The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-06-18


were inaugurated by sermon from Rev. DR.. S.
Register, OH Sabbath last, in the NJ. Il:
Church of this place, from the Sth verse and Sd
chap. of Philippians 'sYea, doubtless, and
count all things but loss for the excellency OF
the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.''
!, It was an effort of great power and original
ity, perspicuous in its arrangement, and COM
prehensive and impressive in the scope and APP
plication of the arguments.
On Sunday night, Rev. DIR. Poisal delivered
the annual sermon before the Young Ladies'
Christian Association. We did not hear this,
but understand that it was a feeling and
instructive sermon.
Monday night the final exercises of the Young
Ladies' Christian Association came off in the
" E. Church. A stage had been erected around
the pulpit, sufficiently large to seat the school,
and accommodate the pianos, &c. The young
ladies appeared tastefully dressed, and looking
fresh and beautiful, and happy. Rev. Thomas
Carson opened the exercises with prayer
Chorus-'sHear our evening prayer" by Miss
Lizzie Daniels vocal Glass;. Salutatory Essay
by Miss Hattie Picker, OF Virginia; then So
ciety Essay by Miss NJ Rosser, OF Virginia,
'sNo cross, no crown, 1.-THE theme. Trio-'Hope'
was splendidly rendered by Misses Perry, Daniel,
Carter, B. Harris, Parker and Jameson. This
was succeeded by Society Essay, we'll read by
Miss r. Adams, Of Virginia. Miss Cochran, OF
Georgia. then sung ''Show me thy ways @;
Lord!'' Ye sons of Israeli by Miss Daniels'v o-
cal. class was finely rendered: care the links
that bind us broken?'' Essay by Miss Eddie
Pope, of Texas. 'sProtect us through the com,
ing night sung by Misses Collect, Cochran,
and Furr Essay by Miss E.. Yelverton, of
Texas, embodied some beautiful thoughts, and
the evening, although Miss Pope's was pro-.
.duction Of more Extraordinary merit. ssGlory
to God," was finely rendered by Miss Eva
Windsor, Of Washington. The Valedictory Es
say, read by Miss Bette Thornton, Of Texas,
and s'What shall the Harvest be!'' sung by the
vocal class, followed by benediction, Rev J.
Poisal, closed the evenings entertainment.
We don't know how it is, but we have par
tiality for those Texas girls. They seem to
have impressed upon their fair features the mel
low beauty and sweetness of the bright skies
that over arch their prairie homes, and the elias
tic vigor inspired by the zephyrs that sweep
over the flower-bedecked plains Of the Lone Star
State. Misses Collett and Yelverton, especial
", did well their parts in the exercises, and re-
fiected no discredt upon a State that has Civ
en- some of the brightest intellects to the coun-
| try.
t. TUESDAY EVENING, the final celebration of
the Lee and jackson Literary Society, followed.
The exercises were opened with al appropriate
prayer by Rev. John Landstreet. Salutatory
Essay, by the Vice President of the Society,
Miss Fannie Powell, of Texas, then music by
the band of the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institu-
ton. A Society Essay by Miss NJ. Daniel, Of
Washington city. The essays of these young
ladies were well conceived and well read, evin-
cling careful thought and culture.
| The ANNUAL ADDRESS, by Rev. John .E.
Edwards, of Richmond, was splendid speei-
men of intellectual refinement and attainment,
and u remarkable testimony to the atfiuence
and power of the English language We do
not remember ever to have heard or reada rich
| or, more chaste, and erudite production OF any
kind; aud its adaptation to the occasion, was
| in harmony with the beautiful sentiment and
graceful construction of the address. lie
smoothly and gently passed over the ambitions,
the loves, the hopes of youth, and gradually
and naturally. entered upon the discussion o.
his theme Gradual Progression, the principle
of substantial and permanent Intellectual and
moral attachments. This was the idea, at least,
which was developed by luxury of language,
A and wealth of illustration, drawn from nature,
science, and Individual example, rarely equalled
and never surpassed in the rangeTo OF our read
I ing. His word-portraiture OF the character ot
jackson, then Lee, was grandly beautiful, and
met responsive sympathy from the large and
intelligent audience present
j A well written essay by Miss Rountree, OF
Texas, and the valedictory Essay by the Pres
ident of the Society, Miss Matte Harris. daugh-
Ter Of the Principal Of the School, displayed
great vigor Of thought, and delicacy OF senti-
| ment. and were we'll received. The music on
the occasion was fine. A noticeable feature OF
all the Essays read before the Societies, both
Monday and Tuesday evenings, were the deep
tone of religious conviction that pervaded
them, which attests the care that is observed in
the moral, as well as intellectual training OF
the scholars. ~.
i las our forms were closed before the conclu-
sion of the exercises of last "wednesday even
ing, further reference to the interesting cere-
monies, is necessarily prevented in to-day's is
sue.l
JUDGE HARRIS AND THE NEWSPAPERS
A friend has called our attention to the follow
ing bill introduced by Judge Harris, in an ear
ly day of the present session of Congress,
|passed by two-third vote, and is now before
the Senate THAT so much Of the law Of
March Sd, 1873, as prohibits the publishers OF
newspapers and periodicals from sending each
other, from their offices, one copy of each.
and so mich of said law as prohibits the circu-
lation of weekly papers free of postage in the
eodntirs where issued. be, and the same is
hereby repealed, and the'law as it stood in this
regard OH the third day of March, 1873, is here
by revived.'' ..s., e.s..<g: .
We noticed this bill at the time it was intro
duced, and approved it. Remembering this
we were the more surprised at his recent vote
to which alIusion was made last week. We
have, however, been furnished some Of the pro
visions of the bill, other than the free exchange.
and free circulation in counties where publish
ed features, and can readily account for his OPP