The record-union., 1895-01-09
THE ACADEMIA.
Interesting Programme at Its Meeting
Last Evening

Interesting Programme at Its Meeting
Last Evening.
The Academia held it's monthly meet
ing last night at the High School building.
The committee that had been appointed
to procure suitable place for meeting
reported that it had been unable to find
such place at price that was commensu-
rate with the income of the society, The
members, however, were willing to con-
tinue their efforts If the society SO wished.
They were requested to continne their
efforts.
The Chairman of the committee stated
that the instruction was to select, if pos
slble, headquarters for the society. If
the hundred-odd teachers of this city will
go to the necessary expense of fitting up
such place, which would not be q heavy
burden on them, he thought there would
be such demand for it from other socie-
ties that they could sub-let it for enough
to pay all ex penses.
A vocal solo by Miss Gussie Stevenson.
"Flight of Ages" was finely rendered
and loudly applauded.
The hrst paper was by DR.. Power. on
1.-The Condition of the Roman World at
the commencement of the Christian Era. -
1t took up the subject at the period of
the beginning of Christianity, and the
hrst century of the Roman Empire. All
WIZ aLloHuplS VI lno Aryan races TO con-
quer the Semitic races only resulted in
disaster and destruction of the former.
The characteristics of the two races were
different, and the latter, though more
polished and feminine, showed its su-
periorty. He spoke of the temptations
that asSalled the Roman Empire at the
zenith OF It's prosperity and power and
resulted in the downfall OF a civilization
and highly cultivated society that has
not since been equaled until the present
century, and in some things the nine
teenth century has yet to equal them.
They had at that time twenty eig hit
public libraries in Rome ITSELF and were
even then delving in Greece for what
they considered antique bronzes and
curiosities.
The religious belief of Rome at this
time was that OF the childhood of the
world. The educated and cultivated were
skepticS and the ignorant common peo-
pie under the influence of superstition,
and the spectacle was presented of a
great nation trying to live without a re-
nglon. In consequence of this state of
affairs one section of the nation was ready
to turn to the religions of the East and to
listen to that of Christ. They soon de-
tected in the Egyptian and other reli-
glons the same old superstitionS they
were familiar with.
he quoted from the writings of Plu-
tarch, Seneca and others, to show their
IDEAS OF Ood ana the immortality OF the
soul, and show that they were in many
respects not unlike the teachings of
Christianity to-day. Under the circum-
stances, was it wonderful that when
Christ appeared they should greet him
with joy?
Miss Sue Hart then treated the society
to beautiful vocal solo, "Adieu."
The second paper was by Professor J.
ID. Pond, and was in the nature of an
outline sketch of the whole range of
Latin literature. 1t was fine paper, but
hard TO give clear idea of without repro
ducing il in its entirety.
The history of Roman literature COM
menced, he said, with Livius Androni-
Gus, about 240 B. c., and continued for
about eight centuries, being divided into
three periods. Latin literature was a
Roman literature, without being the
work of Romans. Virgil, Horace, Livy,
Sallust and others were not Romans.
The greatest writer's of Athens were
Athenians. We find from the time of
Andronicus that the fountain of Latin
literature was the school and the theater,
and most of its finest specimens are bor-
rowed from the Greek. The Romans
took more kindly to comedy than tragedy.