Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-09-27
,o, Dr. Packard's Address Mt the
Inbilee Of the Episcopal Seminary
Saar Alexandria, Va.

After an appropriate introduction, DR.. Pack
~ When DR.. Keith and Dr. Wilmer met for
H.. FIRST time class OF young men in the lee
mrs. room of St. Paurs, Alexandria, they by
M means realized the significance of the work
,bev had then begun.
Tbsc 1v' could not, in their most sanguine expec-
,o,;ons hive foreseen that at the close of Its
Srst balfcentury ''tEis seminary would have
cent forth more than FIVE hundred and fifty
Ahmni that its graduates would be found In
nsorv every diocese of the United States !;
that ten bishops of our Church would
have received their theological education bere;
and that more than thirty missionaries, In faith
in living Savior, would have gone trom this
nlsc. TO bear the name of Christ among the
leathen. :.
The duty has been assigned me OF giving u
historical sketch Of the foundation and upbulld-
ing of this seminary Let US first inquire what
WAS the design of the founders Of this seminary
in establishing it, aud in what spirit did 1t
originate
]Dr. p. then gave an account of the designs
and purposes of the iouuders of the Seminary.
letus now glance at the historical fact con
npc,ed With its origin. We cannot say Of it
that, like Jonah guurd, it came up 10 night.
Il was several years before its idea took q def
mite form. Our Diocese deserves the
credit of being the first in this country to take
s,eps to provide for the education OF its candi
dates for orders Two years before the Geue
raj Theological Seminary Was established, in
lslj, Dr. Augustine Smith, the president OF
William aud Mary college, proposed to the
Convention of this Diocese that fund should
be raised for the support of theological pro-
fssorship in that College, where there was al
ready valuable library, formed by Drs. Blair
,Dd Bray The Rev. DR.. Wilmer reported
resolution, THAT the Bishop aud standing
cmuiltee be authorized to adopt measures for
tie promotion of an object Of SO great magoi
a3-, and which may, under the blessing OF
JI be productive of the most beneficial cOn
squenccs.' Such was the germ out OF which
gvw this seminary.
Notwithstanding this resolution, nothing was
dvDe Till the Convention of 1921 In 1921 the
Committee on the State of the Church in Vir-
Enia recommended to the Convention the es-
ablishment Of 3 theological schooin Williams
turg. In 1929 DIR. Wilmer reports that $l0,-
~Jo had bsen raised. A similar effort at the
ane tlme to establish seminary 10 Maryland
had failed through the opposition made to 1t
by Bishop Hemp and others. The want of
success in Williamsburg, where DIR. Keith had
buOne theological student in two years, and
the failure Of the effort in Maryland, led to the
lemora! of the school to Alexandria to meet the
wishes OF the Maryland brethren.
10 1924 the Rev. William Meade, whose
Lame now appears always on the Journal IN
onuection with the seminary, submitted the
tolOBDg report from the Board of Trustees: !:
Doctor Packard them quotes at length the
report, for the purpose, as he says, OF showing
how enlarged we're his bishop Meade 81 views
how prophetic were his hopes In regard to the
seminary; and above all, to show 10 what spirit
tbs seminary originated. The Rev, Doctor
also proceeded to speak in glowing and touch
lDg ,e,us of the deceased professors OF the
seminary, their devotion, and labor Of love,
! their humility, their oneness Of aim and effort
for the glory of God. He then mentioned the
present professors, date of appointments their
several departments, &c.
The founder and benetactors ofthe seminary
deserves notice here.
Over the grave of Bishop Meade, in the
Hollywood Cemetery, is the inscription, ''The
Founder Of the Theological Seminary OF Virgin
and were no monument erected to his
memory this seminary will be monument more
sstug than marble. S,que'is nonun'entuns,
elcumspice
10 this seminary the heart the cares, the
thoughts Of Bishop Meade were given. tie
Watched over it with fathers cars-yea, with
mothers tenderness. For
macy years Bishop Meade gave instruction to
,lt senior class in pastoral theology. Bishop
Moore felt warm interest in the seminary,
aua was always present at its annual examlna-
uehS
Wish could give to you my own impress
Wa M OF the worth and services Of Rev. Edward
aeuulre, d. D., and others who assisted in the
Ukaoltatlon of this seminary and in the man
StMent Of its affairs.
llne hev. Doctor then spoke of the benetac-
%s Sas OF the seminary-those whose iberallty
". SIl'' the present seminary buildings, and OF
sAeFs who have contributed to the material
rO>peny of the institution. The Rev. Doc
WI WI Then spoke eloQuently Of the beautiful situa
.OO OF The seminary, its lofty position, varied
"eaery Of hill and vale and river. and then
'rUAe 'r eequenty of the harmony existing be-
,n'a r'seo Tins outward beauty and grandeur Of ma
s's sua the sublime truths of the religion of
,sS' sus' I1culcated within the walls of the semi
~, 3 aod treasured in the hearts of students
"aprOiessors
NIL, " ust now, let us inquire, have been the re-
'Stenee2
,'; "e point to its FIVE hundred and seventy al.
: s lhe Oldest on the list of the alumni,
,ss, ev , George H. Smith, is permitted to
II ~ ,bsn bsla us to-day. Who are they. and where
Ssn aey len have been bishaps-three of
avs a tlorelgn missionary bishops; thirty-two
srs ,tn tOeen foreign missionaries, who learned
h, ~ ~ tnat the field was not the United States,
Thu hue world: Let me call the ROLL
a,,r NeE' Doctor then called by name the
o0s,'So missionaries.
i, s. =" these missionaries, DR.. Hill, of Athens,
ficb cony nearly forty years taught the things
,Ss,ss Ipooeern pe,ern the Lord Jesus on the very spot
G,bs ,a aul reasoned Of the Most High God;
adsuanrs,S resurrection ~ Of the body. and Of the
!.rs 0iasr hn lbishop Payne) has for thirty-three
,ar, " yof1e the heat and burden of the day
suneIa.ss I.s burning sun of Africa, and has been
sb(ed S1,, 70 return to his native State in en-