The Charlotte Democrat

DAVIDSON COLLEGE.
The 35th Commencement-June 25th-27th.

Two of the many and diversified interests of Mecklenburg county require careful cultivation; for they are worth more to the country, to the State and to the Church than its gold mines and cotton fields. These great interests are its Railroads and its Schools. These furnish life and light-opportunities, motion and direction in it. Without them all is stagnation and darkness. Only moving waters are sweet, darkness shows no brilliancy. We were glad to stand at the Depot on the A., T. & O. R. R. and observe that those who in 1772 felt that liberty was worth dying for, are now represented by those who feel that education is the great prize to be lived for.

The authorities of the Road gave abundant and well timed facilities for access to the annual festival at Davidson College. Doubtless they are remembered with thanks for the promptness, skill, politeness and energy, which marked their efforts to gratify fathers, and mothers, and sweethearts, and brothers, and sisters, and cousins, and friends, and preachers, and teachers, and lawyers, and doctors, and above all the ubiquitous and all powerful advocates of liberty, life and light—the faithful, self-denying and intelligent Editors. Never before were so many seen among the lovers of fun and science at Davidson College, as were there last week.

Davidson College is a great light in our land, and to do good only needs to be widely known. Its light is becoming brighter and its life purer every year.

We heard one of the Seniors say that the change in the management, the instructions and the examinations of the Students in the four years of his connection had been marvellous, and that the spirit with which these improvements had been met by the Students, for whose good they had been devised, had been most creditable. To see Professors patiently waiting three, six, nine hours, while their pupils were trying with all diligence and praiseworthy emulation to show what they knew or could discover, on the topic examined, were by no means rare sights at the examinations. And another capital change at Davidson is the providing opportunities for those who wish only an English education to have free and honorable access on terms of entire equality with all other students to all the instructions of the College which are not directed towards the Greek and Latin languages.

In three years a Student can at Davidson, if he be properly prepared, hear all that is taught there in Mathematics, Belles Lettres, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Mental, Moral and Religious Science and in the Modern Languages. Testimony was also borne most emphatically to the high tone in morals and manners, and general conscientiousness which prevails at that College.

Nine-tenths of the students there are professors of that religion which enjoins and provides the diffusion of life, light, liberty and love.

THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON.

The Baccalaureate Sermon with which the solemnities of the week were ushered in presented a discussion of the place which charity should hold among the faculties of the soul. He held that while on earth there was nothing great but man, and in man there was nothing great but mind, of that mind there was nothing great but love. The discussion was timely, for the great heats which are likely to mark the political discussions of the times, there will be great need of that charity which beareth all things and thinketh no evil.

THE MISSIONARY SERMON.

By that favorite preacher, the Rev. J. B. Mack, contained a lucid description of the place of China in the history of humanity. He showed that although two attempts to civilize China, by means of the Gospel, had failed, the indications at present were that this third and grandest would succeed, and the energies of that wonderful mass of mankind would be devoted to the good of man and to the glory of God. We wish that we had room to report some of the striking points he made. One was especially worthy of note. The efforts hitherto made have proceeded against the sun, towards the East; now the star of hope is moving Westward, and so in accordance with all the other grand and successful movements for the good of mankind. And this movement was under the care of ourselves and our neighbors. The Chinese allow access to Americans which they deny to the other great commercial nations of the world. The English and the French have been engaged in aggressions on China and are rather objects of aversion to its intelligent and patriotic people.

THE ORATION BEFORE THE ALUMNI

Was delivered by the Rev. J. DeW. Burkhead, for whom the Church at Athens, Ga., is indebted to the care with which Judge Gaston's "good old North State," has and trains her children. His theme was the threefold revelation of God and its threefold exposition. Nature was commented on by Science, Providence by History, and Grace by Scripture, and that these three agree in one—showing that "the hand which made us is divine;" that "the mighty maze within and around us is not without a plan."

The speciality of this animated deliverance was an exhortation to his brother Alumni to attend constantly to all the needs of their Alma Mater; to cultivate a lively sense of their own obligations and that of our country to her in all matters of Science, Religion, Statesmanship and Patriotism, and an assertion of the rights of the Alumni to a fair share in the distribution of rewards and honors by the Trustees of the College.

The Alumni have responded most honorably to these suggestions, for they have resolved to inaugurate at once an effort to secure at least the endowment of one of the Professorships at Davidson College. At least $25,000 will be required for this purpose, and it is hoped that 200 of the 400 who have received diplomas from Davidson will take this most important action to their hearts at once.

