The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-03
sEMI-CENTENNIAL POEM.
Being the SaIutation or Address Of
welcome to the People Here As
sembIed, and In COmmemOratiOn
of Men and the Things of Former
Years, by Rev. E. l.. Patton, ID. ID.

Years, by Rev. E. l.. Patton, ID. d.
Hail, bright auspicous hour! thrice welcome all,
Who meet to day in this time e-bonored hall,
With one consent, from mountain 10 the sea,
To celebrate our glorious jubilee!
Welcome, ye matrons grave, and maidens fair,
"Our sweet girl-graduates with golden hair"
Ye heroes Of the tented field, brave men,
Who love to fight your battles Ger again;
Peace hath her victories no less than war.
Illustrious more, and more enduring far;
And such to-day we meet TO celebrate,
The march of knowledge In our grand old State.
Then let the trumpet sound on every side,
With clarion voice proclaiming far and wide,
That half century has come and gone,
| And Erskine College still Is moving on!
| All honor to that bright immortal name.
| The first inscribed upon her roll OF .ame.
Ebenezer Erskine Pressly, whose calm brow
| From yonder wall looks down upon us now!
As when Of old he breathed the fervent praye.;;~
Which rose like incense sweet and hslleed all the air.
| And he who bore the same time-I0nored name,
Who walked by faith, not"sTeking worldly fame;
Great, humble man, whose genius scared sublime
" hose praise In fitting terms how shall speak,
I So like his Master great, and wise, and meek?
| D noble pair Of brothers, who now sleep .
Where lies the turf In many mouldering heap,
Yet from those fragile tenements OF clay,
Their spirits long divorced, present here to-day
As when they moved before our wondering eyes,
"with musnag gait, and looks commencing with the
skies"
/
As sovercgns of the heart and slowly bending down,
Extend the sceptre and the laurel crown"
Thou, honOred sir, one OF that noble band,
Who in LIES morning kindly took my hand.
And gently urged my halting steps to climb,
YOn rugged heights where Learning sits suoime;
May bounteous heaven ths choicest blessings shed,
While life remains, upon thine honored head.
| And when the summons comes as come II must :,
Sustain thy fantng heart "by m unaltering trust;
Cosnts death kind natures signal Of retreat"
| Hail. noble pioneers, in number few,
But strong In faith and hope, brave men and true,
Her glorious banner to the, breeze who flung,
Resplendent with the names Of Pressly, Gordon,
| Young!
Alumni of this grand old College hail!
Once more your eyes behold her "studous cloisters
The venerable oak and whispering pine,
Which shed "a dim religious light" divine,
| Ineffabe, 'where not leaf but trembling teens
| With golden visions and romantic Dreams"
Alb, me! could l recall tn suspicious time,
| The flush of youth and manhoods glorious prime
When yonder classic grove inspired the generous aim
| To win and wear an honorable name;
When at their feet sat whose "awful dust"
In Wonder graveyard rests, their spirits with the ast
Alas, the aectng years, how swift their flight!
full many form has vanished from the sight
TIE loved and lost to memory oh, how des':
4 And as pause in thought, seem to hear >,
The accustomed voice, and mark the. banning smile,
As, hand in hand beneath yon whispering aisle,
We loved to stroll, and talk the hours a%ay,
While "calits S:3iq evening OH and twiiiSht gray.
Yes, some have vanished in lifes early spring.
Dissolving like nh unsubsta3,Ma! M tning;
The morning cloud, or dew, slat .p n,elts se a"ay
Before the rising spendOrgn sne way
os ubsrtv went down = manhood's glorious noon.
One such, the very So Vi eht'any,
Lord Of the lion hea ana eagle eye;
rk,s nra.s ba,raD With O treacherous smile;
Rr"ve In defeat 1T knowing how TO yield,
D"s,staI t tbs :sath on Shiloh's bloody field,
oh ,nf noftx,t> askn
pin,s o,,, th resting place, but oil unknown,
rSmn si"mb there of whom it may be said
"a hat,er idier never drew blade
But HeaEn De pfalSeu 'n0 S'ofni WHICH swept our
with 2.yord and flame, and left her desoate,
u, b;s :esistless power was turned aside,
Wbn the tenipest's wing is wont to ride;
~ Srskine stood, as in the Olden time,
~ glory Of our Church, mistaken and sublime
=. 8 some tall cliff that lifts its awful form,
wells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm
Though round its base the rolling cloud is spread,
i Eternal sunshine settles on its head"
Yes. there 1t stood unscathed that temple fair,
Whose cornerstone was laid in faith and prayer,
Just fifty years ago, and in that stone
Was placed the word of God, eternal as HE throne
But see the doors are closed, md silence reigns
Where merry voices rang and musics thrilling strains
The bell Is heard no more, familiar sound,
Well understood, and oft unwelcome found;
The College buildings, once 80 gay, now wear
melancholy, strange deserted air.
But this was not to last: Scotch" Irish blood
Was soon aroused, and, like q sudden food,
From every quarter freewill offerings poured,
Tho widows mite, and wealth's accumulated hoard;
Until the endowment was again complete
And to tho breeze was thrown the old tIme.h0nored
Sheet
Another wonder still! that king Of men,
And massive brain, is at the he I'm again,
With cunning hand and heart devoid OF fenr
Her Palnurus, Robert Calvin Grier!
And from her masthead floating as before,
The banner which the glorious symbol bore
or Learning and Religion, sisters fair,
4 bright and benuteOus chastr, immortal pair.
Too oft the word of God, thnt wonreus book divine,
Whose inspiration CLOVIS In every line
And thrills the bosom with celestial fire,
BY impiOus feet IL trampled in the mire;
Plato cxtocil, while Paul Is In disgrace,
A nd Homer takes the royal Psaimsts place.
But on this ground that precious seed Is s0wn,
Which yields those grand results widely known.
Go where you WILL the sons Of Erskin stand
Among the foremost men Of uIl the land
And worthy cUnpcers Uf the good and great,
Whose names are houored in the Church and State.
These ore my jewels" proud Cornelia said,
Placing her hand'upOn each manly head;
And 50 our College, pointing to the roll
OF honored SONS who reach the destined goal,
Can proudly say, "My treasure these and pride,
Who spread my fame and glory far and wide!'
o mothers Of the proud Palmetto State,
Your silent power has made her truly great,
For ye have made your sons hgh-minded men, |
who know their rights, and knowing dare maintain"
The past at least is safe; and, in its light,
We see q future Us the n0on-day bright;
AS clear as yOnder sun, that nJw pOurs down
A Hood OF glory from his radiant crown.
When other fifty swift revolving years,
With oil their joys and Sriefs their hopes and fears,
Their moving accidents by field and food.
The noise OF war, and garments rolled in blood,
Shall pass away, and the strong man, who now
As muster sits, aud guides the dancing prov
Through wind and wave shall from the helm retire,