Newspaper Page Text
June 5, 1912]
In i.imself and In the speaker of the
hour. Rev. Dr. A. R. Shaw, of Charlotte,
opened the day with a historical address
covering the period of 1887-1912. His paper
was concise and yet exhaustive,
touching every department of Davidson's
a. tivities and informational throughout.
Of the congratulatory addresses the
firet was that of Rev. W. E. Hill, of
Atlanta, one of the younger alumni, but
wl se youth does not prevent the recogni;
ion of him as a speaker of Darts. The
ever growing affection of Davidson's
sons and their increasing loyalty was a
leading thought in his remarks. His
apostrope to the church college, invaluable
to the country, not because sectarian,
but because out and out Ohristion,
was well received.
President Davidson M. Douglas of the
Presbyterian College of S. C. in a moment
had captured his audience with
his humor and fun. But he renounced
this role long enough to enlarge in pleasing
manner on the bond that unites Davidson
and South Carolina, the mutual
recognition of the debt of each to the
other in the supply, first to the college
of raw material and then Its return to
the state, a finished product. His, glance
into the near future, when the wealth
of the Presbyterians of North Carolina
would be icu'ing ituo the needy treasury
of Davidson was something enkindling
to the hopes and faith of all the
friends of the Colllege.
i icsiueut venauie ?i xue university
of X. C. brought salutations of the warmest
and heartiest nature. The future
of state and churoh schools alike he
deemed bound by no embarrassing limitations
of any kind.' In worthy emulation
of the other and in generous rivalry
there is nothing to regret or fear.
Each reacts Wholsesomely upon the
other.
Dr. W. S. Currell of Washington and
Lee warned that his reception at DavidBon
might be lacking in cordiality by
reason of Virginia's recent theft, made
good his defense in declaring that he, as
a member of W. and L.'s faculty, whose
province did not extend to choosing
presidents, was as absolutely free from
guilt as the affrighted pupil who In
response to the loud query of his Sunday
school: Who took off the gates of
Gaza, answered quickly: "Don't look at
me, I ain't got em' He closed his witty,
scintillating remarks with a hearty
encomium of Davidson, a great institution,
doing a great work, in a great
way.
President E. A. Alderman of the Univ.
?i Va., polished and ornate in diction
and eloquent in phrase spoke of the
relationfi close, sympathetic, affectionate
that had always existed between .no
PnlversUy ao.l Davlde.m
in an address full of fire and enthusiasm,
Rev. Dr. Neal L. Anderson, of
Winston closed tho synip^tlum of tee
afternoon. His theme was: What David??
n men have done v : .Jo world's work.
was i ir.agniflcxfv, i ?? to say startling
showing that Dr. Anderson made,
substantiating his statements with an
appeal to official records.
Tho evening session was "featured"
a very able, indeed a quite brilliant
a(idrr-ss by President Poteat, of Purn'an
University. H1b subject: The
' bui cii College, Its Place and Function.
The address .might be characterized by
* number of "atics." It was truly AtUc
In wit and hxnor. It wa3 oplgraIn
phrase, dr.imatlc m present4U?n
and dogmatic In statement. The
r'r?Rramme of the day was rounded out
a fine speech by President Smith
*!'& recited a numlber of outstanding
Masons for the solidarity of Davidson
a? a college of high moral tone and
character.
I,pof. Thos. W. Dingle added further to
( e Interest and pleasures of fho occas?n
by reading a number of congraitula0ry
letters and telegrams from Unl*ftr?Ities
and dignitaries of varied type.
THE PRESBY TERI.
Outstanding in interest to the cam-'
pus and assembled guests of the week
w-ere the farewells to and appreciatory
recognitions of the services rendered
the college by the retiring president, Dr.
H. L. Smith, and then the election of
Dr. W. J. Martin as his successor and
the loud and hearty endorsement and
popular approval of the Board's action.
Such a demonstration would indicate
the very general belief that in seeking
a new President tlie Board had acted
with the utmost wisdom in taking one
of Davidson's own faculty, a man possibly
as widely and as favorably known
throughout the Southern Assembly as
any man In the eldership and one so
ciwseiy menuiieu witn me most aggressive
work of the church.
Sunday morning the sermon before
the Y. M. C. A., was preached by Rev.
