-
mean Society-subect, The Scholar.
Second speaker-Mr S. Henry Bell, OF New
Hanover county, representative of the Philan-
thropic Society subject, Pleasure to be deduced
from Books.
Third speaker-Mr Edwin w. Kerr, of New
Hanover county, representative of the Eume-
mean Society-subject, The duties of young men,
Fourth speaker-Mr William A. Miner, of
Georgia, representative of the PhilanthrOpic
Socicty-subject, Eloquence.
Fifth spcakcr-Mr Robert b. McAlpinc, of
Arkansas, representative of the Eumenean So
ciety-subject, Authors and their influence.
Sixth speaker-Mr Romulus NJ. futile, of
Alexander county, representative of the Philan-
thropic Society-subject, The Crusadcs.
The commencement exercises on Thursday
the 10th, were as follows:
Latin Salutatory by A. c. Wharton of Yad-
Kin county.
Grafton -"Permanence of Literary Fame
A G.. Wharton.
Oration-"Every man the Arbter of his own
Destiny r. Banks of S. Carolina
misunderstanding Phenomena of the Sea
w. III. Davis of Salisbury.
Oration-'The Literary Prospects of the
South"-John l.. Werner of South Carolina
Oration-''North Carolina or a little about it"
F. Brevard Mcdowell of Iredell county
Oration-"Ihc Influence and Benefit of
Knowlcdg e"-Alfred J. Morrison of Lincoln
county.
Oration-"Ancient and Modern Science
VIM. Ii. Werner of South Carolina
Observation-Disclosures and Religion"-John
w. Davis of Salisbury.
Oration-"1he Anglo Saxon Race"-Paul p
Wynne of South Carolina.
Comforting Degrees upon the Graduating Glass.
Naledictory by \. Ross Kennedy of S. C.
Robert Ii. Morrison, Jr, one of the Gradua-
which he had prepared for the occasion, but was
oil the stage with his class mates and received
his Diploma.
The speeches were all highly crcditable to the
Young gentlemen both in composition and dccla-
nation They were all listened to with atten-
ton and appreciation The Naledctory was in
good taste and in good spirit. and was we'll de-
livercd. 1t was in fact decided success The
speech of John W. Davis was compact in it's
logic easy and elegant in its dicion and is Justly
regarded as the highest intellectual effort of the
occasion. "a little about it. was good speech
1t was easy natural and enforced; it was humor-
Gus and welltimed; it fell in among its grave
companions to the relief and delight of the large
audience who received it with applause. A
striking feature of it was, that every one who
knows the speaker, and heard the speech, knew
that it was the production of his own mind. [
might name other speeches of merit; but where
all arc meritorious it is difficult to distinguish
1t has been remarked that there was tone of
piety in most of the speeches quite unusual upon
occasions of the kind. This is doubtless but the
out-eroppings Of those sentiments of religion
which are cultivated and cherished with so much
interest and hope in an institution which was
designed and consecrated by the prayers of its
founders to be fountain of learning and pety
The Brass Band of the old Thirteenth n c.
Regiment was present and played its part we'll
After the Literary exercises were over, it dis
'coursed sweet music in the illuminated grove be-
tween the Halls of the two Societies to the en-
tcrainment Of the social gatherings in the illu-
minated Halls and the promenades surrounding
them.
The Trustees and friends of the Institution
have greater confidence in its success now than
at any time heretofore. The exercises will be