Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-06-08
SOUTHWESTERN PRESBYTER-
IAN UNIVERSITY.

COMMENCEMENT SERMON.
This was delivered by the Rev.
DIR. Welch, of Little Rock, Ark. 1t
was a very sound discourse, abound
ing in moral and religious counsel
appropriate to the graduating class,
on them that they make
use of the powers conferred by a
liberal education in such a way that |
the world shall be better for their
lives, and that they themselves
shall reap honor and position and |
the gratitude of society in this life |
and eternity of happiness in the
next. A large audience was in at
tendance and all, especially the
students, seemed deeply impressed
with the discourse and the import
ance of the occasion which gave
origin to it.
THE LITERARY SOCIETIES.
Monday was devoted to the elo-
quence of the Juniors, members of
the two literary societies. The
rhetorical hOnors of Washington
Irving Society were maintained by
Messrs. S. B. Coleman and II. II.
Mclean and those of Stewart Soci-
ETY. by Mr.. E. D. Wiser. The pro-
ceedings were opened with prayer
by the Rev. Mr.. Waddell.
Mr.. s. B. COJemGa-Subject
s'Wreaths and their Wearers." Mr..
Coleman, commencing with the old
Greek legend of Daphne as giving
the mythical origin of the laurel
wreath, interpreted the old legend
as simply that he who pursues the
laurel wreath of fame too often found
that glory when attained failed to
yield the anticipated joy, and that
honor for its own sake was the true
reward of the hero. He dwelt at
some length upon the practice of
browning VictOrs at the Olympian
and other games, and reminded us
that in early times it was physical
superiority which was rewarded, as
proved in the athletic contests of
the day, and that it was in later
times that poems and even histories
were so honOred. While speaking
of this as an improvement he took
occasion to deplOre the neglect of
bodily culture in the present day,
which had the effect of. rendering
the heroes of our literary cOmpeti-
tions 'intellectual hypOchOndriacs."
He pointed out that endurance
what in men we call grit, in horses
bottOm-was the quality which won
in the athletic contests of old, and
was in fact the condition of success
in all ages.
Mr.. f. d. ViSeT-Subject "Truth
is Stronger than Tyrant's Chain"
Mr.. Viser's speech was mainly a
celebration of the victories of the
moral and intellectual athlete in
vindication of truth; in which
struggle he cOntended that the
faithful contestant was always in
the end victorious, though not al
ways crowned. The world, in fact,
is full of uncrowned heroes. Lati-
mer and Ridley on behalf of relig
ious truth, and Calico in the cause
of scientific truth, were all desig-
mated as uncrowned heroes, who
received death as the need of their
| efforts instead of the VictOr'S crown
but the truth they died for survived
them and still abides victorious
among men. The champions of
truth might fall before the tyrant's
frown, the truth itself was stronger
than tyrants. All this was expressed
with much eloquence, and with a
gesture appropriate and graceful,
but perhaps little too elaborate.
Mr.. II. II. McLe0a-Subject
'The Diet of Worms" Mr.. Nc
Lean showed himself an intelligent
and accurate historian in giving us
a short but spirited sketch of Lu-
theirs life, eliminating in his grand
struggle at Worms. He entered
with enthusiasm into the labOrs and
Struggles of the heroic monk in
behalf of religious truth. Where
the subject demanded it he showed
no lack of elOquence, but he made
the manner subordinate to the mat
ter, in which respect we commend
him as a model to College orators.
We have seldom been as much in
terested in Il College defamation.
In general terms we may say that
the exercises so far have in no re-
spect fallen short of those in former
days.
The society diplomas were deliv-
cred with an appropriate address by
Rev. Stillman, of Alabama.
ADDRESS TO THE LITERARY sOCI-
ETIES.
Tuesday night was apprOpri-
ated to the address of the Rev. w.
f. Boggs, of Memphis, delivered by
invitation before the literary socie-
ties of the College.
The subject selected by the speaker
was "The Alleged Conflict Between
Science and Religion" We confess
that when we heard this subject an
nOunced it excited misgivings in
our mind; we had been so accus-
toned to hearing from the pulpit
feeble and querulous protests against
the intidel character of modern sci
ence, fiippant taunts thrown out at
Darwin and TyndaI and Herbert
Spencer by men who had but the
mistiest conceptions of what it was
these writers believed, that we be-
gan to anticipate that the exercise
of patience was the most edifying
result to be derived from such dis
IL.