The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1889-03-13

places winch ought to be embalmed
Can our people afford to allow the ancient
landmarks to be effaced? Is it not we'll
to cherish whatever transmits the pre-
cious influence of old Virginia, and OF
the men who made her what che was
am glad to say that the present ses.
sion Is one of the very best, in many re-.
speots, we have ever had. The number
OF our students is not go large as for two
or three years past, but their character,
conduct, and studiousness were never
better, perhaps never quite so good.
Only one painful circumstance has &C.
Cured since the session began-the
death of one of our younger students,
Mr.. j. @. Barr, of Shenandoah county.
He came to us last fall from his noun
tain home, earnestly anxious for an edu-
cation, that with cultured powers he
might devote himself to the service of
God in the minietry. He was a poor
boy, but from an excellent family of pious
people. He became an indefatigable
student, and, perhaps, injured himself by
excessive application to his books. He
made many friends and received much
kindness here. His sprightliness, fidelity,
an0 ulllk6uC6 COuUu6uN6u LIN TO us all.
Only an hour or two before his death,
there seemed to be no symptom to cause
alarm, but there was failure of heart
action Gas it.,seems an hereditary ten
dency), and he passed peacefully away
to his rest and reward. This is the third
death from disease of student of the
college which has occurred on the HILL
In the one hundred and fourteen wears
of the life of the institution, and not one of
these, 80 far as is known, was brought
about by any local cause. 1t produced
very tender and sympathetic feeling
among the students, which they evinced
IN every way in their power. Two of
their number accompanied the remains,
and delivered them into the hands of
friends at Woodstock A memorial ser.
vice was held in the college chapel, at
which Rev. Dr. Latimer delivered q dis
course of great tenderness and power,
and the President of the college made
some remarks about the character of the
deceased, and drew some lessons appro-
pirate to the occasion.
So soon as spring opens, the brick for
the Memorial Hall will be burned and
the work will be pushed forward to com
pletion as rapidly as is deemed prudent.
Several thousand dollars is still needed
that it may be finished without bebt
Those intending to contribute to this
aiding will do we'll to send forward
ohelr donations as soon as practicable.
The college continues, as in the past, to
do thorough work, and its alumni, its
friends and the public recognize this
fact One Of our graduates who at the
time was student at Princeton Theolog-
lcal Seminary, wrote me two or three
years ago that the more he saw of other
institutions the more grateful he was that
his literary eduGston was conducted at
Hampden Sidney. Like testimony has
come to me from our young men who
having taken our degree, have entered
on special study at the University of
Virginia, and [ know both from personal
observation and from the testimony of
those best qualified to Judge that at Union
Theological Seminary, our graduates
stand abreast of those from any college
or university in the land. The number
OF our students will perhaps never be
very large. Perhaps it is best that it
should not be. AS it is now, our students
get the advantage not only of honest,
faithful classroom work, but their per
sonal contact with the professors, and
the community, and their intimate, al
most fraternal, association with one an
other, are invaluable. If we can send
out year after year into the arena of life
a score or 80 of well furnished, morally.
erect and strong oharactered, good men,
who will exert commanding influence
among their fellows, we will have done
much more for the Church and country
than if we had sent forth many times
that number of partially and Indifferent
ly prepared men of low aims and feeble
purpose.
1t is our firm determination not to
court numbers by relaxation in any of
those methods adapted to secure diligent
work, to develop noble character. and
to make good men. We have constit-
uenCy-partly hereditary and partly re-
quired-which can always be depended
on to sympathize in these objects and to
give US their patronage. For their sakes,
and for the sake of their sons and Of gen.
erations yet unborn we shall struggle to
make Hampden Sidney all that ought to
be found in an institution with such aims.
To this end, we need and invoke the aid
of our friends throughout the country in
improving our facilities and enlarging
our endowment and completely furnish
ing the College for the high sphere of
usefulness to which it is called.