The American Missionary — Volume 36, No. 7, July, 1882Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 36, No. 7, July, 1882
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
The commencement address by Dr. Scott, President of the State
University Columbus, Ohio, was worthy of the occasion, and crowned
the whole with its beauty and grace of diction and the scholarly
treatment of the hackneyed subject, Time. Music, sculpture and
painting were beautifully shown not only to pay tribute to time,
but to have their very existence in it. Words fail to describe
the effect of the whole with the exquisite closing in the words
of the poem, “I sat alone with my conscience.” It was remarked by
one of the hearers, “That is the poetry of science.” After a few
remarks by Gov. Hawkins and the Hallelujah Chorus by the Mozart
Society, came the alumni dinner. At the table with the President
and his wife were seated Gov. Hawkins, Judge Lawrence and wife of
Nashville, Dr. Scott, orator of the day, Dr. and Mrs. Phillips of
the Nashville Institute and the two new A. Bs. The other guests
were seated at tables near the President. The after-dinner speeches
by the Governor, Dr. Scott and Mr. Stewart, who is finishing the
new custom-house, were evidences that “the world moves.” The
Governor spoke of the solicitude he felt at the close of the war
in regard to the future of the colored people and his questions
as to what would really be the outcome of the struggle. He said,
“The question has been answered. It is answered in the exercises
of this occasion, in the intelligent faces before me. The tasteful
decorations of these halls, these very walls themselves, have
answered the question of doubters as to the elevation of the
colored people.” His presence and remarks were well calculated to
help on the good work of breaking down the walls of caste prejudice
in which many minds are still inclosed.
Dr. Scott referred to the condition of things during and at
the close of the war, in which he had a part. He expressed his
delight in being permitted to see the growth and progress of the
last seventeen years. His words of appreciation and sympathy
were especially grateful to the workers. He reminded them that
any institution which outlives the trying period of training and
sending out its first graduates and of nourishing and giving
strength to its first alumni was destined to live and grow. Alma
Mater is a name dear to every good student, and Fisk University has
a history and a future. The delightful exercises were brought to a
fitting close by all rising and singing the doxology, “Praise God
from Whom all blessings flow.”
* * * * *
TOUGALOO UNIVERSITY, MISS.
BY MISS J. KELLOGG.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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