The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-06-30
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER,S COLLEGE.


Commencement Exercises Last Evening.
The exhibition hall OF st. Francis Xayier's College
(Which is under the direction Of the Society OF Jesus
In West Fifteenth street, crowded to repletion
last evening by fashionable assemblage OF ladies
and gentlemen, the occasion being the eighteenth
annual commencement OF the institution. Among
those present were Archbishop McCloskey, Vicar
General STAIRS, Revs. Mr.. McNierny, Joseph p.
Wood, Father Aigan, President st. Francis xavier's
College; Father Shea, 8. j., President OF Fordham
College; Thomas H. Killeen, Newark; Sylvester Ma
lone, Brooklyn, E. D.; Thomas Farrell, st. Joseph's
church, New York; Michael Curran st. Andrews;
Father McQuade, s. j., OF Seton Hail. Bishop Ebert,
OF Rochester; r. j. Parsons, ID. D.; James O'Leary,
D. D.; p Mccarthy Of the Church Of the Holy Cross,
and Father Preston, OF st. AIMS.
The order Of exercises commenced with music by
the orchestra, under the direction Of Professor
Max Braun. The first discourse was delivered by
Mr. Peter Condor, on the Genius OF Christian AR"
After some preliminary and philosophical remarks
on the nature OF Christian art and its sublime mis-
son. the speaker pointed the relation existing
between christian art and religion, and claimed for
the Catholic Church the title Of "Patroness OF the
having fostered and protected modern art. Chris
tian faith had given It a foundation, hope had built
up the walls while love had reared upon 1t q PIN
nacle piercing the heavens.
Mr.. Louis E. Hostlot was the next speaker. He
quence.n After breny reviewing the iabors Of the
ancient orators and contrasting what they had
effected by their eloquence with the effects OF Chris.
tian elOquenCe, he described one result OF 1t and
what he called the 'new and moral power'-a power
which he contended had preserved our modern civil
zation-a power which, when the world was in con-
fusion and religion in danger had always proved its
might
Hstory'' was next delivered by Mr.. Ii. p. Reilly,
during which he commended that by the written his
tory OF the past three centuries the spirit and innu-
ence OF religion had been msrepresented.
At the close OF the discourses the ceremony OF
awarding medals and prizes and comforting the
degrees took place. Archbishop McClOskey render
ing the medals to each of the honOred ones as they
came forward to the platform The degree A. M.
was conferred on Patrick Mcnamara A. b, county
Michael ]. Mahony, A. B., Cork, Ireland; John A.
0'Bren, A. B., county Cork, Ireland; Terence s.
Reilly, A. B.. Jersey City, N. j. Henry j. thinner, A. B.,
Williamsburg L. The degree A. B. was conferred on
essn DS%n Nsv san Work. rs %sass
New York; John s. Cotton, New York; Henry
Az, thinner Sa,o wilIamsenrg L. L.; h Louis
o'Hare, county Down, Ireland, William 9.
New York; Edmund ). Heaiy, New York; John $.
Martin, New York; Richard r. Browne, New YORK;
Y YorS Eaward b. Ii
James Lachermaier Newark, N. j.. Francis Q.
Devln, county Tyrone, Ireland; Nicholas J. Walsh.
liam II. Richard, New York.
Medals were awarded to the following persons:-
Post Graduate COurse-Gold medal for superior sue
cess, John P. Hoffmann, "A. b.; next in merit,
Michael J. Mahony, A. b. Graduating Class-Gold
medal for evidences of religion, Peter Condoni next
in merit, Daniel ]. Cookery. Donor, Rev. William J..
Lane, graduate OF 1863 Silver medal for mental
philosophy, Peter Condor; next in merit, Henry A,
thinner. Silver medal for physics and mathematics.
Michael K. McCarten; next in merit, Peter Condor.
Undergraduate cOurse-GOd medal for the best Latin
and English composition in the three classes OF the
undergraduates, numbering over over sixty students,
Charles w. Sloane. Donor, Rev. John Edwards,
graduate Of 1862.
Mr.. Thomas s. O'Brien, Of TullamOre, Ireland, of
the class Of beleslettres obtained the first prize for
every branch in his class but one.
The Rev. ". J. Lane, A. b. former graduate OF the
college, after the awarding Of the medals delivered
an address to the graduates in very paternal-like
manner, and was followed by Archbshp McClOskey,
success, paid high compliment to the thorough
worth Of the college.