The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1889-02-27
CORRESPONDENCE.
Letter from Hampden Sidney,
Va.
FEBRUARY 22d, 1889.

at the Seminary is the interest in For
eign Missions. Rare advantages have
been enjoyed this session in the public
monthly meetings on behalf of missions.
A succession of such speakers as DR.. w.
W. Moore, Rev. G. w. Painter OF China,
Rev. Edward Lane of Brazil, DIR. M. 81.
Houston, Secretary of Foreign Missions
and Mr.. Robert P. Wilder, who has had
such distinguished part in the mission
airy awakening among students, has given
an impulse to interest in missions not
seen here before for long time. Fiji
teen out of the sixty FIVE students in the
Seminary here declared their willingness
and purpose, God willing, to labor in
foreign missionary fields Six of these
are of the Senior class. But these figures
do not fully manifest the interest we
have been speaking of.
Of peculiar interest for the future is an
expected address by DIR. Arthur T. Pier
son of Philadelphia, at the coming COM
mencement.
A sad death occurred on the Hill"
recently-one of the college boys Mr.. j.
@. Barr. He was a poor boy, good
boy, the oldest son of his mother and she
a widow. He was looking forward to
the gospel ministry, and earned his board
by tending the horses of the gentleman
with whom he stayed. The remains,
which two fellow.students accompanied
to sorrowing friends at Woodstock, Va,
represented the closing of life of true
nobility, which few knew of till that life
ebbed away.
This day, Washington's birthday, has
been, as in many winters past, field day
in college. 1t is the time of the Inter
mediate Celebration" when chosen
speakers from the Literary Societies
make addresses.
Although it was a night foggy and
muddy without, an unusually large
audience assembled in the tastefully
decorated college chapel-exceedingl
attentive upon the unusually good
speeches which were made After prayer
by Rev. DR.. Alexander, DIR. McIlwaine,
the President of the College, introduced
Senior speaker F. G. Hartman of Vir-
GINA, who made several clear cut points
on the subject, Scruples about Capital
Punishment Indicative of Moral Degen-
eracy." He would have it, as Carlisle
says, that scoundrel is a scoundrel and
all the withdrawing in the universe can
make him no less than a scoundrel. Ju-
Nor speaker O. W. Sommerville of Vir-
GINA, followed in an unusually mature
and thoughtful speech, on John Bright"
He would have us look at Mr.. Bright as
statesman, orator, and practical thinker
and declared that ito men of such
character as John Bright England owes
her glory"
Junior speaker B. Y. Willis of Ken
lucky, spoke next upon Greater Bri-
tain, and showed felicitously that "there
| lies within the Greater Britain possibili-
ties that even dreamers have not dreamed
of yet.
Junior speaker Charles Mckinney
came fourth. He declared that in dealing
with his subject, "Shall the Negro domi-
nate the South p no word of Jest should
escape his lips, it being subject of
burning interest to his fellow-students of
the coming generation. Mr.. McKin-
ney's presentation of the subject was
well expressed and Notwithstanding
prominent the truth that God has placed
the negro here for purpose.
| Junior speaker r. M Mann of Ken.
lucky, followed upon Gladstone as a
! Statesman" He summed up well by
saying that since Mr.. Gladstone has
pronounced Washington, whose birthday
we celebrate, highest upon the pedestal
OF history, we of America know how to
return compliment, and are willing to
recognize him as the greatest living
statesman"
Junior speaker w. S. Stuart of Vir-
ginia, came sixth in graceful speech,
urging concerning Philanthropy, that
never was it more needed to guide our
actions than it is to-day"
Junior speaker G. w. Bull Of Virginia,
next showed that Nature Abhors
Vacuum" making two iorcible points,
Nature abhors mental vacuum" and
Don't be q vacuum.
Last came Senior speaker, G. II. Gard
ner Of Virginia. He proved we'll from
the Exile System Of Russia" that
one of the most powerful nations on
the globe is cursed by system which
is surely, though slowly, sapping her
strength
All the young men undoubtedly ac-
quilted themselves handsomely, evidence
ing the high standard Of training in this
venerable but hie-giving institution.
P.
Conversion and sanctifcstion are the
Al