The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-04-17
For THE CENTRALSPREsBYTERIAN.
Union Theological Seminary, Virginia.


The annual meeting of the Trustees of this insti
tuition, was held on the 9th and 10th OF April,
1878. 1t is the official duty of the Secretary to
furnish the press with notes of matters of public
interest in connection with these anniversaries.
Much business was transacted, from which the fol-
lowing is reported.
The attendance of the members of the corpora
ton was full and the time was occupied in diligent
work The gentlemen present were REV. Drs.
Read, (President,) Brown, Bullock. kirkpatrick,
Martin, j. Fl. Smith; Messrs. I'll. M. White,
Johnston, Atkinson, Hill, Mcpherson, Richardson,
Pharr, @. White, Marable and elders Armstrong,
Murdoch, Mcdowell, Hutchinson, aud E. n Wat
kins. The examining committee REV. @. White,
after several days work, made most
favorable report of the diligence and proficiency of
the students, and Of the integrity and fidelity of
the professors. The experiment Of written with
oral examinations proves SUCCESS and the results
in raising the standard of scholarship is gratifying
The whole number of students during the term was
fifty-one The Trustees record their regret at the
absence of some from the examinations and they
instruct the Faculy to report to the Presbyteries
those Of their candidates who leave the Seminary
before their examinations or who fail to stand their
examinations and the assigned reasons therefor
Arrangements were made for temporary occu.
pancy of rooms for the increased library. A gift
of very valuable books by Mrs..Boyd, from the
library of her revered husband, the late Rev. Dr.
A. Fl. Fl. Boyd, was gratefully received by the
trustees. Such remembrances of this institution
are not to be estimated by their mere pecuniary
worth; they are to be especially cherished as evi.
dence of the extent to which our Seminary con-
tnues to engage the confidence and affectionate re-
gard of the people of God in our land.
Among the authorized improvements contem-
plated is the cooperation with the neighboring
Hampden Sidney College, in widening the street
and otherwise improving under engineering skill,
the adjacent public road, known as va Sacra by
the students.
A committee will act for the corporation in an
effort to procure instruction in Eocution and Vo
cal Sacred Music REV. O. White, chairman,) for
lS7S-'79. The change in the period of beginning
aud ending the Summary sessions. is question
which gives the trustees much concern. After
very full discussion its further consideration was
postponed, going over to the next annual meeting
when it will no doubt be definitely determined. The
pending proposition is 10 begin the term at lst O,
tvber aOG; & sQsr % following Juno' the Sc
niors graduating in April. The report Of the Fac
ulty, under instruction to them in 1871 will be
specially furnished to the press for the considera
ton of the members of the Synods.
Additions to the treasury were reported, mainly
for founding scholarships under the will of the late
Mrs. Davidson, of Rockingham, and requests. by
the will of the late Mr.. Rogers, of Portsmouth,
Va. The generous donations, heretofore mentioned,
of Mr. Wilson, of Coerstown, Va, amounting in
the aggregate to $l2 500 in j. R. & K. bonds) to
found scholarships, are officially reported.
The appendix to the annual report to the AS
sembly and Synods will exhibit detailed stale
ment of she investments. 1t will not however be
inappropriate or unacceptable to all men of enlarged
and liberal views of the priceless value of all Semi
nares Of learning, briefly to recall some few facts
worthy Of note and remembrance in the history Of
the finances of this institution At the date of the
formal opening of Union Theological Seminary
January lst, lS24) and subsequently, in its half
century of history, those upon whom were con-
ferred the administration of high trust recorded
their estimate OF their faith in the promises of Vir
ginia, by ordering investments to be made in the
evidences of her public debt. Accordingly, when
her legislators asked for pecaniary help, for build
ing her noble University and Asylums and the con-
struction of the railways, the benefits of which we
now daily experience the trustees for much of her
investments did not 60 into the market, to buy.
but to the counter of the second Auditor and paid
for many of the certificates now held by the corpo.
ration dollar for dollar due by the bond, with ac-
crued interest to the date Of purchase. For more
than half century, the Seminary has opened her
doors and granted absolutely free tuition, to her
long catalogue of alumni. Her Investments in the
registered debt of the State Of Virginia amounts to
SIG 995, and she also holds $20700 of Virginia
Coasols, aggregating $l37, sos. To the honor Of
the legislatures of Virginia, be it mentioned that
with an enlightened and wise liberality, provision
has been made for the payment of full interest to
the Seminaries of learning in the Commonwealth,
on the certificates Of registered debt held by Them
which certificates were bought with the voluntary
contributions of the Taxpayers and of others Of
Virginia, for founding and maintaining these usti-
tutions The trustees not only gratefully appreci
ate this patriotic legislation but hope that in the
future like spirit will be exhibited by their and
the peoples representatives. The whole amount
of our investments, in these and other securities,
have the face value of $257 642 OF this $50 S97
are for the present only it is to be hoped, sus-
pended in yielding revenues. The scholarship
funds, available aud unavailable amount to about
$4,000 OF course, in fifty. four years, embracing
the period Of direful civil war and of disastrous
peace, Union Seminary could not omit profit
and loss" account from her ledgers aud it must
needs be, that she must record losses but ct no
period, of her not uneventful history, has there
been demand for more full and large share of
gratitude to God for his preservation and maintain
snce of her resources of support, in the past and
for abiding and unfaltering trust in Him, in the
future.
For reasons deemed satisfactory, some of the
Senior class did not remain to the end of the term
Or we're not examined as candidates for certificates
IF completing the full course Of study. The trus.
ices, on the advice Of the Examining Committee,
awarded these certificates to the following gentle
men, who received them from the hand of Presi-
lent Read, who in an admirable address repre-
ented the Trustees, viz : Messrs. S. Anderson,
# Tennessee; J. G. Anderson, Virginia R. s.
3urwell, North Carolina; A. B. Colt, North Car
lima; ]. G. Caldwell, Tennessee; B. Goode, Vir-
inia j. E. Latham, Missouri; E. W. McCorkle,
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