Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-07-14
Saturday, July ID, 1877.
Alumni Grafton.

Nlth pleasure we lay UeIOIe tue IcaucIs VI
the FREE Press a synopsis of the splendid o.
ration delivered by our distinguished young
countyman, Rev. Jno p STRIDER, at the re-
cent Commencement of Washington and Lee
University. For tive are indebted to the
Lexington Gazette:
1t were false to call the experiment Of the
New World Republic failure; but there are
some things to blush for, some things to reform.
From tie heights above the tidal wave Of cor
ruption which has buried our land, we hear
the cry, sounding from mountain to sea, Re-
form % Out Of the night-clouds Of national
wrong and sectional hate breathes the prayer,
Reform I" From sovereign States whose Vi
tails the iron hand of federalism is cutching
tighter as it moves nearer to the throne OF Cen
tralization, is wrung the cry, Reform !"
And surely at a time when the minister in
State and the minister in Church hare uncean
hands; when the press feeds the morbid greed
of prurient public taste with crimes and hor-
rors monstrous and obscene when the popu
lar mind is more absorbed with the scandals re-
vealed in the judicial trial Of a Sunday lecturer
tBeecher) than with their own country's strug-
81, for Reform; when the villain who betrays
sacred hospitality and degrades his soldier s
honor 10y the attempted assassination OF witely
virtue receives commutatiou Of punishment
because, sotsUoth, he had done what he could
to crush people nobly fighting for liberty !;
when Fashions idiot sway" is wel-nigh alb
solute when the highest universities are be-
coming the privileged saloons of fintemperance,
dobauch, and skeptcism, when it seems as if
" Time had worn out, or Fashion PIT to shame
Good sense, good honor, good conscience ana gooa
name"
At such time we may well be moved with
the anxiety, HEere is d5 po,ccr Qf Reform
Church and State are the two great organs of
society. In Church, State and School dwells
the triple Of Society. To these men look for
the correction Of social evils. But the Church
has no power to coerce those whom it seeks to
benefit. It's power is purely spiritual. The
State is al abstraction not moral agent, 1t
can have TO moral responsibility being with
ou conscience it can have no religion.
Schools are competent only to teach the
mind they have no spiritual function. To
make their power compulsory would be to
traverse the underlying principle Of our Dem
ocratic institutions.
Alas we are the heirs Of all the ages. We
inherit the cast-cf principles and clouted in
stitutions Of an ancient race. The past has
been curious as the present, and all possible
forms Of government have been tried. There
is nothing new under the sun. But if we can
discover DO higher art, let US seek deeper
wisdom. 1t is well when the foundations are
shaken, to dig deep aud build upon rock.
4 true system of Therapeutics resolves cor
porate life into the different functions which
by combined action produce life as their re-
suit. A correct Physiology is possibly only
in the recognition 0 single organs. The su-
perstition Of Alchemy became the science Of
chemistry only by the analysis Of complex
substances into elements.
Let us trace this principle down to its tap
root. Every development Of organic life has
a germ. 4 tree, man, social institution
all spring from rudimentary form. The
most complex organisms are inte5rated IN a
seed.
ltis a false analogy TO represent men as
standing separate aud apart like SO many
cornstalks. Rather is your human plant a
vine with branches The history OF man be-
gins with the history Of the family. There is
no record Of Adams single life The Oldest
institution Of earth is marriage, aud marriage
is the keystone Of Society.
The true analysis of Society, then land Of
the State as an organized Society reduces it to
families. Romulus' rabble on the Palatine
never became the Roman Commonwealth IN
Ill they stole their Sabine wives and were
broken up into families. Without the iuteger
Of the family, Church and State are impossi-
bic institutions. The nation therefore, whose
social decay presents no point of support for
pure morals aud whose political corruption
has tainted the whole corporate State, still! has
the perpetual germ OF a new and healthiul
growth-the Family
The family then Is the heart Of Society. II
there is corruption IN the body polite, the lie
is affected. But the life is in the blood, and the
heart is the fountain Of the blood. Hold
the heart and you can make or take the life.
The scheme of Society seems to be this -
a church the organ Of the moral law to which
each individual owes allegiance; State TO
secure every man bis rights in Society a
School. with amassed facilities TO teach tic
arts and sciences Of life. al very good, bu!
10 understand, 10 use and enjoy them requires
previous education. But whence this educa-
ton? Behold the place Of the family among
the moral forces OF the world 1t is itself a
world-State, Church and Schoo! in miniature
Here we fiad our topic--Ihe Family the true
place Of Reform and the basis OF conseryausm
Note. We find an yri0ri argument 10 the
simplicity Of naturally which we mean d.
yipely ordained-remedies. On this thorn
bearing earth there is not, perhaps, one Pois-
onous weed for which natures garden does not
GROW an autidote. To natures simple forms
we refer tho undying fame Of Grecian art for
its guaranty. The ponderous tones Of The
olosy can all be condensed to page full o.
woTjs-ths ten commandments. When th'