The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-08
EpoRTEp FOR TIE NEws.l

Beauty-BrtllIant Reunion Party, &C.
REPORTED FOR THE NEws.l
SpARTASBURG, July l.
The commencement of Woford College,
Spsrtanburg, which closed on Wednesday
last, was one of unusual interest and success,
producing more than ordinary qualification
for the friends of education throughout the
State, and especially to the large number OF
patrons and supporters of this particular In
stitution. The crowds that thronged to the
various exercises and 'culminated on We'd
nesday commencement day. was such as
had not been seen since the war.
BISHOP wIGHTMAN's SERMON,
Sabbath morning, at the College Chapel, was
rich in lessons of instruction and words OF en-.
couragement for the young men. choosing as
= his text the words addressed by the rich young
Jew to the Saviour, "Good master, what Gooo
thing shall do, that may have eternal ife,
he drew striking, and it would seem IRE
sistlble picture of the results produced By the
turning away of that young man from tne
Saviour's injunction, and finally presented Ihe
overwhelming contrast of the complete obllv-
ion to which that course consigned him, with
the wonderful powers and Immortal name
and influence of st. Paul, who Needed the Di-
vine admoniton and became one OF the FOL
lowers of Christ. 1t was powerful appear,
and many young mans eye brightened ana
cheek glowed under the 1nspranon OF the
great and good preacher.
TIE JUNIOR EXHIBITION,
Monday morning, was of unusual merit. Ten
speakers had been elected from class OF
great promise, numbering twenty-five, and
better speaking could not be heard in any col
lege of the land, North or South. This Is high
praise, but it is fully merited. DR.. Whitefoord
Smith, professor In this department, Is unex-
celled. Possessing great powers and beauty
happily teaches the importation Of 1t to others
The following were the speakers and their
subjects
/. Christianity-its diffusion and effects. 9y
W. q. Folk, OF Edgefeld.
O. Gods Word-the true instrument OF moral
regeneration. By Frank A. Gilbert. OF Sumter.
3. Twilight at Hollywood. By L. h. Clyde,
of Greenville.
4. Supposed Speech of John Adams. By L.
B. Haynes, OF Spartanburg.
S. Battle OF Mount Tabor. BY j. E. Wanna
maker, of Or1ngebure.
6. Battle of Beal An DUNE. By VIM. A.
Rogers, of Sumter.
I. College Classes. By A. Coke Smith, of
Sumter.
g. Commencement Day. By J. ". Dixon,
I of Anderson.
q. Extract from the Fire Worshppers. By
10. Tribute to the Lost Cause Of 1865. By
Chas. F. Smith, OF Spartanbuls'.
AS before said, these speeches were oil given
with decided merit, and still 1t would be some
thing akin to injustice not to make special
mention of Messrs. A. Coke Smith, F. a. Gill
bert and VIM. Rogers, OF Sumter; L. &. Clyde,
OF Greenville, and Chas. F. Smith, OF Spartan
burg.
GENERAL JonN S. PRESTON
delivered the. literary address before the two
societies, at the chapel, Tuesday. The spact-
Gus rostrum, probably fifty feet in width, was
filed with the Aterats of the State, who looked
into sea OF faces, constituting splendid au-
dience. The gifted orator was handsomely ap-
plauded as he rose to speak; his fine portly
FORM his flowing white locks and beard, his
graceful manner and still firm and elastic
tread, being the cynosure of all eyes, He used
ora:orlcal effect, as he faced to and fro, paus-
lag to deliver some more pointed illustration,
eliminated figure or burst OF el0quence. His
theme was grand and glorious one-the pow
er Of Christianity in the world, and the failure
and ultimate destruction which attends all
ernment, where there ls departure. from
the great fundamental orthodox truths
of the Bible. The speaker took T.
wide range, and brought forth many strong.
striking and beautiful examples In support Of
his general pOstop closing up with ne
France He paid glowing tribute to John
Wesley, as one OF the great Christian lights
who contributed 30 much to scatter the dark
ness of skepticlsm and infldelity that reigned
as he came forth, and to turn the people again
to the ways of truth and righteousness. In ell
this the blessed doctrine of the atonement, by
the incarnation and crucl6xlon OF the Son of
God, was held forth as the great central
figure. Touching, occasionally, upon the
condition of our own country, he took nope.
full view, under the providence Of God, and
closed with the emphatic opinion. standing, as
he said, upon the verge Of the grave, that his
beloved South would yet be free.
On Tuesday evening, the fine halls OF the TWO
literary societIes-Calhoun and Preston
were well filled at their annual celebrations.
At the former, A. A. Gilbert, Esq, presided,
and conferred the diplomatic honors OF the
class, accompanying the same with an appro-
pirate address. The subject Of debate was,
ssIn Republican Governments, have the peo-
pie right to instruct their representatives !"
On the Affirmative, the regularly elected speak
ers were Messrs. Charles A. Woods. OF Dar-
Negative, Messrs Charles F. Smith, of Spar
tanburg, and F. A. Gilbert, of Sumter. These
speeches exhibited both thought and research,
the young champions of debate acqutttlng
themselves handsomely, and exhibiting zeal
and earnestness characteristic of the legisa-
Commonwealth. The negative prevailed by
large m6jorities.
At the latter, General John s. Preston oc-
cupied the chair, and bestowed about an equal
number OF diplomas upon graduates, with ap-
propriate and accomplished remarks. "Ought
the plea of political necessity ever to be ad-
mitted as an excuse or palliation for violating
the constitution or the laws ?" was the subject
of debate. Affirmative. ]. E. Carlisle, OF
Charleston, and W. B. Brunel, of Ashyille;
negative, J. E. Webster, OF Union, and J. E.
Wannamaker, of Orangeburg;. valedlctoran,
j. II. Bryce, of Columbia. The negative pre-
vailed by % to IL. Their speeches were also
highly credltable to the young debaters.
r COMMENCEMENT DAY
dawned bright and beautiful, and was greeted
early by the gathering mass of intelligence
and beauty from all the surrounding counties.
The campus was soon alive with vehicles and
the spacious chapel filled to Its utmost capaci-
ty. Columba's fine brass band (Ly Brand's)
broke forth In stirring music, and the scene
was one full OF beauty and inspiration. The
following speakers were announced by Presi-
dent shipp, the band performing after each
1.-Latin salutatory-Samuel Gillespie San