The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-03
Birmingham Medical College
 Has Annual Exercises
DR VIVIAN CONFERS DEGREES
pr. Montague of Howard Delivers a Classic Grafton, and Lieut.. Gov. R. M. Cunningham Makes
 an Address.

ninth graduation exercises of the Bir- mingham Medical college, held at the Jefferson theatre. The charge to the class of graduates was delivered by B. L. Wyman, M. D., dean of the college who also conferred the degrees. The an- nual address was delivered by Dr. A P. Montague, A. M, LL.D., president of Howard college. Dr. R. M. Cunningham, lieutenant governor of the state. also de- livered an address.
 The valedictory address was delivered by Dr. Charles William Brasfeld. His speech was happy and brilliant. He thanked the faculty in the name of the class for their work during the three years in which they had occupied the position of teacher and student
 The opening prayer was made by the Rev. Dr. J. H. Mccoy, and the Rev. l. D. Steele, D. D., pronounced the benedic- ton. The music was rendered by Cal mans orchestra, and consisted of selec- tions from the operas Bohemian Girl" Dolly Warden" Maid Marian and "Hiawatha," and the intermezzo, 'Inso- lence."
 The following is list of the gradua- tion class, the members of which last night received the degree of doctor of medicine:
 James Alfred Bagley, Charles William Brasneld, William Thompson Cooke, James Ezra Cleere, John Pearl Bowman, Walter Bozeman Moorer, Manly Lamar Morgan, John Theophilus Robertson, Charles Henry Smith, Frank Campbell Smith, James Alexander Watson, Miles Axe Copeland, William Boomer, William Johnson Galloway, Richard Winner flaw kins. John Frank Hogan, Oscar Hayden Montgomery Bartlett Jones Massey, Henry Polk Robson, Ferdinand Hammond Turner, Porter King Tait, Wallace Bruce Smith.
 On the stage, besides the graduating class and the speakers, were number of the members of the faculty of the school, and physicians. Each wore on the lapel of his coat white flower. large number of bouquets were handed to the various graduates on the stage.
 The annual address of Dr. Montague was as follows:
 pr. Montague's Address.
 This old world, which has seen fail ures without number and innumerable successes; which saw Milo of Croton, in the centuries gone by, carry upon his shoulders a great OK around the stadium at Olympia and then kill 1t with one blow of his fist-a marvel of the brute force which eyokes more of wonder than of admiration; which saw Regulus leav- ing family and friends, native land and sweet liberty, to die "a glorious eXile, for the sake of the fatherland and thus winning a victory of courage and patriot ism which the ages have celebrated in story and in song; which saw Charlotte Corday drive home the knife into the body of Marat, enemy of the human race, and win from Lamartine the appellation angel of assassination" which saw Father Damien, brilliant French priest, resign the pomp of the Gallic church and its promise of renown and perchance the cardinals red hat, to go to the lepers of the south seas and there to bear the cross of sacrifice there to gain the crown of martyrdom; which saw the Chevaler Bayard so brave, and to king and coun- try so true that Francis, his monarch, would kneel before his subject and from his sword receive the accolade of knight hood and thus subordinate the circum- stance and pageantry of state to the prowess of 8 single soul, glory-born and clean; which saw the little corporaP' of Corsica, ennobled by no accident of birth, bearing the blushing honors or no lineage of kings, re-moulding the France of his time and dictating terms of peace to Mos COW, Vienna and Berlin; now sees a tri- umph here tonight triumph not of war; that would make desolation and call it peace" not of mere ambition, which, ex- alting self, would win place and power not of muscles and sinews whose victor- ies men applaud today and forget to- morrow, or if remembered, are held up as warnings against the exaltation of body over brain. but triumph of mind, and mind consecrated to the alleviation of suffering. to the ameioration of the condition of humanity. to the preserva- ton of God-given forces of health and strength and to physical and mental we'll being, not only of individuals but also of cities and nations.
 Graduates Congratulated.
 Tonight we bring congratulation to the men whose industry, intellect and char acter have won the diplomas of our medical college, an institution which in dignity and value yields not one iota to any other institution or enterprise in all this great district. abounding though if does in undertakings of vast importance. Tonight fair women smile in greeting and strong men offer felicitation to those who wear the honors of the Birmingham m Medical college and who have proved in their own cases that devotion to dutv and wise development of intellectual power win here, as over the wide world. the commendation of the worthy and the prizes of life
 But while we applaud the graduates and extol their successes, we do more to- night; we celebrate, in holding this com mencement, another stage in the progress of the noblest science known to history science whose evolution has been not only co-extensive with the development of mankind. but very largely the cause of this development whose credo has been sublime faith in its great mission which times without number has Iost itself in love for humanity, in care or the lonely and the poor: and when tbs remedies of skill. however great have failed in smoothing the pillow of the dv- ing and by tender devotion and gentle words helping to strip even the king of tersors of a part of his awe-inspirjne panoply; the science which, with a cour. age and an altruism beyond the praise ot men, soaring into the loftiest altitude of heroism, has said to grim plague or inc noisome pestilence Hitherto shalt thop come, but no further; and here shall thv proud waves be stayed" The courage. a virtue far higher than bravery, which man shares with the beasts of the forest and field. with which the physician goes. calm, open-eyed. undaunted. to meet some desolating disease or a dread mal- ady, which may lay upon him its stern mandate of death. stir every heart which reveres the noble and the heroic: and 1t