Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-26
NJ. d.
Heavy ReinfOrcements for the Medical
Profession.
The Medical Commencement Exercises
Of Nashville and Vanderbilt
Universities.

HaNNA IA -AeloNLAAN IAN tttol AAlE4ls
The commencement exercises Of the Medi-
cal Department Of Nashville and Wander
bilt Universities, tor the session Of 1915.
The stage was occupied by the faculties of
the two Institutions, and Rev. DIS. Young.
Summers, and I. A. Hoyt, Judge Jno. NJ
Lea, Representatives Bowers and Nothing
ton and some others.
Rev. DR.. HOyt opened the exercises with
prayer. Then followed the validictory ad-
dress by MIR. W. II Campbell, Of Texas,
which was attentiyely listened to, and loud
ly applauded.
After the Post Band had played lively
air, DR.. I. L. Maddin stepped forward and
introduced DR.. T. o. Summers, Jr., Pro
fessOr Of Anatomy and Histology, who pro
ceeded 70 deliver on behalfO Of the faculty,
the charge TO the graduating class.
THE MISSION OF MEDICINE.
Gentlemen Of the Graduating Glass
Strange feelings press in upon me as | ad-
dress you on this occasion. Only a few
short years ago / sat where you are now
assembled, to receive the benedictiOn Of the
same august body whom have the honor
and the privilege to represent before you
tonight. And before the echoes Of its
melting music have died out along the
corridors Of my mind, | would fain reflect
them upon you, fresh from the walls of
memory, that they may quicken the activi-
ties of your being and stir the energies OF
your life.
As you stand at this momant on the
brink Of that river on whose farther shore
are gathered the hopes and promises of
your future lives, l call upon you to pause
not like the mighty Roman at the Rubi-
con, shivering at his ambitious plunge, but
rather like the Hebrew warrior, to gather
flom tie path already trodden some endur-
ing memorials Of blessing, and plant them
beneath the waters now rolling backward
to invite your passage.
The calling upon which you are about to
enter needs no eulOgium from me. Born
Of the instincts and nourished by the ne
ceSsitiss Of humanity, it has ever COM
manded the respect and challenged the ad-
miIatiOn of the world. In all ages and
among all nations, the mission Of the heal
er has dignifed his person and elevated his
character. The enemy oE no man, but the
friend Of all, he moves unframed on the
war-path Of the savage, and crosses, I'M
challenged, the guard-Hnes of conterding
AAN94-s CAA IllG lE4Li D-AlAA u
mainly, where the forces Of disease are
marshalled, and the shadowy pinions of
death are swooping, the world has ever
been dazzled by the heayen-wide flash Of
your armOr, and the glitter Of your rain
bow crests.
The universally Of the healeT's mission,
no less than its Inherent dignity, elevates
il above the atmosphere Of perfunctory
Professionally, into the higher sphere of
devoted conservation. Medicine is not a
profession, but a UOCIiiOH. Ii there be
one among you prompted by any other
motive than that Of ameliOrating the con-
dillon of his fellow man, by smoothing, at
least, his pathway TO the tomb, AID blot
ting out, as best he may, somewhat Of the
serpent's trail in Eden's bowers, let me be
seech him to take not upon himself the
solemn responsibilities OF this hour, and
bring condemnation upon our Israel, by
Offering strange fire upon her altars.
Not only, gentlemen, are YOU to res.
under a sense OF the dignity and excellence
Of this mission upon which YOU are about
to enter, but you axe to feel, also, your
high commission, 10 fulfill its purposes and
advance its interests. Being thus aCtuated,
It becomes You 10 separate yourselves
wholly 10 this work. "Hencefouh Sc are
not your own" You have invested your
characters, your energies, your talents, and
your lives in the great mission which IS be
fore you, and with it yOu ere to sink or
swim, survive OF perish, Much there will
be to chill your enthusiasm and dampen
your ardor. You enter upon your career
under the cloud Of an Cstracism more
powerful in its influence, and more rigid
in its exactions, than the shell-IecJrded
blnishments Of ancient Rome.
Like the immortal Pitt, You stand
charged with the a,rOciOUs crime Of being
VOlug men, and the cold shadow Of its
eaOmity will wither many q fresh and
brilliant hope, and the chilling breath Of
fr0sty-haired Experiences will usher in
early upon you the winter Of your disCOn-
tent. Oh, l can see him nOw-the wise
looking cid professional Owl-gOing about
from house to house, damning you con-
tinUally with the faint praise Of "a pT0Wiy-
Ing yOlmg man -
Happily for you, however, the recent ad-
vances Of positive science are rapidly re-
ducing all claims TO professional recogni-
ton and preferneHt 10 the simple test Of
actual attainment. "WLal can You do? s"
not "What have you done ?'-Eill be
the touchstOne of the future, for, thanks TO
the scientific investigators of our own day,
the world is fas. learning the deep signiti-
canoe Of that pregnant truth, Numbered out
somewhat cOnceitedly, it must be admitted,
by the hero Of the "PatricIan's Daughter:
fIt may he by the calendar Of years
You are tie elder man; but tits the sun
or knowledge on the minds dial, shining bright,
And chronicling deeds and thoughts, that makes
true time"
Experience is like the stern light of a
vessel, throwing its brilliance over The
track Of the travelled past, but sending
not one single ray into the Cimmerian
darkness beyond; and when the iRtellectu-
al balance Of the world is struck, profess
siOnal worth and moral character will be
submitted to one and the same test:
Sc Not what and how many the seas you have
passed,
But what is the state Of your soul at the Iast.'
The field you are to enter is as bread as
the universe, and limited only by the con
fines Of'time. No irOn-Clad DOGMA holds
you chained and chatting in its ''Dent-up
Utica" Your mission is to heal, and your
commission bears the iWpriWdtsT of Him
TO whom the highest tribute Of humanity
has been paid-that he went about doing
good. In the light Of such a character, how
contemplate and degraded does that man
appear, who, capaTiSOned in the gaudy trap
pings Of some creed or pdthy, rides into
power over the ignorance or fanaticism of
the deluded multitude. Seduced by no
clitteTing examples Of spurious success,
you are to press on in your heaven-0r-
dained labor Of love, crystalizing every
thought about this the governing purpose Of
your life-the fulfllment Of your glorious
mission.
Gentlemen, the age Of chisalry is not
over. The rustling Of those fading ban
nerS, which tell Of the knights Of former
times, may yet be heard in this world Of
ours. Am l wrong in believing that hear
Il along your lines t0-nighl? Itmay not be
yours to prance in the tilt-yard amidst the
heen Of bright lances, and before maidens'
eyes, but a lOrdlieT, a hOlier chiyalry
awaits you, fenced not in by the blood of |
Plantagenet or Howard, but open 10 every
valiant hero. Go, then, where this glory |
waits you. Enter the lazarettos Of earth. |
where the lepers herd, and pour upon them
he healing balm. Go, in the strength of !
your mighty mission, to the dens of in |
fanny ard the haunts of crime, and float |
your gospel message upon the heavy and |
eculent air. Go wherever there is pain TO
1alliate, or grief to assulge, or wounds to |
neal. Go wherever faith can see, or hone
an breathe, or love can work, or courage