Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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% BY W. A. LEE AMD HUGH WILSON. ABBEVILLE, S. G., FRIDAY, JULY 1!), 1807. VOLUME. XV. NO. 13. AN ADDRESS, .Delivered before the Alumni Association ; of Erskine 'College, July 10th, 1S07, by it. a. fair, ESC?. [Published by request of the Association.] Tho position ol an Alumni orator is ouo, we apprehend, at 110 time, utterly doroid of interest. On any occasion, j there is much in it to stir tho feelings ?on tho present it is suggestive of i /*.i I.j ii.?? nv,>. ll'liiu*? oi luunyiil iiiuu i.awiv i--1'oundosl emotions. JS'o ono cun address himself to tho duties incideut to such a position, without recurring in mind to the Institution of which he i.-; an Alumnus?to bie literary Mother, ir. whoso kind embrace he nestled during his mental infancy, and upon whoso nourishment .he subsisted, until he attained his intellectual manhood. \ ml vl.n in tnpnif.vv can travel jack to his Collcgo days, and mingle in tho scones of tho campus, tho ?|^u room, the debating hall. remain unmoved ? Who gSHtf) tho histoiy of bis Alma Horn tho date of her origin Bf momont of hie present inu* Y noting rcmarkablo occurrences, births and deaths, tho weal or woe attendant upon thoso whom she lias ])laced upon the theater of Jife, and not be inwardly KlirrulOh, who could contemplate the lovely i'orm of bis proud and fostering 3Iother, weal:, cmaciated, prostrate, gasp ;ng lor 1:1 o, uaj-, nluiout in Cealh throes, and not Lcfroui head Lo foul, convulsed with emotion'( Aiurn:.! of Kffclcino: You arc cncvi nioiv on vi?it at the maternal rc.si?l?'r.v.e'?you aiv n^i.in Ueading familiar walks?you arc movit.g within i'ric.idly Jiiiwt?,? what :tl this hour i* tho peculiar typo of your feelings? Are youra ihc emotions oi ihorfo at, a banquet'( Are you e;iger for the sound and tho step ef music and ot dancing? Arc you exulting in tho health ar.d Vigor, and zenith hloom ot tho fair proprietress of those crounds? tho graceful occupant of the mansion? J'ray, when last wore you hero t-j make iiliiii obeisance '! What has been tho lapso of time? What tho eausc of absence? docs contrast strike the eye 'i For many wearisomo da}Ts these grounds were unfrequented?these halls wore closed?these buildings el rap ed in mourning. For many sorrowfu months, tho sacred stillness of thi classic grovo was unbrokou save will tho eong of tho mocking-bird?tin chirp of tho wren?tho cooing of th dovo?tho hooting of tho owl. Fo six long years this enclosure wa gloomy, dreary, dismal?with naugh by day to ponetrato it, but the genis Bun-ray, finding no one to warm, o animate, and naught by night, bu bilvery. moonbeam, vainly i J^^search of somo ono to comfort and t cheer. Why was it that for years ou Molher did not hold her annual bai qucts? Why was it that for year sho invited not her sons to flock hitl cr from tho east and from the wes from the north and from tho south, I feed upon her lul things, and to enjo t fi ..I ~ ~ 1 L,.. il ^ uor "ivucia ui iuusuii uuu urr nuws soul?" Why was it, that for year hor gates woro closed, and her doo wore burred against her votaries, h friends and the world ? "Why was that for years elio refused to bo seei The truth is, our Mother has bei in Badness?she has been in the pi foundest grief?she has been sick ni< unto doath with sorrow. " In Itamah was thore a voice hem lamentation and weeping and gre mourning; .Rachel weeping for I filiildron nnd would not bo comfort because thoy are not." This tells tho pregnant story tbip answers our anxious onquinea _ this opona to us the mysteries and i veals the sccrots lately enveloping 1 homestead. Our Mother has been we iny for her children, and would not be cc forted became they ?re not. The Horod of war, witb his g ments rolled in blood, ha'sbeen abro ft ' He sept forth and alow tho? child: of ibis region and in all tho qo 1 t '' tberoof, from tho oldest ovon to tho! youngest. Tho war cloud has been j on tho wing; tho forked lightning played upon its dark bosoin ; it burst in all its fury, swooping tho land with