The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-08-15
Mlioblrbutg 4egisttr .
TUESDAY. AUGUST IS, 1871.
Commencement.

The celebration OF the seventy-frst
anniversary of Middlebury College last
week, brought with it the usual roun d of
excitement and festivity. The weather
was delightful, the arrangements complete,
and NIL the conditions of successful
anniversary occasion were had, and the
result expected was realized. A superior
band (Gilmore's) was in attendance, the
orators selected for the society annivcr-
raries were of high order of talent and
extended reputation, The Baccalaureate
discourse ofPresident Kitchel was noticed
last week. Monday was spent in prcpar-
alton and reception Of old friends and
alumni who came back to visit their
Alma Mater. Tuesday morning the Phi
Beta Kappa and Philadelphia Societies
held thier anniversaries.
PHI BETA KAPPA SOCIETY.
AT the annual meeting of the Phi Beta
Kappa Society held at the Lecture room
Of the Church on Tuesday morning five
members of the graduating class recon-
mended by the faculty were elected to
membership, viz Graham, DEMO, Hall,
Bottum and G. Il. Clark. The four first
named were present and were initiated
MS was also Rev. Il. p Wild of the class
of 1860. The following officers were
elected for the ensuing year i. Il.
Knapp. President; Prof. Scion Albee,
Vice Pres Prof. Ezra Brainerd, Secre-
tary; Prof. George n Weber, Treas
urer Committee to engage orator for the
next year, Rev. Drs. II. d. Kitchel and
George N. Weber, and Prof Ezra
Brainerd.
At half past ten o'clock the Society
adjourned to the audience room where
were held the usual literary exercises.
After music by the band, prayer was
offered by Rev. X. S. Cushman Of Man
chester, and Prof Weber introduced the
crater of the occasion, Prof. Julius See
ley d. D., of Amherst Mass, who gave
an able and interesting address upon the
subject "The Culture Demanded by the
Present Age" He first discussed the
lower branches of education, commencing
with that which has to do with the prac.
tical He proceeded to consider
the study of the higher sciences fol
the higher ends of culture and more val
liable knowledge than that which cannot
conceive that anything is good, unless il
is good for something. As still higher
element in our education he pleads fol
the study of the classics, touching pleas
ingly upon the Darwinian theories il
passing to it. He showed the effects o
classical studies upon the mind maxim,
some happy historical illusions, and re
marked that they should have higl
place in our regard aside from their histo
~. But the most important thing, the key
stone Of the arch, the foundation of tn
structure Of true education, is the spirit
ual. Education should reach to the yer,
depths Of the soul and We should educat
the heart as we'll as the mind. To en-
force this thought he alluded to tn
revival of learning which followed tn
reformation.
PIfILADELpHIAN SOCIETY.
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon occurre,
the anniversary exercises of the Philadel
phian Society, F. B. DEMO of the grad
uating class presiding. Prayer wa
offered by Rev. DR.. Gilbert of New York
after which Rev. j. Il. Rankin, d. D.
of Washington, delivered an able address
upon 1.-THE Function of Christian Doc
trine." He defined the term Christia
Doctrine as the formulated statement Q
Of abstract truth, and showed that tn
necessity Of the statement exists in tn
nature of things. The mind demands il
In proportion as these statements are &C
curate, they are the simplest, the mos
condensed and most forciblc statement q
of facts. And lift be the best possibl
embodiment in human language of a
essential fact, that is sufficient justifca
ton for it. However unlovely the au
nouncement of plain Christian doctrine
may be, they are really the foundation Q
the more lovely Christian life and charac
ter. The woody stalk is necessary to tn
beautiful flower which develops its sweet
ness upon its branches. 1t is condition
of the flowers existence. And Christia
doctrine has to do with all parts of man
nature; not the head only, but also tn
heart. 1t may not be necessary for
man to be able to analyze the effect pro
duced by the system of Christian doc
trines upon the various parts of his com
pick nature. But the effect is produced
and the analysis is possible. We canno
give up doctrine because exery soul mus
experience the Christian idea for himself
And the Christian idea embodied, be
comes the soul of the Christian life
After considering the positive relation
Of Christian doctrine 70 Christian charac
ter, he proceeded to answer objections
Some say give us the living, not tn
dead forms of Christianity" But it
the truth applied which gives the life
All life has principle of life. Rob
man Of his doctrine and you have onl
taken away his belief in the facts. Tn
iaota themselves are not unsettled.
PARKERIAS PRIZE SPEAKING.
This popular exhibition on Tuesda
evening as usual, drew large crowd
filling up the church to overlooking. TIL
order Of exercises was as follows
TREsHAEs
Defamation The Platform Of the Contribution
II. g. Bosrdman, Middlebury.
Decentralization Reyeres Ride o .. Eator
Galveston, Texas.
Declamation.-Bardell v. Pickwick, A. Lou
diner, Manchester.
Northumberland the True Re"onstru'
lion Policy A. 0. spoor, Montpelier.
soPHoMoREs.
Defamation The Reconstruction Of Italy
Brainerd, St. Adams
Declsmation.-Unju National Acquisition
]. ]. Round, North Clarendon.
Defamation. -Pericles to the People, C.
Iurrill, Niles, Mich.
Declamation.-work, W, II. Utley. Manche
ter.
JUNIORS
Oration.-'The New Departure, A. j. Abbot
Washington, n. H.
Q.laI & L ilasl.. 4.