Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-03-21
Piedmont Litorary society.

oo''eBe ueIa us nrst puollo exercises In tho
Baptist Church on Friday evening, tho 10Th
instant. There was present large assemblage
OF tho best citizens Of our community, both
ladies and gentlemen. Tho church was neatly
decorated with cvergreens and in rear of tho
stage wero suspended paintings of Generals
Lee and, Hampton, tho leading military spirits
Of the late war in tho two branches of infantry
and cavalry respectively.
The exercises of tho evening wore opened with
prayer by Dir. J. p. Smetzer, when President
JOS. W. Shclor, Of Calhoun, Georgia, prefaoed
tho introduction Of tho first speaker in short
and graceful speech, commanding tho successful
efforts of our people in opening aud sustaining
tho Adgcr College lIe alluded briefly to the
great Importance of Southern education ut this
time. Tho power and wealth Of tho South,
formerly sustained by her peculiar institution,
Ind passed away, and the people must look to
education as tho basis Of future influence and
development Whilo past generations may not
have felt the special need of q general diffusion
of high order Of Knowledge it has now be-
come our chief hope of future greatness, wealth
and power. The exercises Of tho evening were
designed to dedicate tho "piedmont Literary
Society in tho walks Of cloqucnce and learning
and its great object would be to train its members
in these pursuits. lIc then introduced
W. j. BEARD, OF oCoNEE COUNTY,
who Interested tho audience in II speech of
thirty minutes on The pleasures Of learning for
lcarning's sake. The present age is prc.omi-
ncntly utilitarian. Science, art and literature
arc cultivated more with view to profit than as
a source of pleasure flowing from the develop
| ~
of duty TO God to enlarge those faculties which
| bear tho impress Of deity Few indeed aim at
| that high order Of intellectual development
| which, whic ii may prove useful in the highest
degree in the sordid aims Of life. is still above
and beyond that in soul joy. On tho contrary
! the pursuit Of knowledge TO many is Il drudge,
and is followed in limited spheres, bounded by
! its power and tendency to pccuniary profit and
| success in life. While this should not be over
looked, NIL should aim at knowledge for the
pleasures it afforded in the activity and devel-
opmcnt Of the mind, the true man. The great
| object of college training is TO develop and
| discipline the mind, so that on entering life il
| may become an instrument, Invaluable for the
| great aims Of practical life, and at the same
time equally ready to gather happiness in the
social and family circle. The speech was rcplctc
with sound sense and was received with hearty
applause.
Tho debate upon the question, "Is the pen
mightier than the sword?" was then opened by
MIR. TiIos +. BoozEn, OF NEwBERRY COUNTY,
on the afIirmatvcl side of tho question. lie
handled his subject we'll, pointing to the pen rs
the advocate of peace, ordcr civilization and
progrsss in all that makes q people great and
| happy. On the contrary, the sword was held up
rs an instrument Of destruction, mark Of
barbarism, spring OF civil and social sorrow
and ruin. The pen controlled tho sword, used
or withheld it at pleasure, and when the mmc
diatc bchcsts Of the pen were accomplished, it
resumed its peaceful sway, encouraging all that
makes life dear to man. BY the pen Mohammcd
inspired his followers and they became an
Irresistible avalanche of destruction, establishing
sovereignty which now embraces a large pro-
portion of tho inhabitants of tho world Since
the establishment of The printing press the
progress Of each century in every branch Of
useful knowledge has been equal to that of five
centuries before printing was known.
On the negative silc Of The question
MR.. w. w. DANIEL, or LAuRESs COUNTY,
opened with the antiquity Of the sword, as al
instrument Of protection no less than of de-
struction. II is cocyal with tho fall Of man,
and at the gate Of Eden flaming sword was
suspended 10 protect the garden from resistance
by sinful Adam. The Bible abounds with
instances of its power to correct wrong, TO
punish the wicked and to protect the good
When the pen was powcrlcss to stem the tide Of
'Niohanmcdian su6jugation, tho sword was re-
sorted to, and TO it We owe the pro crvaton Of
Christianity and all lis moral influences and
progressive spirit lie spoke of Rome, Greece,
Napoleon and the great power established by
Il. csc people through the instrumcntality of the
$ wo~d. When the pen fails to protect, when
pa ssi,,n oyerrdcs reason, then TO tho sword only
do nc look for protection. It's voice will be
heard I'd its mandates be obcycd, when tho
uttcran, ,es Of the pen would fall still born.
Mr.. Dan, els has the elements Of an orator and
with study and cultivation he would be assured
of q useful ut.rc.
The matcri II nd delivery Of all tho speeches
were cxcellent, AMI in saying this we mean no
nattcry TO the ind iyiduas and no special puff
10 the institution
The exercises wer jutcrspcrscd with music
from string band, and we must say this was
no unpleasant part Of The proceedings to lis.
We have sort Of belief Int music IS more
potent than either the pcn or The sword, for it is
the voice Of love- Of alteration, of praise, and is
tho great and leading delight OF hc ayen, pleasing
angels no less thnn mon.
Tho Republicans have carried NIw lIamp-
shire by reduced majority.
Gov. Hampton has offered reward Of 5000
Cor Tho IN nfuro of redmond