tho bosom of dostruetion. In this slaughter many of tho children of our Mother wore o'ortakon. In tho winds of th:s rushing, mighty tempest many of hor precious oneB -were borno to battle and to death. It is for these that she has been lamenting and weepintr and mourning. It is for these that licr mansion has been lor years shrouded in cirapc. And this tho grief of' our Parent 1 was intensified in that ebe bad been doj pi'ived ol bcr possessions j bad been i stripped of bcr estates j had been dci spoiled of her endowments. She was 1 reduced to penury and to want. iNoth. ing was left her but bcr temple, all I dismantled and shorn of its rich and | eostlv drapory, and even that tho now | holds by si tenure, as slender and as , feeble as the morning cobweb. i .Because then of grief and want, our : kind Mother for years refused to be seen. Iter children were not here to crowd her halls; t-lio had not that with which to spread her feasts ; her spirits wore broken; her energies were destroyed; her vivacity gone. She closed lier gates, she barrocl lioi doors and resigned herself to the 1 gnawing* of the canker-worm of melancholy. i But the war is over; tho roar o; 1 !>:itile in hushed ; liio tramp of eon' tending hoht-j has died upon the car ; tho amolce and the du>:t o! : the Hold have cleared. Time, j the great asduu^er of man'* i ha* to some ex'.ent softened the i extreme anguish of our bereaved Pa1 rent. h>'ie U beginning to manifls! ' some concern for surviving children i who heretofore were buried beneath har sorrow for the lust. Sho desiref agu!n tu kcc our laces; sho has turn 1 moned us to hei' side; she btretehei j forth her feeble arms to draw us li | her bosom. " V>'?> comp, wo come, tliinc exiled bamU Where e;o we robt or roain, Have heard thy voice in distant lands, AuJ hasten to our hpine." J.et us move soltly and solemnly ii J her presence; let us be delicate am { tender in our attentions ; let us eschcv ' j tho frivolous and tho gay ; let us b j sober, grave, dignified j let ua addr^a j ourselves to tho duty of consoling 5 ; comforting and of cheering. 3 I And as wo gather around tho ma I, ternal board, not loaded, 'tis tru< i with viands as in days gone by, bi s ! still neat, cbaato and invitinir ; let lb 1 conversation take euch turn as bccom< 0 the occasion ; lot it befit the attenu c aicd form that graces tho bead of tl r i table; let it bo witb care for Ik s | whose features still present traces < ^ ; gloom, dejection and despondency. t I Oh, lot us soothe her feelings t t! gently leading her back in thought i hor halcyon days of youth and pro: perily; let us divert her mind 1 kindly botraying her into the contei nlaLion of the trood bio has bestowt - 0 _ ir upon hor children, and ot the blessin J" which through thcro, she has co B> ferred upon society and tlio worli *" let us cheer her drooping spirits I ^ talking to her hopofully of tho futui 10 13ut here, droppiug the allegory, 1 y us to tho real facts of the case, and t ?* stern duties of the hour. s? When tho appointment for this < rB casion was mado, it was suggest er that it might be useful if tho addr< wero framed, with tho view of strong 4 oring tho hands and encouraging t on hearts of the frior>ds of this ineti ?' tution. and force was attacl [ v * 3 to tho suggestion from tho it that tho orator selected \\ *d, 'pf- itB first class, was familiar with at history, and deeply interested in lor welfaro. ,e^ Snbseribing to tho propriety of snggestion made, your Bpoal ? will upon the oooaaion ignore ? tempting fields of literature; ho y *0- avoid tho dazzling heights of ecien 'he bo will robuko all desiros to illuotr ep- in stylo and in person, tho giftB i ~>m- the graces of rhetoric and of orat< He will be humbly intent alone on d< ar- good. >0^ O! Deity of wisdom, ins] fonj thcT jnoDiftj j>ut desires. into ast^hoaft; pat thoughts into tho mi - ^ put words into tho mouth. (Jrant most graciously, that tho sacred cnii80 of education may this day bo i promoted, in that Homclhlng may bo said to encourage to effort?to induce tho effort, tho earnest effort, to rebuild tho broken fortunes of this lustitutution, and to restore it to all its prip|tiuo usefulness. ltecurring then lor a moment to tho closing paragraph of the allegory, lot ! us adopt is hints aa tho heads of this 'address. Lot us glance briofly? I ' ? i ii.? rnn?;i? 131 J\.Xj LI1U lllSLUl^ Ui tliu JLiiowitution, ! 