The Portland daily press., 1872-07-23

L
This is the week of the annual graduation ex-
ercises of the senior class; the examination of
the lower classes having been made yesterday.
On last Friday evening the Board of Trustees
and the graduating class were entertained at
the fine residence of Hon. Frederick Robbie, in
an elegant manner, the spread especially being
delicious and bountiful.
The farewell sermon before the graduating
class was delivered by Rev. L. L. Ferris at the
Congregationalist church, ON Sunday evening.
The church was entirely filled, the senior class
occupying the front pews of the centre aisle
The following is a synopsis of the discourse,
which is the first occasional sermon which the
reverend gentleman has delivered since his re-
cent installation.
Text, John 9:27-"Will ye also be His disci-
ples2"
As an exordum, Mr. Ferris casscally refer
red to the scene of Cicero, the greatest of Ro-
man orators, laying the garlands of his fame
and genius on the altar of discipleship in his
plea for the poet Archias, his former teacher
and master, and also to the picture of Ruth fol-
lowing Naomi out of the land OF MOab, as show
ing the beauty and nobility OF discipleship; an
other portrature is added of the blind beggar
cured and standing before the bigoted Jews,
and finally asking the question-in the Ian
gnage, of the te1t-"Will ye also be His disci-
. The theme then announced was the condi-
ditions of true discipleship, which he defined to
be, LIST, Independence of thought. I'd, Appre-
citation of the teacher. Sd, Affection for the
master 4th. Earnest endeavOrs to model the
life after that of the teacher.
If these elements be answered and master
great enough be found, then the mind or soul
may grow until it lays aside the mortal part,
while denial of discipleship retards growth to-
wards goodness -
The necessity of the race is a master whose
towering form and undying projections can be
seen by the ages and nations Is there such an
one? All minds turn at once to Jesus.
The momentous question is, Does this man
meet the conditions of the problem? But hay
ing answered this, there comes greater If pos
sible the text of the hour; Twill we also be His
dsciples?' The remarks directly to those grad
uating closed with these words: My young.
friends land what say to you say to all,)
they may be the words of comparative strang-
er to you; but they are spoken with the eye of
God-and fain would trust His benediction
too-upon their sincerity, "Be We also HIS disci-
ples2"
The examination of the undergraduate class
es will be continued to-day and tomorrow, and
friends of the Seminary are invited to attend.
ORGANIZATION OF GREELEY CLUB.-Af-
ter good deal of manufactured enthusiasm,
and public notice for that purpose, the Gree
ley Republicans" of Portland met at Fluent
Hall last night for the purpose of organizing
club. At the opening GA persons were present,
and the number varied slightly during the
evening, but at no time, by actual count was
there more than seventy-five present. The
voices of the speakers echoed through the large
hall like the reverberations of pea in a dried
bladder. The Organization was tremendously
effected as follows:
President, H. Frank Furnish; Vice Presi-
dents, C. A. ellison, Cyrus H. Farley, Thomas
z. Beals, Edward L. Patten, III. w. Pratt, f.
Hickey, Thos. Burgess; Secretay, Henry I.
Carter; Treasurer, Robert !. Hull; Executive
Committee, HI. T. Carter, w. McKChapman,
Frank Houghton, r. l. Hull.
A discussion took place in regard to an ap-
propriate name for the club. Albert Merrill,
who has been standing candidate for ex-office
for the past twelve years, proposed 'Greeley
Republican" The word Republican was good,
and he wanted to retain it. He had no COM
FUNCTIONS about sailing under false colors-any
thing to beat Grant.
Mr.. James III. Hamlen, of the Cincinnati
Convention, wanted it to be called Peoples
Club Joseph b. Hall coincided with Mr..
Hamlen. He was a member of the Peoples
party last year, which was composed chilly
of himsel, and he would like to be immortal
lied.
The meeting concluded to l.ave the the mat
ter of christening to the executive committee,
at the suggestion of j. Frank Miller, who two
weeks ago, persistently denied that he took any
part in or had sympathy with the Preble House
meeting. yFs-# Trr
Before the organization, j. B. Hall mott
fled his companions that the brunt of the battle
would occur before the September election, and
urged them to vote for Kimball; for, said he, if
Kimball is elected by ev en- a small majority,
Greeley would carry the State in November;
but if Kimball was defeated, 5000 Democrats
would refuse to vote for President.
At the adjournment the President announced
that Gen. Fitzpatrick would speak on Saturday
evening. --