It was suggested that the ladies who, most of all, are deeply concerned in the wide diffusion of the highest culture, should go to work and get the money, which will serve to render their sweethearts, and husbands, and brothers, and beaux more worthy of their confidence.

THE ORATION BEFORE THE TWO SOCIETIES

Was postponed, because of previous and unexpected demands on the services of Gen. Gordon in other parts of our country. Much disappointment was felt and expressed at this fresh instance of uncertainty in the best laid plans. Gen. Gordon would have been warmly received by one of the largest, most intelligent and prettiest audiences he has ever addressed. If there is any heat latent in an orator's soul, the sight of that amphitheatre at Davidson College during Commencement week will certainly develope it into a bright and burning flame.

THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SOCIETIES from the Junior Class made their annual appearance on Wednesday night. Their essays had been well considered and were well delivered. But they lacked point. Only one about our noble mother tongue showed sympathy with the questions of the day.

Platitudes about hope and genius, and prophecies about progress are of the syllabub order.

The following is the order of exercises observed on Wednesday night:

W. M. Carothers (Eumenean Society,) Marion, Ala., "The Student's Hope."

J. D. Bellamy, Jr., (Philanthropic Society,) Wilmington, N. C.-"Westward the Star of Empire takes its way."

John Springs, (Eumenean Society.) York S. C.,- "Human Progress."

Angus McDonald, (Philanthropic Society,) Fayetteville, N. C., "The Rise and Triumph of Genius."

W. G. F. Wallace, (Eumenean Society,) Clayton, Ala.,—"National Pride."

Samuel S. Burton. (Philanthropic Society,) Leaksville, N. C.,—"The English Language."

Can't the ladies help the authorities and powers at Davidson to light the Grand Chapel there, so that they and the speakers on Wednesday night may see each other better. A speaker may feel that she is there, but he would like to see that she is also looking at and smiling on him.

THE GRADUATING EXERCISES OF THE Seniors were universally regarded as being of an extraordinary high character. This table presents the names of all the graduates and the topics they discussed. But only sight and hearing can satisfy curiosity as to the style of this exhibition, which was simply capital.

Wm. B. Crawford, Arkadelphia, Ark.,-"Latin Salutatory."

Dugald Munroe, Cumberland Co., N. C.,-"Man's True Greatness."

Ervin Harris, Cabarrus Co., N. C.,-"Truth and my country"

J. R. McAlpine, Talladega, Ala.,-"Dum Vivimus, Vivamus."

Wm. M. McGilvary, Moore Co., N. C.-"Self Culture"

L. T. Morse, Gainesville, Ala.-"Effects of cheap Literature."

E. F. Pritchett. Greensboro. N. C.-"Be Useful."

F. I. Osborne, Charlotte, N. C.-"Eloquence."

A. D. Pitts, Uniontown. Ala.-"John Milton."

E. E. Ervin, Clarendon Dist., S. C.-"Success and its Condition."

C. A. Munroe, Cumberland Co., N. C.-Philosophical Oration: "Know Thyself."

Thos. R. English, Mayesville, S. C.—"Valedictory Addresses."

Last year Charlotte bore off the prize in Scholarship among the graduates at Davidson; this year she secured that in oratory—the gifted, honored, learned and charming Osborne has let his mantle of eloquence fall on his son. Long may it be worn with as much grace and power for good.

Our country has great reason for hope in the Class of Graduates of 1872. Their graduating Essays were represented as being entirely consonant with the whole tenor of their College life—full of dignity, intelligence, and sympathy with all that is devout and energetic.

It was the universal opinion that when good music and courteous bearing in musicians are sought for, one must go to Salem, N. C., which furnished a well trained orchestra for this occasion—one mindful of the proprieties of time and place and occasion. The Marshals were everywhere present and untiring in their courtesy and unyielding in firmness, for which all participants in such festivities are indebted for more than they are aware.

THE TRUSTEES OF DAVIDSON COLLEGE Were in session night and day, occupied by discussions on subjects of more than ordinary interest to the College.

They had questions concerning finance to settle, a revisal of the by-laws of the Institution to endorse, a reorganization of the Faculty so as to rid it of the incubus of a Presidency according to its ancient prerogatives to sanction, an Executive Committee to relieve the Board of the most of its minute matters of consideration to be organized and appointed and a successor of the learned and lamented Dr. McPhail had to be elected. So far they have survived these repeated and prolonged demands on their vitality and patience.

Now. Hurrah!! for the thirty-sixth Commencement!!! x.