Dr. George Petrie who on this occasion
and then again at nightt delighted large
audiences with his sermonlc effort. The
Valley of Blah", where David found three
jewels, 1, himself, 2, hi* royalty, 3, his
destiny, was the theme. The discussion
and development of the text was
admirable.
On Tuesday morning a large audience
was present again in the church to
bear the Baccalaureate preached by Rev.
Dr. -R. E. Vinson, of Austin, Texas. It
was as a matter of course a strong sermon,
one carrying a message that reaches
the heart and solemnizes the thought
not of the volatile, vaporous type hut
of those young men and women to whom
the terms education and religion and
privilege suggest responsibility. The
text was Heb. 7,16. and was masterfully
unfolded.
Class day exercises Monday morning
were elaborated to the full and furnished
amusement to the onlookers in unlimited
quantity.
Monday night as alumni orator, for
the Eu, Society, Hon A. L. Gaston, of
Chester, spoke enlarging in an effective
work on the South as a staying and
steadying factor amid the unrest that
has in times past and still threatens the
welfare of the nation. The Phi orator
was Dr. C. Alphonso Smith, whose fame
as a man of letters extends over two
continents was a sufficient guarantee
of something out of the ordinary to
bring before him an audience that he
delighted from the moment he begun to
speak till he took his seat.
The degree of D. D. was conferred
on Rev. Davidson M. Douglas, President
of the Presbyterian College of S.
C., Rev. Melton. Clark, Greensboro, N.
C. and Rev. J. S. Sibley, Louisville.
The vaiediotory was delivered by A
W. White, Abbeville, the Salutatory by
N. N. Fleming, Philosophical Oration,
James M. Crocheron.
In an address full of enthusiasm and
fire, Rev. Dr. Neal L. Anderson, of
Winston, closed the symposium of the
afternoon. His subject was, "Davidson's
Men in th? World's Work." It was
a magnificent, not to say startling,
showjhg that Dr. Anderson made for
his college, substantiating his claims
v an appeal to of&clal records.
The evening session was featured by
a very able, indeed a quite brilliant
address by President Poteat of Furman
University?"Th? Church College,, Its
Plac? and Function." The address may
be described 'by a numbers of "atlcs."
It was truly Attic in wit and humor,
eplgramraatlo In phrase, dramati'c in
presentation and dogmatic in pronouncement.
The programme of the day was
rounded out with an excellent speech
by President Smith, who recited a number
of substantial reasons for an abiding
faith In the solidarity of Davidson
ofl o pnllaoo nf V* \ crV* moral fono on/1
<? *? ? wvitygo vi U15U mvmi ivuc aiiu
character.
Prof. Idngle added further to the interest
and pleasure of the occasion by
reading a number of congratulatory letters
and telegrams from universities
and from dignitaries of varied type.
A. N OF THE SOUTH
Particularly welcomed were messages
from Governor Wood row Wilson, class
of '77, Rev. Dr. A. D. Hepburn, and Rev.
Dr. Luther McKinnon, the two latter
beloved ex-presidents of the institution,
the two being of the same age and possessing
so much in common in point
of methods, ideals and moral tone, even
though Davidson be the school of the
Church, and the university the child of
Jefferson.
Dr. Thornton Whaling, president of
Columbia Seminary, was next heard in
a message of love and appreciation that
was tasteful, timely and in full touch
with the temper and tone of the occasion.
Rev. Dr. A. M. Fraser, of Staunton,
Va., followed with an address on
me service or caviason College to ttie
Church. The address was comprehensive
in sweep and rich in fullness and
completeness of reference.
Ttev. Dr. W. W. Moore was introduced
under an embarrassing wealth of flowers,
Gov. Glenn stating that Rev. Dr.
Torrey had said of hrm that of all the
men he had met at home and abroad,
Dr. Moore was the most engaging and
attractive personality of them all. Dr.
Moore, with appropriate bow and grasious
show of that humility that is characteristic
of him, launched forth in a
beautiful account of men that have gone
forth from Davidson to adorn the field
of higher education. iHis roster confessedly
incomplete, shone brightly under
his kindling touch and the richness
and mellownes of his beautiful voice.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
(Here, in a nut-shell, are the principal
acts and deliverances of the recent
meeting of the General Assembly:
Dr. T. S. Clyce, of Texas, was elected
moderator.
Alanta, Ga., was chosen as the place
for the next meeting.
