The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-01-14
OF THE FRIENDS OF
| HAMpDEN SIDNEY GO1I.EGE.

This body, convened In the rooms of the
Young Mems Christian Association at II
O'Clock last night, and was called TO order
by Judge 4. II. Fitzhugh, of Richmond. who
at preliminary meeting in the afternoon
had been made chairman of committee to
report at night on the organization Of the
body.
The committee reported the following
nominations Of officers, who were unani-
lmousiy elected: President, Hon. James v.
Brooke, of Fauquier; Secretary, Frederick
Johnston, Esq, of Salem, Roanoke.
The report also recommended that all
elders, deacons, and ministers Of the Pres
i byterian Church and the professors and
trustees Of the college be considered mem.
sers OF the body, and that all alumni and
friends of Hampden Sidney present be In
vited to seats as corresponding members.
Hon. j. v. Brooke then took the chair.
briefly indicated the objects of the meeting,
and then called out Rev. DIR. NJ. D. Hoge,
who had been chosen for the purpose, to
make the address of welcome.
DR.. Hoge then came forward and made,
without manuscript, and in his usually
happy style, the following address:
Address Of Welcome by DIR. Hose.
Mr. President,---It is made my pleasant
Office to welcome the alumni and friends of
Hampden Sidney to this city. In the name
of our Presbyterian people, and OF the
/ friends of education, express the pleasure
we feel in seeing you in this convention and
in entertaining you in our homes.
Your errand here is one of no ordinary
interest. Just now other and important
topics engross public attention; but the ex.
element they occasion will soon subside.
The agitation in the current of political life
will presently cease. and the stream will
move on with tranquil and, as l trust,
happy and prosperous flow. But our in.
terest in the cause of Christian education is
| perennial, for that, as we know, lies at the
very foundation Of all that is healthful and
enduring In national prosperity.
| It is true we meet to consider the interest
of single institution, but that is the best
1 way to advance the welfare of all the rest
! 1t is with education as with our common
Christianity leach denomination concentrates
Its energies on the cultivation Of the part of
| the field committed TO its especial care; and
when each does its peculiar ecclesiastical
work efficiently, then the whole field is made
fertile, and all the reapers in the end rejoice
together.
/ And this leads me to say that as there is a
| true and essential unity between all the diff
ferent branches of the great Christian fam
| ily, so the principles and aims Of the friends
of education are one, and they may say "let
there be no strife among us, for we are
brethren" We do not meet here in Spirit
of rivalry or hostility toward any other
school of learning in all this broad Common.
wealth. 1t is not our province to criticise
their organization or policy. We are not
their supervisors. They are aDlenable to the
great public, .inst as we are, and the success
!, or failure Of their systems will be deter.
mined by the people, and not by Us.
;, Indeed, the position. which Hampden Sid
ney occupies is one which secures her from
+ hostility on the part of other Institutions,
: even were they capable of such feeling,
She is quiet, unobtrusive, unpretendiug
college, and aSpiTes to be nothing else. In
J our day and country there is constant am
, bition among academies to become colleges,
and among colleges to swell out into the
dimensions Of universities. T do not deny
/ the right of any institution to do this if il
peases. But Hampden Sidney is content to
3 be simply a college--a connecting link be-
2 tween the primary school and the university
ambitious only to do honest, thorough, scho-
= larly work, and to deserve all the patronage
: she receives. Though the currtculumis is re-
: TUNED; tits not the curriculum of the eidell
time but one which is conformed to the
S advanced and advancing educational stand.
: ards of the day. AS e1ch passing year re-
e gisters higher grade of scholarship, there
4 is less and less danger that Hampden Sidney
e will be the institution upon which the ira.
e ditiona story is fathered, that the Professor ol
: Mathematics in assigning the first lesson to
q his class in geometry told the boys that they
e might commit twenty pages in Euclid, TAX.
ing care to state that it was only the texts
| tina were to be memorized, and not the de-
E monstrations, unless they were doubtful
:. about their truth, and adding, that for bis
e own part, his mind was fully made up!
e But while we attach due importance to
i the maintenance Of high standard of scho-
;, larship, we are equally intent on preserving
;, | the right religious influence in our college
|, We profess to be Presbyterian college
J, We distinctly and unequivocally avOw it:
and if possible we mean to perpetuate that
? characteristic; not in any sense scctarian SC
n far as the inculcation Of our peculiar ecclesi
r astical tenets is concerned, but in the sense
that Hampden Sidney is Presbyterian in it:
q which surround it.
4 We wish to be able to say to our whole
4 Presbyterian population, In Hampden Sid
e ney you have college which is Presbyterian
IN every sense in which college ought to bt
e denominational, without being exclusive, OF
: narrow, or designed to- exert improper con
e troll over the religious liberty Of the students
gathered there"
e We hold that a true system of culture at
1 tempts to give both to the intellectual anC
8 the moral powers their completest possible
developments to draw forth and inyigcratc
} oil that constitutes force in man, whether Of
e understanding, will, conscience, or affection
e the symmetrical education of all the facul
/ ties which make up the beauty, worth, an6
happiness Of life. .ft.E,
There is q celestial as well as terrestria
: side of our humanity. Like the great image
e which the king saw in his dream, man, by
4 his sensual nature, may indeed touch the
5 earth with feet of kindred clay, but as yor
. rise higher the materials become richer and
q finer, until the whole structure Is sur
mounted by head of gold.
8 Religion is the crown OF mans hlghest
$ and noblest powers, and no system OF edu'
: cation can be complete which does not am
, at the development of the faculties Whlcf
/ God meant to be regnant in humanity. IL
8 is TO consider topics like these, and to confer
! about the best means Of adding to the ca.
pacity of our college for usefulness, that vol
) meet in this hall.
We commence our work according to oul
! Presbyterian modes of action. We have no
called together our people at large, but thei
representatives, to lay our plans wisely ane
well. We did not anticipate a large attend
!, ance-tbat will come when the proper tims
1; for it comes. Now we meet to take the in
;; cipient steps, and to prepare for the time