The Portland daily press., 1869-07-01

ANNlN EhoAttl 6AElSClcES.
The friends of the scholars in Westbrook
Seminary, and the general public, succeeded
in attending the anniversary exercises, in the
new End pretty church of the Universalist So
ciety at Stevens Plains, yesterday morning,
although great deal of cold water was thrown
upon their efforts to be present. Whether or
no the meeting of the Temperance Convention
in the city, the day previous, was the indirect
cause of the lavish bounty of the clouds on
this occasion we cannot tell, but certainly we
never have seen more violent, or more copious
showers at any season of the year.
The church was completely filed by a very
attentive and interested audience. The stage
was occupied by Rev. S. H. McCollister, the
Principal of the Seminary, together with the
lady and gentleman instructors The pulpit
recess and stage were appropriately decorated
with hanging baskets of flowers and trailing
vines, and also wi4h several very elegant bo-
quets A very pretty feature of the exhibition
was the presentation of boquet to each
speaker at the conclusion of his, or her, essay.
The young ladies belonging to the Seminary
were seated among the audience, and were for
the most part attired in white tarleton with
natural flowers in their hair, and presented
most charming appearance. The young men.
generally, wore the coat of 'sgaudy black
which is considered essential to the dress toilet
of every male citizen of the civilized world.
The following was the
ORDER OF ExERCIsES
FORENOON.
Prayer, by the Rev. j. G. Snow, ofAuburn.
MUSIC.
l. Development of True Manliness.
Edwin NJ Fuller Turner
2. Results of American Energy and Loyalty.
Nelson L. Grafam, Turner.
Lowell H. Peck, Royalston, Mass
sa MUSIC
4. Progress Augustus r. Monlton, Scarboro.
5. Intelligence necessary to perpetuate lndepen-
6. Influence OF great actions dependent on their
results. John III. Swasey, Standish.
MUSIC.
Helen E. Gibson, Kendall's Mills.
Ella M. Sawyer, South windham.
8. Sorrow. Mary W. Wing. Kendalrs Mills.
MUSIC.
4. Woman's Mission.
Jeannie A. Larrabee, Portland.
8. Mental Health and Disease.
Addie Stone, Westbrook.
Ella r. Holden, West Concord, N. II.
MUSIC.
Diplomas Conferred.
PARTING SONG,
By Miss Helen r. Spdldiag.
We stand to-day within portal,
mystic pOrtai-all unseen,
That opes ihe future to vision,
And shuts its gates on what has been. ltst
We stand as on some fragile border,
That lies the land and sea between;
To launch on life's uncertain voyage,
From meadows fair and pastures green.
Our hearts but faint in this Transition,
Yet Faith, with sweet assurance sayA
That al these seeds of change and sadness
Shall ripen "After many days"
We cannot tell what may bet'de us.
What dangers threaten none can know;
These barks of 0nrs may catch fair breezes
Or stem wild currents as they go.
Enough, if oer the swelling waters
We poise our hearts in strength sublime,
And safe amid the surgiDg tumult
We sail beyond the wrecks of time.
Then iant not in this great transition,
For Faith, with sweet assurance, saws
4 These barks shall reach the Port Elysian
TO anchor "After many days.
The different essays and orations were grace
fully written, well committed to memory, and
pleasantly delivered on the part of the yeung
men, and the same may be said of the young
ladies, with this difference, that they were per-
mtted to read theirs. The audience were ap-
parently very much pleased with the efforts of
their daughters, sons and friends, Judging by
the interest manifested in the exercises As is
usual in exhibitions Of this nature, there were
those whose efforts displayed ability of high
order, and who, as they advance in the great
life-struggle, will be heard from on the impor-
tant topics that are continually agitating the
world of politics, science, and general litera-
ture, and carrying great weight, if not convic-
ton, in the value of their opinions. Fhe SEN
timents expressed in the different parts have
only to be faithfully carried out by all to en-
sure them success
The Portland Band furnished excellent mu-
sic>ap the occasion.
Afterthe comforting Of the diplomas upon