Fraternal greetings sent to several
other religious bodies.
A provision for vice-moderator of the
Assembly was declined.
A day of Fasting and Prayer was appointed,
the date to be October 2.
'Executive Secretaryship limited to one
for each Executive Committee.
A handsome resolution appreciative
of King College was unanimously passed.
Steps were'taken looking to a radical
change In the Assembly's Home and
School.
Steps were taken to union negotiations
with the United Presbyterian
church.
A "Home" for missionaries' families
is to be provided, If practicable, at Montreal
An overture asking for a "rotary"
eldership and diaconate was answered
In the negative.
Nb changes in the Statistical Tables,
a favorite subject of overture was consented
to.
Assembly returned to membership 1n
Federal Oouncil of Churches of Chr.'st
in America.
"Representatives to the Pan-Presbyterlan
Council, in. Aberdeen, Scotland, in
1913, appointed.
i.
"Elect Infant" overture of last year
found lacking sufficient votes to change
the Confession.
An overture lo limit the terms of
(619) 15
the clerks of the Assembly was answered
iu the negative.
Committee of fifteen appointed to
write "Brief Popular Statement of the
Doctrine of our Church."
The Assembly declined to make any
change In the Confession of Fa Kb touching
the matter of divorce.
A new deliverance touching the nonpolitical
nature of the church was declared
not to be needful.
The major part of the able reDort of
the Ad Interim Committee on Romanism
was ordered to be published.
Overture sent down to the Presbyteries
for a slight change in the basis of
representation in the Assembly.
Pastoral letter issued to Sessions,
Sabbath-schools, and officers warning
against the "International Graded Liessons."
Fraternal delegates were appointed to
go to the supreme courts of the Reformed
Church of America and the Associate
Reformed Church.
The appeal of the Lafayette Church
Session from* the judgment of the Synod
of Louisiana was dismissed, as on its
'ace irregular and voiid.
Duties and nnwow r\t fliro(nm?n. -o ?
- ? t - v*. WJHWVUiailU OClleficence
Committee defined and nomination
of Secretaries and Executive Committees
taken out of its hands.
Overture sent down to the PresbyterieG
to change "elect Infants dying in
infancy," etc., to "Being elect, all infants
dying in infancy." etc.
The "Menace of Romanism" is to be
dealt with by preaching the gospel, not
by an organized campaign, a fund for
priests, nuns, and others, etc.
The Executive Committees were authorized
to appoint an efficient woman
organizer, to organize presbyterial and
synodical unions, under the auspices
of the Presbyteries and Synods.
The "Sinnott Case" was left where the
Louisville Assembly put it, and not opened
for a re-hearing. A kind resolution
was passed with reference to the Lewisburg
Assembly's action in its bearing
upon Mr. Sinnott.
Dr. Egbert W. Smith elected Executive
Secretary of Foreign Missions, Dr. S. L.
Morris of Home Missions, Dr. H. H.
Sweets of Christian Education and Re
lief, and Mr. R. E. Magill of Publication
and Sunday School Work.
The Committee on Minutes of the PanPresbyterian
Alliance reported nothing
requiring any action of this Assembly.
It nominated delegates from our Church
to the next Council, to be held la Aberdeen,
Scotland, in 1913, at a date not
yet fixed, the following: J. W. Walden,
D. D., I. S. McElroy, D. D., D. M. Sweets,
D. D., George Summey, D. D., J. B. Hutton,
D. D., J. Layton Mauze. D. D., Prof.
W. J. Martin, Hon. H. F. Ansel, Rev. J.
M. Clark, Rev. J. L,. Bachman, D. D., Rev.
T. S. C.lyce, D. D., Hon. C. P. Janney, S.
I* Morris, D. D., B.C. Reed, D. D? W. N
Scott, D. D? Hon. F S. Reed, T. W.
Sloane, D. D? Hon. J. H. Miller, Hon.
Jno. H. Frye, Rev. F. R. Graves, H. A.
White. D. D., C. W. Dorsey, Esqr., T. H.
Rice, D. D.. and R. H. Fleming, D. D.
It is one of the sublime facts of life
hflt WA man nrt1' olnA/vK/vl" ??
.. v v?.. iiw oii.ucicij ouucnwr it)
do a kind act toward another without
thereby becoming richer and nobler our