The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-02
commencement Exercises nj the Pro-
te>tand Episcopal Theological Semi
Reported tur the Dispatch.
ALEXANDRIA, VA. June Doth.

ALEXANDRIA, ' A., juno 2Jtli, 49,.
The iurty-Dinlh annual session of the Pro-
| tcstunt Episcopal Theological Seminary OF
| Virginia. near this city, closed Yesterday. A
sketch of the exercises of commencement
| week will, for your numerous Episcopal read
ut least. possess interest sufficient to merit
Il place in your columns.
Among the oldest institutions Of It's sort i'll
| the Church in the United States, this Semi
| nary has during the PAST year enjoyed fair
share of prosperity. Deprived 10y the war
of most of the students from northern do
ccscs who formerly attended it, and thus
reduced in actual numbers. it now includes
81 many more than il used to do from Nir-
sini;, and other southern States rs to inspire
cheerful an!ieiImliOnS in regard 10 the future
| supply oI clergy for the home fields. Including
| the preparatory departments, forty -three,stu-
dents were entered here during the past scs-
sion, tlircC-uilrtllS of the number belonging
| 30 the Diocese Of Virginia. -
The three examining clnpk,inS appointed
| under Il late canon by tho Bishop to examine
| the candidates Tor holy orders commenced
| their khorS ON Monday. They were Rev. G..
| Minni"crodc, ID. d., Of Richmond Rev. j..
| :. IIanckrl, of Charlottesville; and Rev. Il.
| r. Davis, of IiccsburS. .....
| The several examinations were only COM
! plctcd Thursday evening, when. to Judge
| from the fatigue complained of both ny cX-
aminciS and examined, the lthorious ordeal
might appropriately he Closed.
| The regular meeting of the trustees of the
Seminary and High School took place on
Tuesday. at which time two new clerical
members of the Board-Rcv. Henderson
| Sutcr, OF Bedford, aud Rev. James Gram
mcr, Of Jcilel%om--1or the first time took
| their seats. Rev. Or. Walker rcsigning his
post rs secretary of the Board, Rev. Mr.. Sutcr
was elected TO Till the vacancy. ill.,.
The annual meeting OF the Society Of
Alumni took place "Wednesday morning.
After Il litanv service the annual sermon was
preached before the Society by the Rev. w.
c. Meredith, ID. d., of Winchester. This
discourse, which your correspondent was SO
unfortunate as not TO hear, Is spoken Of by
I'll in terms of high appreciation.
"Wednesday night, after evening prayer,
read by the Rev. &. W. Petcrkin, Of Cut
Ipper, and the Rev. A. ). Berkeley, Of
Campbell. the annual sermon was preached
before the Students Missionary Society by
the Rev. Thomas U. Dudley, of Baltimore, i
devoted alumn,ls of the Seminary. 1t is
enough to say OF this admirable discourse
that it fully sustained the reputation of the
distinguished preacher, and wis warmly ap-
proved by Il large and singularly apprecia-
tive congregation.
On Thursday the closing exercises proper
of the session took place. They commenced
at 10 in the morning, Bishop WhittIe pre-
by the Rev. j. A. Latane, of Wheeling, an
essay was read by every member but one Of
tho senior class. The name Of each student,
n: b,l.
the subject Of his essay, is appcndcd: <,.'
William l.. BElddock, of Virginia. Sub
icct: The Relation Of Fam 10 Works. 81 "
Frank Hailam, of New York. Subject
The ndueii,ng Of The Holy Ghost. ..l
William X. johnson, of South Carolina.
Subject: The Seeming Hardness Of God IN
tie Erecution Of HIS Purposes. ,r.... -..
r. Valentine Jones, of Virginia. Sub
.nct: 1he fdcd Of the Messiah IN the MINDS Of
TIC AitcieHt JetcS--ItS origin aud Decelop-
'ment. ata. '''a - .''t
T.. Hugo Lacy, Of Virginia. Subject !:
me 4qgressioencss of Christianity. ". 49,.
John w. Lea. OF Virginia. Subject {:
Communion Of SANS at the Table of the
Lord. 49,
A.A. McDonough, Of Virginia. Subject !:
Nature Of Tie Atonenent. . .' s.s. 80
Everard Meade, of Missouri. Subject:
The I1wec:f9ld Mission cf he Comforter.
COPELAND II. Page, oi Virginia. Subject ::
The Poorer Of Prayer.
William I'LL. Powers, OF Virginia. Sub
ject: The Sinicssness IF Christ.
Levin j. Sothoron, OF Virginia. Subject:
Scripi,re aud Tradition. .,g ,4a.
/ Pcrcgline Wroth, DR., of Virginia. Sub
Jcct Human Deprdcity as q Fact.
The reading the essays being completed,
recess was taken until 2 O'Clock, when the
concluding exercises of the day followed.
The Rev. DIR. Sparrow. Dean Of the Faculty,
then. delivered. the annual address to the
graduates. Ills subject was: The Spirstof
the Times, ,a,id Hon. the Church Should Meet
n; with Il discussion Of the attitude OF the
Protestant Episcopal Church toward other.
Christian bodies. The delivery Of the adj
dress occupied an hour. and twenty-five
minutes. The appreciation in which ii WIS
held is best attested by the fact that nj Its
close sum sufficient to print it i'm pamphlet
form was ut once raised by private subscrip-
ton of those present.
Diplomas were then conferred by Bishop