Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-22
ALUMNI DAY.
Business Meeting of the Association
and the Banquet at Wizards.

meeting of the Alumni association was
held yesterday afternoon, at which President
Jas V. Coleman occupied the chair. Secretary
Brady read his report, placing the present
membership of the association at over 600. DIR.
+. o. st. Clair the treasurer, gave a satisfact-
ory showing of the finances, and Mr.. C. c. Ma
gruder presented appropriate resolutions to
the memory of the late Judge Merrick, which
were adopted and ordered to be entered upon
the minutes. Mr.. s. NJ. Yeatman presented a
list Of officers for the ensuing year, but the re-
port was laid upon the table. The thanks of
the association were rendered Condo b. Pailen
and Martin F. Morris, the poet and orator of
the day, respectively.
At night the banquet at Wizards fittingly
closed the exercises of alumni day. 1t was held
In the long dining-room Of the hotel, the only
place large enough to accommodate the two
hundred and thirty who participated. At the
further end Of the room, on the east side, was
q large table on a raised platform, at which sat
Rev. Father Richards, the president of the
college, and the dignitaries of the church. At
table running parallel with this were the Off
GERS of the Alumni association and many in
vited guests. Then there was a series of tables
ranged diagonally across the room, and par
allel with each other, at which the remaining
alumni were disposed. The menu cards were
fine specimens of artistic excellence. and the
tables were profusely decorated with flowers.
while at the table of honor we're three massive
and artistic pieces of floral architecture.
1t was IL O'clock before President Coleman
called the large assembly to order and intro
duced MIR. @. OBJ. COwardin. of the Richmond
Dispatch, as toast-master. The regular toasts
and responses were as follows: welcome of
the Society of Alumni" Jas. V. Coleman;
university of Georgetown" Rev. J. Ravens
Richards, 5. j.; Academic Department" Hon.
Jno. c. Normille, st. Louis, NO.; Medical De
partment," Jos. Taber Johnson, NJ D.; Law
Department" Geo. E. Hamilton, IL. D.; THE
Founder" Rev. j. j. Murphy, s. j.; ''0ur
Country" Hon. Jas. E. Washington, Tennessee;
'Our Sister Universities DIR. ]. c. yelling,
president Columbia university, District of
Columbia; "Invited Guests" Prof. Dwight
Harvard college; The Press" J. Brisbin
Walker.
All the speeches were extremely happy, and
far above the average standard of post-prandial
oratory. Each speaker was greeted with ap-
plause, while three cheers were given for
Father Richards, Father Murphy and Harvard
college. After the regular tOasts were over
brief speeches were made by Condo Ii. Pullen,
Harry G. Walsh, editor of Notes and Queries.
and Thos. Flatley, deputy collector at the Bos-
ton custom house. The last gentleman was
very witty. and told several stories which kept
the tables in a perfect roar of laughter.
letter from the President of the United
States was read in reply to the request of a
committee who waited upon him yesterday
afternoon to request that he would accord the
alumni reception, and that Mrs. Cleveland
would be present at the academic session to-
day, saving that he would hold reception for
the alumni in the college building after the ex-
ercises were over, but that Mrs. Cleveland
owing to the pressure of other duties, would be
unable to be present.
toast to the memory of the brothers Mer-
rick was drunk in silence. and the evening
closed by the singing of AUD Lang Syne"
Theological Degrees.
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY IN CASTOR MEMORIAL
HALL WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
The ceremonies attending the comforting of
the theological degrees by the faculty of George
town college were held Wednesday night in
CASTOR memorial hall, and were most impress
sive. On the stage, besides the candidates, were
the president and faculties of the college, His
Eminence Cardinal Gibbons and a large num-
Der of bishops. archbishops and other church
dignitaries. While the body of the house and
the galleries were crowded with spectators a
majority of them being ladies. Father welch's
address in latin was listened to with some i'm
patience, but there was great interest dis
played when Father Murphy in clear
and distinct voice announced the names of
those who would receive the degree. The pro-
fession of faith was solemn one, as was also
the investment of the cap and ring, which was
made by the cardinal, each candidate kneeling
to receive the honor.
Those receiving the degrees comprised the
list already published in The STAR. with the
addition OF Rev. I. ]. Conaty, of Worcester,
Mass.
ADDRESS By MoysIGSoR PRESTON.
Monsignor Preston then delivered an address
He referred to his qualification in being al
lowed to take even an humble part in the CEN
tennial ceremonies and the pleasure it gave
him to be able to express his own gratitude and
that of his associates for the great honor con-
fprred uDOn them All good Cafbnliaa ip1aad
all good citizens, must feel great pride and
pleasure IN the grand and joyful solemnities of
this great centennial. His own sense of his I'M
worthiness Of the honor bestowed only height
ened his appreciation of it, and the honor itself
was so much the greater coming as it did from
such a university. the first Catholic American
institution Of learning and the mother OF them
all
Honsignor Preston then spoke in glowing
terms OF the jesuits, and said it had been his
privilege 70 sit at their feet during all his Cath
Ole life, indeed during all his intellectual life
for they had been his masters in learning be-
fore he had the happiness of entering the house.
hold of the faith. They are the vanguard of
the church. the right arm of the body Of Christ.
their blows are ever aimed at error with GER
talnty and fearlessness, and their voices
seem inspired by the one whose chill
dren they are. Dignity creates response
bility. and those who have been so highly hon.
ored by their alma mater are bound to labor
hereafter for the glory of God and in the cause
of truth. They have taken anew their oath of
humble obedience to the church of God and to
the vicar OF Christ, the successor of Peter the
rock upon which the church was found They
are soldiers engaged to battle under the great
captain Of salvation in the warfare of truth
against error.
In brilliant and mastery manner the
speaker arraigned the foIlies of the day. agnos-
ncism. communism, socialism. The church
wages her hercest battles no longer against
simple heretlcal doctrines, but against unbe-
lief. Men are not ashamed to declare that
they believe nothing, and while calling them
selves philosophers, deny the fundamental
truths taught by reason itself. and stand
before the world as agnostics. Simple reason
canconfute the follies of such men, and with rea-
son alone they can be overcome. We hear much
OF progress. but where is it? We are a race of
boosters. and Boosting is a sign of weakness
but are we equal to the giant inteIlects OF the
past; are We progressing IN real learning? In
material things, the adaptation of known prn-
eiples to our convenience. we are progressing,
but not so in intellectual things Communism
seeks to destroy evil; il seeks 70 make all men
rich by making the rich poor; il DESTROYS but
never builds. Socialism declares that certain
natural goods belong to all men, and then il
denies the use Of these goods to individuals
Thanks 70 God the power of the church still
lives Men can never destroy evil in this world
Of sin and sorrow, but they can lesson il by
overcoming 10, or by bearing il patiently And
thus those invested with the great dignity re-
ceiyed tonight from their beloved alma mater
will ever strive to battle against evil and as
sisted by the great saints under whose patron-