2d?Tho good it has accomplished, I 3d?Its future prospects. And during tho delivery of tho ad' dress, humble as it may be, allow mc respectfully to involco tho paticnco and attention of tho audioncc?not from personal considerations, but for tho sake of an Institution in which wo feel a peculiar interest. "Hear me for my causo, and bo silont that you may bear." I. Erskino College is llio offspring of the pious brain of tho "Associate .Reformed Synod of the South." It lirnt saw the light in February, of the '.year of o.iv Lord 18'^G, in a rude log 'house near tho north-east angle of the j village cemetery. When presented !|to the gaze of tho world, it bore the 'form and proportions of a healthy j w.ell organized academy. Its teaohe; |\ was J?hn S. I'reshl}', Ksq.?its JBoarc .'of Tin-Lets, liejt-. E. E. I'ressly, A. C ' Ifji'vthorne, James Lindsay, Abran ['! If addon ^.nd James Fair. Conncctec 'with this Academy from an early daj i'was a Theological Seminary ui.dei 1 - - - l l?.,w I.1 > j uio euro uuu iiiaiiagcniuuu ^ ' E. I'rChtsly, Pastor of a eongrega! tion of worshippers atJ>ue YS'cst Cor , jner, as its Professor. Tbo nam< ;'irivon to tbo two departments combi nod, tbo Literary and Theological -'wad Clark ar.d JSrskino Seminary si Towards tbc close of tbo year jus ) | teen lioticd, tbo Academy was movei i to a building erected fur tbc purpos ;; a few hundred yards east of the spo ! of its birth, tbc house beinjr now occu pied us a residence by Dr. Grior. n At a meeting ot .Synod in the Fa j ol the year 1887, it was " resolved tba v it is the fixed purpose ol Synod to ir ereasc tbeir Institution at l>uo We* e Cornor until it may properly bo calle a College, at which a thorough coure 3J of odueation both literary and the< logical can bo obtained." ~ In December of tho year 1837, tt "J institution was incorporated by tfc lt Legislature of South Carolina. Tl e word# of the enactment are, "Thi iB Rev". 15! E. Pressly, Dr. Enoch A, l_ new, Abra^i Haddon, Jamoa Fai 1C|John L. Ellis, A. C. Hawthorne an "r | James Lindsay of Abbeville Eistric and their associates ar,d succcsBors I and they are hereby constituted a boc >y corporato under tho name and stylo to ' tho Clark and Erskino Seminary *~ with power to hold for literary ai religious uses tho real estate up< which said Institution has been esta 3C* lished, and with like powers and pri Ss ileges in regard to tho Church erecte n" which is called tho Duo West Corn J > Church, and that said corporati by shall have tho right to hold real ai ro- personal proporty in tho wholo r let exceeding iu value fifty thousund d( 110 lars." (8ih vol. Stat, at Large, pa I 101.) 3<3* In the Fall of 1839, Mr. John Prossly tendered to Synod bis refc uss nation as principal of the literay < th , partraent of Clark and Ertkine Sei nary, and commenced a course tu- Btudies preparatory to tho minist ,cd At the same posaion Synod resolv act that tho Institution f-hould assume fas once the form and adopt the curricul its of a College. In pursuance oi this reac tion, iiov. E. E. Preesly was eleo 'President of the College and Pro: the sor of Moral Science ; J^eal M. G kor don, Professor of Languages pro t tho pore, and John $. Young, Profee ivill of Mathematics and Natural Phil< m. nhv. rv 9 * ' ato The cxorcitjos of the College w and conducted in tke building socon >ry. rcforrod to, and another plain sti >lng tare, hard by, since removed, kne thon ae the Seminary, These wit! [tire few hnts for the nao of the stude the chinked with mad, constituted at 1 nd) time the entiro outfit of tho Coll in tbo lino of buildings. Tbo whole stood in tbo midst of the forest, with no bouso noarer tban tbo Church and that first mentioned. In the Fall of 1840, tbo llov. James J'. Frossly was olectod Professor of Languages