The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-28
Editorial Co-regnondence.l

!
ference was spoken last night, and this
morning at $50 o'clock the four or five
hundred members left on a special
/ steamer for sail down the historic
James River to Fortress Monroe. This
/ is a pleasure trip and upon its conclu-
SIGN the members Of the conference will
return to their separate homes. 1t was
fitting that the last word should have
been a culogy of the late DR.. Curry,
who was for more than quarter of a
century the leading figure in the public
educational progress of the Southern
States. 1t was fitting that the eulogy-
discriminating. just, warm and glowing
should have been delivered by DR.. Ed
win A. Alderman, president of Tulane
University, who received much of the
inspiration which makes him q leading
factor in Southern education from the
great man whose life lesson he delineat-
ed to packed audience in the Academy
of Music last night. Mrs. Curry had Sc
lected DR.. Alderman to deliver the
was the duty performed.
The spirit of Curry pervaded the Con-
ference from the opening word to the
closing sentence of DR.. Alderman's
matchless tribute-the spirit of progress,
of candor, of bringing together good men
of every section of the common country
to consider the common duty of the Re-
public. DR.. Curry was a member of the
Federal Congress when he resigned to
cessionist of Secessionists-" rebel" to
use the term that was applied then to
the men who exercised the right guar
anteed them under the Constitution to
withdraw from the Union. He lived and
died proud of his record, proud of his
State, proud of the untarnished honor
Of the Southern Confederacy. He lived
to become a patriotic evangelist of
peace and reunion, to bring the best
see eye to eye and touch shoulder to
shoulder in the great work of universal
education in the South He never
apologized for his past, he never failed
to state the side OF the South with dig
nifty and pride. But, when he sheathed
his sword and took the oath of alIegi-
ance, he became at once as true a de-
fender of the Stars and Stripes as if he
had never loved the Southern flag. In
all the previous educational conferences
DR.. Curry was the leader among South
ern men. McIver and Aldermen, Dabney
and Claxton. Joyner and Glenn, Bar
ringer and Venable, and the other South
ern younger leaders followed where he
led. Now that his work is ended, a
double portion of his spirit seems to have
fallen upon them, so that though dead
he yet speaketh.'
Sunday morning at the First Baptist
church, Dr. Lyman Abbott preached a
wonderful sermon to a great congrega-
ton. 1t is marvellous how simple and
plain is the sermon or speech of truly
great man. DR.. Abbott digs down for
great thoughts and hidden secrets that
will bless mankind. He polishes these
in his wondrous workshop in the back
of his big head. When he brings them
out, they are as clear as the diamonds
You do not see any evidences of his
work. The scaffolding that mere rheto-
ricians leave exposed are never present
with him. He speaks like a man who is
bringing out of his great store house only
a few of the treasures new and old. He
can give you only the results Of his
study, with here and there an illustra-
ton that is sure to illustrate Some peo
pie say ne is orthodox, some say he is
heterodox, but, whatever his creed if he
has one, which l greatly doubt, his
preaching is to make men more useful,
like. His Sunday morning sermon was
as simple as arc all great things. Prof.
Potcat, of Wake Forest, a judge of good
sermons, pronounced it a master ser
mon.
There was no session of the Confer
cnce on Saturday. At nine o'clock Ia
the morning nine day coaches full of
teachers, professors, public men, edi-
tors, bankers, business and professional
men with a large sprinkling of handsome
and accomplished women. left on the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, to spend
the day at the University of Virginia
The exercises there were in keeping with
the spirit of the place. The plan of the Uni
versity today is unique, with no departure
from the original plans of Mr. Jefferson
There is a simple stateliness about the
whole place, in the architecture, in the
grounds. in everything that is impress
sive and grateful to the eye. There arc
finer buildings but nowhere anything