The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-12
SECOND DAY.
: WEDNESDAY, June 10, 1868.

D. D., of Richmond. By IL o'clock the
College church, which has galleries on three
sides, and is a large building, was occupied
in nearly every part. This was fine con-
gregation under the circumstances. IF the
morning had not been SO rainy the house
would probably have been full to overflow
ing.
After prayer had been offered, DR.. Hoge
commenced his address, and for an hour
entertained and instructed his audience.
His counsels to the young men were adapted,
in the first place, to inspire them with
zeal and ardor in the pursuit Of know
ledge. He urged them to resist with all
their might those influences arising from
the presentcondition of society which would
weaken their purpose or impair their en-
ergy. By great variety of arguments
and illustrations he clearly showed that our
present difficulties and discouragements,
and the existing state of things, make edu-
cation and learning more important and
commanding than ever.
From this consideration he passed to
others, about which he uttered seasonable
words of warming. He condemned that
cheap patriotism which displays itself by
heaping opprobrious epithets indiscrimi-
nately upon the people Of the North. Such
language was offensive to those respectable
people whose presence we desire here as the
purchasers of our lands, and would furnish
capital to our enemies. He spoke very
plainly about the latter class as represented
by the adventurers who are now so busy at
the South in taking charge of our affairs.
The demoralizing influence of the war
was the next topic, upon which DR.. Hoge
founded excellent advice. This part of his
discourse was illustrated with fine effect by
O description Of the state OF morals and re-
ligion in England for o number of years
after the restoration, and its lessons solemn
w impressed upon the minds of his hearers
by an eloquent and serious conclusion.
One or two pleasant passages of the adj
dress may be mentioned. In the earlypa
of its delivery the speaker remarked that
during the war literary pastimes had been
suspended. Z" Inter arme silent leges, said
he, " and q good many other things which
are (just here baby cried) or ought to be
SILENT" continued he. The connection of
the Latin quotation with the baby, and the
adroit use of it by the speaker, brought
down the house and hushed up the little
one.
In urging the young men to be studious,
DR.. Hoge reminded them of Sir Richard
Steele's essay upon the intellectual in
fuence of attachment to virtuous woman,
and of his remark that his association with
the celebrated Miss Hastings had been equal
to liberal education. " If such attach
ments," said he, "produced that effect at
Hampden Sidney, how rapidly wonld libe-
raj educations be acquired here, land how
busy would the president be tomorrow in
comforting degrees" The young ladies evil
IDENTIFY saw the joke, and the young gentle
men confessed the soft impeachment.
4" But" said the speaker, Gas there is no
royal road to learning, so there is no lovers
leap to it."
It may here be remarked that these ex-
ercises are very largely attended by the
class of young persons to whom this allu-
sion is made from all the surrounding coun-
try. Each of the literary societies has its
advocates among the young ladies-in the
mass, of course. The liberallzlng lnf1u-
ence of female society is encouraged by the
professors to reasonable extent, and no
doubt achieves all the results contemplated
by Sir Richard Steele's theory, and more,
too.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE PHILANTHRoPIC So
g S".@& GETTY.
AS the many guests of the hospitable
families on the College hill and its neigh
borhood rose from dinner and looked out
upon the prospect, it was evident that re-
gular northeast storm had set in. | was |
surprised to hear from the "Phips that |
they expected an audience on such an eve
ming; but they were all busy and excited,
and seemed not much dampened by the
weather; and when night came, old and
young from the houses hidden here about,
and carriages from the country around,
were seen or heard in the dark, working
their way through the mud to the. College
church. Among the delicate people of
Richmond nothing less than o wedding or
q dance would have drawn out such an as
sembly, and prayer meeting would hardly
have called forth one. How the young la
dies managed to get to the church with their
adornments, still so pretty and neat, is
mystery which they alone can solve.
About half-past 8 O'Clock the orators of
the occasion assembled the stand and looked
down and up upon their large and interest
ing audience, for such it would have been
under more propitious circumstances. The
scene without, as the presiding officer of T
the evening remarked, was dreary enough,
but within it was bright; and the band of
music, with eight pieces, from the me-
seemed determined that it should
be neither dull nor quiet. DR.. Hoge, who
formerly belonged to the society, and is
now an honorary member, by its request,
preached and introduced the speakers.
This was done by him in graceful and
pleasant manner, which, as well as the ad-
dresses, elected frequent applause. The
Junior orators were ]. p. Blanton, of Cum
Derland county, Va, whose subject was
g The End, Means, and Power of Mental
Cultivation u; and Joseph j. Price, of Rich
nond, Va. Subject: ga Land without
Memories is Land without Liberty"
The best speakers medal of the Society
vas presented by George W.. Walker, of
Berkeley, county, w. Va, to s.. L. Flour
nov, of Prince Edward county, Va, and
he yaledictory was. delivered by John Gill,
# Baltimore, Md. The speeches were al! +
as to length, and were listened =
o with attention. 5 The matter of each was +
marked by that sound and earnest view
ghich charaeterizes the young men of the
Institution, and showed that the minds of
he speakers had been trained by careful
tudy and general reading and they were |
lot without the marks of decided and pro-
nising gifts of eloquence and proficiency in
,ratory. An outline of the addresses is not Z
Flowed by my time nor your space. t,.
s After all the; exercises were over, and the
rators, with their bouquets and cards, had
IL L j