Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-08
rHr sourHERN UNIVERSITY.

On Sunday, the twenty-fifth of Octo-
Der, we made mention of meeting TO
be held at the Church of the Transfig-
uration, New York city, over which
Bishop HOratiO Potter presided, called
for the purpose of taking steps and de-
vising means for a generous and efficient
support of the University of the South
by the church generally. Ia doing so
we expressed the hope that something
would grow out OF it that would be ben
eficial to an institution begun under
circumstances of great promise, and
we are glad to learn our hopes have
been realized. Tine church has re-
spOnded with an overhOwing sympathy
that is generally the precursor TO more
solid and substantial results. On the
occasion referred to, several addresses
were delivered that were marked by an
earnest desire for the completion Of the
great undertaking which lies go near the
heart of not merely the members of the
Episcopal church, but of major
Ity of the people OF the south;
but that which, above them all,
was characterized by an entire iden-
tity of feeling and sympathy with us,
was the address of President Bar
nard, of Columbia college, who for
many years before the late civil war
was prominently identified with the ed
ucational interests of the south. He be-
gun by sketching the origin of the great
scheme, and traced it, through all its
stages of conception and inception,
down to the memorable day when its
foundation was laid with ceremonies
characterized by all the dignity and
formality OF a church whose ritual is the
very basis of order, He told Of the adj
dress by the Episcopal bishop Of Ken
lucky, now the venerable presiding Of |
ficer OF that church in the United States, |
and of the prayers offered by the la
mented Bishop Otey, first Protestant
Episcopal bishop of Tennessee, recalling
a host of memories that, to the people in
this region of country, are among the
sweetest and yet the saddest. President |
Barnard, having reached the close of
the day when the blessing of the AL
mighty had been invoked upon an I'M
dertaking that was to rival Oxford and
Cambridge, and centralize ali the better
plans and purposes of the best univeTsi-
ties of Europe, said;
With the close OF q day so seemingly
aiispicious in all its incidents, the friends
of the new institutions dispersed to their
homes, graiiiied, delighted and conf
dent. But scarcely week had passed
away before the clouds which had been
so long gradually gathering in the pO-
liticsl armament, darkened suddenly
into gloom; and presently after burst
into = storm destined soon to desolate
all that beautiful region. In less than
eighteen months after that cornerstone
had been laid in its place with eere-
mouial so imposing, it was shattered
into fragments by the hand of violence;
and all those carefully chosen documents
which had been so Ieverentiauy depos-
tied in the cavity of its interior and
sealed up there 90 be transmitted as a
precious legacy TO after generations,
were trampled to the earth beneath the
iron heel of war. The canvass among
the friends of education aud of the
church for the means Of carrying on this
great work-meaBs which multitudes
were just before pressing eagerly forward
to offer with both hands full-was
arrested; for the public safety
was the thought which from this mo-
ment occupied first Of all the hearts of
the people. OF the sums which had
been already subscribed, scarcely any
had been paid in; the subscribers hav-
ing arranged to pay annual interest up
on them until the time should come
when they might be gathered and fund /
ed; but in the general paralysis of in-
dustTies, and the disturbance of sll usual
avocatiOns of civil life, it became i'm {
possible to realize the revenues which f,
had been thus, as it was supposed scarce 1
" provided; and from the general /
wreck, scarcely sufficient was saved to /
keep the institution visibly alive, and !
preserve the charter from forfeiture by I
lOI user. Still 1t was kept alive, and il |
ives to this day. With the restoration [
Of peace would have come, of course, s /
Of It's prosperity, and a re- !
lewal OF those liberal contrihu- q
ions for its support, its en- ,
enlargement and its embal- /
which had been so abundantIy :