The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-05-04

The tbirty.sccond annual session OF the
American Medical Association was COM
menced in this city Yesterday at IL A. NJ.
at Mozart Hall. All the morning was con-
sumed by the secretary, DIR. William Il. At
kinson, Of Philadelphia IN listing delegates
and furnishing them with the proper cre-
dentisls. Delegates and citizens commenced
pouring into the hall by 10 O'Clock. and at
the hour OF opening there had congregsted d
a number OF ladies, besides numerous citi-
zens aud two hundred and fifty members of
the Association. In this number Is en-
braced many names eminent in the profess
sion in various parts OF the country as well
as OF gentlemen OF marked Individuality.
and who bear the unmistakable impress OF
genius in their specially chosen calling.
Prior to the calling OF the convention 10
order DR.. L. u. Edwards notified The men,
bers that considerable mail had accumu-
lated for them. aud on his invitation they
came forward and claimed their letters.
Or. +. ID. Cunningham, chairman Of the
Committee Of Arrangements, called the as
stmblage 10 order, remarking that the
agreeable duty of welcoming the AsSocia-
tion TO the hospitalitieS OF the city bad been
contided TO the Governor Of the Common.
wealth, who was present TO perform that
duty. He turned and bowed TO Righ, Rev.
Bishop keane, who advanced TO the desk,
clothed in his episcopal robes, and addressed
the Throne of Grace m the following singu-
larly folciliOuS and eloquent manner:
OPENING PRAYER.
80, Almighty God. permit Us TO stand in
Thy divine presence to invoke Thy blessing g
on the deliberations Of this assembly. We
adore Thy supreme dominion and Thy pa.
ternal providence over all creatures. We
adore Thee as the author OF nature and all
its laws. Thy wisdom planned every or
ganiSm that lives, aud all the links that bind
them in mutual dependence, and all the in
strum entaitie> bv which they can coEtri-
butte to one auOther's welfare. Thy care
provides for the birds OF the air and the
lilies Of the field, aud watches so specially
over the sons of men that not even a hair
of our head can fill without Thee. 1t
is Thou that hast formed our bo-
dies so wonderfully, making man a com.
pendulum of all the elements OF the universe.
Ii is Thou that bast established and dOst un-
ceasin@'v maintain the myriad relations be.
tween the parts Of our organism and the
plants and minerals Of the earth. With our
feeble lights we try 10 search them out, and
10 apply them for the relief and hesling OF
our suffering felIow-bcings. But Thou alone
hast full knowledge Of them all, and we
humbly acknowledge our need OF Thy
guidance in our researches, and for the
safe and pIudCut use Of the little that we
know of the wonders which Thod hast
store d up in nature. Grant uS, then, we
beseech Thee, Thy light and Thy aid, now
and always. Grant that our efforts may
ever be animated by true charity towards
our neighbols. Grant that the more we
| l. % La laurs nf q hiph ThOn
hast made. the more we may come to know
OF Thee, Of Thy benefcence, Thy wisdom,
and Toy infinite perfection. We ask it for
the love OF Thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ
our Lord, who has taught uS by his eX-
ample to sorrow over the afilcted, aud to
come to the relief Of the suffering, and who
| in all things sought Thy glory. To Him,
| in union with Thee, O. Eternal Father, and
With the Holy Ghost, be glory and love for
ever and ever. Amen"
The dropping of a pin could have been
heard in the ball during the prayer. At its
conclusion DR.. Cunningham advanced Ia
! the front of the stage and said it was row
| bis agreeable duty TO introduce to the gen
| tlemen of the Association the Governor oil
| Virginia.
! Governor Holidays advance to the desk
was greeted with cheers, as were many OF
| his eloquent utteranceS.
THE GOVERNORS WELCOME.
Gentlemen Of the Americdn Medical ASSo
citation:
In the name OF Your brothers in Virginia
| bid YOU welcome TO their capital city.
bid YOU welcome to its many historic asso
cIatious :-welcOme to the beauties which
Nature and Art have combined to bestow
uDon its site aud surroundings welcome
TO the fellowship OF a common pursuit and
common aims; ;-abOYe all, welcome 10 the
cordial hospitality OF their homes and
hearts.
Richmond has been the scene Of great and
important gatherings for more than a
hundred years. From the time when
the first notes were sounded which her,
aided the comlUg OF the Great Repub-
lie. through all the years that have
gone since then, there has not been gene
ration that has not witnessed conyocations
here. out OF whose deliberations have issued
utterances which have guided in some way
the destinits Of men. You cannot Walk
these streets, nor stand upon any OF the sur
rounding heights, that you are not in The
midst Of the dust or the memories cf those
whose lives are interviewer with the warp
and woOf Of peoples history.
Bnt of all the conventions that ever here
met, none in the height and nobility OF their
aims surpassed that into the faces Of whose
members | am now looking. The forces
OF the world are not greatest amid the
earthquake aud the storm: but IN the stlll
and quiet agencies which make all nature
bloom. Vital progress is advanced and It's
true gIories manifested, not by The spirit
evoked amid The shout of the assembly or
The strife OF battle, but by the gentle genius
Graded among the little groups that gathered
At the grave of Lazarus aud in the garden
OF Gethsemlne.
The issues OF the heart are more far
reaching and living than those OF The head.
Science, 20 called, we agree, has vast neld
in which TO WELD ils weapons ana assert us
claim to ruIc. Its conquests are the SUD
iugatiOn Of forces, and through its minis
ters, the Arts, the crowning OF human lie
with unmeasured blessings. IneTe u 10
place for the Pessimlst here ana now,
when he watches the current OF history,
and sees how each coming year Is irciSh'eu
with giit., which outvie the traditions OF
the Golden Age. =,
These things belong TO the domain OF
Fact. and generate material clVlilzslioh
which Is far from being the highest. But,
independent Of the effects upon tne race,
the pursuit OF pure science to the Individual
* ant TO result in the assalling OF funda'
mental beliefs. The reason seems to be plain.
The ateua OF The known in which Science
professes 10 operate is surrounded on every
hand by the unknown and unknowable;
and the intellect, in its pride, because un-
able 10 grasp, seeks to claim victory by de-
Dial.
There is a domain OF Faith just as real and
t...,i.i oo that domafu Of Fact In which