Watchman And Observer

HAMPDEN SIDNEY.

It will be recollected that there were two conditions in the recent plan for raising $60,000 for the endowment of Hampden Sidney College—the one, that no subscription would be binding unless pledges were given for the entire 600 shares: and the other, that these pledges must be made on or before the 1st of August, 1848. A few days since we were informed by a gentleman who, without any personal interest in the enterprize, has been very active in promoting it, that pledges had been given for more than $50,000, and that less than a hundred shares remained to be taken; and though it may be much harder to raise the last hundred than it has been to raise any two of the five hundred already subscribed, and although the time is now limited to a few days, we do not hesitate to express our firm conviction that it will be done—that the Board themselves, instead of suffering the plan to fail, will become personally responsible for the deficiency, and rely upon reimbursing themselves by the sale of the extra shares for which it may be necessary to give their individual pledges.

In these times it requires no ordinary effort to obtain voluntary pledges to the amount of $60,000 for the endowment of a College—Not that there is any want of ability to raise twice or thrice that amount; but when we speak of the "times" we allude, in a special manner, to the apathy even of those who theoretically deem it important to make education the hand maid of the Church; and to the extreme difficulty of convincing them that as the friends of the Church, their active and liberal co-operation is imperatively demanded. But while we derive encouragement from what has been done, it should not be forgotten that this is only the beginning—that if the money be all paid in—and safely and profitably invested—it will constitute only the foundation upon which the building must be raised with constantly increasing labor and zeal. It will depend under God upon the energy of the Board—upon the Faculty which they may appoint—upon the friendship and favor of the community, and upon the faith and prayers of the Church to crown this enterprize with success.

It will be gratifying to the friends of the College, to state that there is now a fair prospect that the President elect—the Rev. Dr. Green, of Baltimore—will accept of the appointment; and it is questionable whether a better selection could be made.

Mass Meeting of the Friends of Hampden Sidney.—We understand that it is in contemplation to hold a Mass Meeting at the College on the 1st of August, when it is supposed that the Trustees will be enabled to announce to the public the success of their plan for the endowment of the Institution. If this be so, we may safely remark that the occasion has very seldom occurred in Eastern Virginia, when a mass meeting would be more appropriate, or more deeply interesting to the great body of the people in the vicinity of the Institution.