Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-06-06
Charles Town And The Powhatan
College Commencement.
[Iranel Editorial.


Having an engagement to preach at
Powhatan College, at Charles Town,
w Va, on Sunday evening, May 10Th,
and not wishing to rust out by doing
nothing in the morning. we wrote Rev.
John C, Hawk. our pastor at Charles
Town and an old college mate, that we
had invited ourself to fill his pulpit at
the eleven o'clock hour. He good-na-
turedly acquisced, doubtless charging it
up to the daring presumption some
men seem to haye, and had for us a
fine congregation, and helped US to
add to our list fourteen new subscrib-
ers. .
In the afternoon he went to Bardane,
one of his country appointments, and
we went to sleep-not at the church;
bur at the parsonage, for he excused
US from giving further invitations to
ourself. We learned that he breaches
three times every Sunday, and every
other Sunday, varies his labors by at
tending two Sunday Schools and teach
ing class in each. in addition to the
| threA sermons. If man can keep
that sort of thing up, expanding SO
much vital energy every Sunday, and
not face a nervous break down, he
i must be constituted with nerves of steel.
Some noted preacher has said. that q
man cannot be at his best in three SER.
mons on Sunday that there viii be a
weakening of his forces in at least one
of them. Bro. Hawk is doing solid
rather than a snowy work; he is man
of convictions. and is putting his best
energies into the work Of the pastorate.
Tn the evening, with Mrs. Hawk, and
Marvin, theft son, Brother Hawk took
ds in his car, over to the college, which
occupies a magnificent building with
extensive piazzas, which was built in
boom times for fashionable hotel,
but with the passing of the
boom and fabulous prices. the building
was put to the wise use of college for
young women, which has done more for
the community than. dozen hotels
would have done.
Several years ago we tried to preach
the baccalaurate sermon at this school,
but it was evident that DR.. Hatton,
the president, with a keen analytical
mind, reached the conclusion that the
work had not been satisfactorily done,
: and that it would be proper to give us a
chance to do it over. lie gave US, as
before. a representative congregation,
composed not only of the faculty, stu
dents, their relatives and friends, but
many of the cultured and pious people
of the town, as all of the churches closed
in the evening to allow their congrega-
tions to attend the service at the col
lege. Bro Hawk had charge of the ex-
ercises; Rev. Dr.Alfriend, the Episco.
pal rector, made the opening prayer,
and Rev. DIR. Flanagan, the Baptist
pastor. read the Scripture. The elab-
crate musical program made up fol
. what was lost in the sermon. Miss
Addie Sites, daughter of Dr. and Mrs.
). Mckee Sites. members of our church
in Martinsburg, was one of the A. B
graduates.
Il The next morning while the historic
town was locked in slumber we quietly
arose, and, like the Arabs. about whom
we have heard somewhere, folded our
tent and silently stole away to the rail
road station, took the early train, and
q few hours later were in the Office go;
ing through the mail and getting il
shape the last copy for the paper Of
the week. Southern Methodist.