The final examinations occupied three days, the 25th, 26th and 29th of May. The attendance of parents and friends increased from day to day. On Sunday a Sunday-school Institute was held and the attentive throng seemed about as great as the chapel would hold, but the absolute limit of its capacity was not reached until the exhibition, Tuesday evening, when the people were fairly wedged in. A beneficent down-pour of rain Wednesday morning prevented the crowd from being any greater on that day, and rendered the air so cool and pleasant that people did not suffer from being closely packed. The Committee on Decorations had made the chapel very inviting with a fountain, motto and other devices. A class of six earnest, faithful Christian students, three young men and three young women, having completed the normal course, were to receive certificates. President Pope addressed his sermon to them Sabbath evening--his theme being Serving One’s Generation. At 10 o’clock on Wednesday, the 31st, the commencement exercises began. As these young people have been, in accordance with the avowed aim of this institution, educated for usefulness in practical life, it was fitting that their essays and orations should be as they were, on subjects of every-day interest and treated in an intensely direct and practical manner. The music was inspiring, especially the class song, composed for them by the Rev. B. A. Imes, of Memphis, a fine scholar and talented gentleman of their own race. In presenting their certificates, the President gave them five “Remembers” from the Holy Scriptures, as his final charge to them. In the afternoon the annual address was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Truman M. Post, of St. Louis. As I cannot reproduce it for you, I will only say that it seemed an address which must prove a strong lever to aid in the “Uplift of Character, Intelligence and Social Life,” which was his theme. Taking a sweeping glance at the providential dealings of God with races and nations, he came speedily to the problems which confront us in this our commonwealth; and, after pointing out that races or individuals can only be uplifted by their own exertions, cannot be raised but only assisted to rise by external aid, and that it is not merely duty, but godlike privilege for the stronger and more fortunate to render this aid to the weaker and less fortunate, he dwelt upon specific means of advancement and elevation, and pointed to a hopeful future. There were but few white visitors present. Despite the rain, a carriage load of gentlemen came out from Jackson, and added materially to the interest of the exercises--Mr. Lemly, a trustee of this institution; Col. Power and Gen. Clifton, members of the State Board of Visitors.