The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-06
SEMINARY CLOSES
SUCCESSFUL YEAR
Considerable Deficit Again, but
Conditions Continue to
Improve.
FINE SERMONS YESTERDAY
Noted Ministers Address Large
Congregations in City
Churches.

The commencement exercises OF
the ninety-tifth session OF the
Union Theological Seminary, OF
Richmond, the oldest and lnrg
est Presbyterian divinity school in
the South. began yesterday morning.
with services in the Second presbytc-
rian Church, where Rev, James Orr. d.
D.. professor of apologetics and the
oIogy in the Glasgow College of tho
United Free Church of Scotland. ad
dressed large congre cation, cont
posed of the faculty and students and
people of Richmond.
Notable Sermon.
DIR. Orr's subject WIS Tile Virgin
Birth OF Christ" and his scholarly reply
to the critics of this article of evan
gelical reliSion-the opening miracle
of the Lords earthly life. The famous
Scotch author showed that the Gospels
according to Matthew and Luke. which
contain the account. Of this miraculous
birth. are trustworthy historical docu-
ments OF the apostolic age. that the
opening chapters of these Gospels, IN
which the event is related, are gen
nine portions of the original. as'i prov
ed by the unanimous testimony of
the manuscript and the version ana
that Christians have to-day essential
ly the same text of these particular
chapters that came from the pen OF
the inspired writers.
The speaker gave a striking Illus
tration of the "unscentiic methods
of some of the advanced critics, and
met some of the objections raised by
them to this crucial article of the Chris
tian religion.
DR.. Moment Speaks.
In the evening. At the Grace Street
Presbyterian Church, another large
congregation gathered to near the adj
dress before the Society of Missionary
Inquiry of TIE Seminary. which was
delivered by Rev. w. H. Moment. y. D..
of Raleigh. n. c. DIR. Moment took for
his text the passage in Hosea, Put
the trumpet to thy mouth He made
the points that the gospel must be
hcralded forth; that there Is need
of no uncertain sound; that this her
aiding mast be kept UP in spite of
inevitable mysteries, and that the home
pastors should be deeply iuibued with
a missionary spirit. The speaker was
on fire with his subject, and gave no
uncertain sound himself in regard to
his attitude to biblical truth. His adj
dress was most stimulating and in
structive.
the Seminary. has been most graft
tying one. SiXty-six students wera
matriculated an increase over the num-
Der of last session. The health of both
the faculty and the students has been
remarkably good, on the whole; and
hard work has been done, followed by
good results,
The graduating exercises will be held
IN Watts Chapel on Wednesday morn
ing at II o'clock, when Rev. Alfred
T. Graham, d. D.. of Davidson, N. c..
will deliver the address to the grad
uating class, and diplomas will he
awarded to the following men. whose
residence, college from which thew
graduated and presbytery. are given:
Alfred Scott Anderson, Ivy Depot, Va,
William and Mary College, East Han
over Preshytery.
Walter Washington Balm. Wads, N. c..
George Francis Bell. A. b.. Darlington
Heights, Va, Hampton Sidney College
Roanoke Presbytery.
Va, Fredericksburg College. East Han
over Presbytery.
Eugene Black Carr B. S.. Safe. N. G.
Davidson College, Wilmington Presby'
Pleasant Lnwood Clark, a: B.. Brook,
neal. va, HampdenS Sidney College. Roa
noke Presbytery.
Ralph Carroll Deal. A. NJ. Greenville
S. c., Davidson College, Enoree Presby
Thomas, ". Hooper, Jr.; a. B. B, s;
Christansburg. Va: Hampden- Sidney Col
lege, Montgomery Presbytery
Hugh Hardin Hudson, Madisonviiie.
Tenn. Princeton University Knoxville
Robertson MacFayden, Prince Edward
Island. Canada, Grant University, Eas
Hanover Presbytery.
Angus R, Mcqueen, A. B., Cartha '!;'
William Sanford Patterson. A. r. y, WIN
Orange Presbytery.
David HOPKINS Rolston. A. p, H EIa;
verslty, Lexington Presbytery.
w, Va, Hampden- sidney college. Win
chester Prcsbytery.
George Brazier Thompson, Bayou Cur
rent, La, Louisiana Presbytery.
The president will make some an
nouncements and the closing remarks
The board Of trustees and director
will hold meetings on Tuesday am
the president. the fed secretary ant
the treasurer, and going o"er the bus
mess of the seminary generally. o.
this board, of which Alr, George W
Watts, of Durham, n. G., is the rrnsi
dent, there are some of this !cadin!
ministers and business men Of tn
synods of Virginia and NSrfl Carolina
men who are thoroughly competent I
conduct the affairs and handle til
funds of any similar Institution.
Financial Status.
One of the most important matter
that will come before the board is n
financial status of the seminary.
spite of the strictest economy, the grof
annual income of this most importan
Institution has failed to meet the gros
annual expenses each year for the pas
fifteen or twenty years. Every CON
mencement for this length of time Ia
brought the seminary face to face wit
a most embarrassing deficit Tho d.
hcit for the session which is now clos
Ing. will be considerable The endoM
ment should have 100000 added to /
and a new building for refectory pu,
poses should be erected upon the can
pus as soon as possible,
Though the financial situation is fl
from satisfactory. still It Is constant
Improving, and during the year whic
is now closing, new subscriptions AZ
gregating $l7,48T.S9, have been re
ceived.
The endowment of the chair Of syst,
matte theology as a memorial to II
late r, L, Dabney, D. D., now stands ;
follows.
Total cash, .........,....... s37,e67
Total promises ,.,........,.. 9,i2S