in tbo place of JS. M. (iordon, who was looking to tbo active du- ! j tics uf tho ministry. ! In Soptombor of the year IS 11, the cornor-stono of tho present Col logo building was laid with imposing and appropriate cercmonios, in tho presence of an immense concourse, in attendaucc upon an annual exhibition of tho Institution. In September of the succeeding year, to wit, 1R42, tho first class was graduated. Tho Commencement exercises wcro held in the open grove just north of tho Church. Tho members of tho class wcro Enoch Agnow, Samuel P. Davis, James A. Sloan, Da via i. iladdon, John Oliver LinJsa3T, John C. Williams, and I may Bay your humblo spcakor. Tho four last named woro present and commenced together tho Latin grammar on tho da}r of tho opening of the ! Academy in lboG?Just thirty-one 1 ; years aud sixjnouthb ago. Time flics. \ i Of tho class all aro still living save 1 one, tho lirst named, Enoch Agnew, in 1 vears tho Xtoniatmn of tho class?its ' pet, and well-beloved. , ; " Brother, tliou wast miM net lovely, I j Gentle ns> tlic summer bre(z-', I Pleasant ns tlic air of evening, When it (lout3 among the trees; Peaceful be thy uilefit plumber, 1 i Peaceful in the grave eo low." Of the surviving mem bora of tin r class, all ate ministers of Uio Gospel pave one, the last natned?may th' " bope not be indulged that cvon ho i ! at Ica^t a trembling believer iu the eJ > j fieacy of the blood of Him, whom hi " j classmatca preach ? ' : Early in the year 1843, the cxcrcise '! of the Collego wore removed to lb i*buildintr on mv left, iuHt tbon linishe j anl ready for use. In the Full of th 0 year 3 S43. David McCaw was chose t Professor of tho Latin language au l* Literaturo. In 1S4G the .Rev. E. I Pressly tendered his resignation t .Sjnod as President of tho College, i consequence of feeblo health, sujoo l* induced by tho weight}'duties, laboi and responsibilities of this positioi ^ together with those of Professor i 0 Theology and tho Pastorato of alarj. f.nnrrrefriit.ion. In 1847 this vnnanr 0- -Q ? - waB filled by Synod in the election 10 tho Xlev. 11. C. Grier, who immediate 16 ly entered upon tho dutie.s of tho hi<j 16 position of President ot tho Collog ^ In 1818 llev. William 11. Hemphill wi chosen to fill tho chair made vacai l' by the resignation of Rev. D. McCu1 id ,t The 7lli section of an act of tl [jo Legislature this Stato ratified jy December of tho year 1819 is in the Qf words, "That the Associate Ileforrn* ^ , Synod of tho South" be and they a authorized to nominate and appoii 3n Dr. E. E. PresBly, Dr. James P. Prei k ly, Rev. R. C. Grier, James Lindsa James Fair aud Archibald Kenned >(j Trustees, to serve during the pleaau 0J! of said Synod, who, with their suec< on sors, similarly appointed from time n(j timo, aro hereby declared to bo a bo 1Qt 'corporate and politic by tbo name a )1_ ot "Trustees for the Associf e Reformed Synod of the South," to h< and manage property, ieal, person g &nd mixed, or choecs in action of t - value (at Iho time of acquisition) three hundred thousand dollars, trust for and Subjects*to the cont f and direction of said Synod; all ry any of said Trustees to be at any ti ro(j removed and others Appointed ( al their placo by said Synod at its pie um uro. (11th volume, Statutes at Lar ?lu- Pao? 71.) Though the .Institutioi t0(j not mentioned in this section it is < pCB_ ident from the persons named, tb r_ locality and the amount of prope ^ specified, that the enaotment had i 8or erencp to the Institution and its obj wo< was to protect its interests. In 1850, this bnilding known $ro Lindsay Hall was ereutod. The p dly pose of the building was for a bo A ? I- , rue- uiwiJtj luruiouiug a vu?|rai ivt vuo V >wn vtfnience of tbo Collego, chera h a laboratory and other apartmonts, ntgj second floor for a room or hall for ,hat aooommodation of audiences QgQ) attendance cpon the public exorc 7* of tbo Institution, and u top for an observatory iu which to awing a Telescope of-unusual dimensions and power, donated to tbo College by William Johnson, of Alabama, withono of smaller biao, called "A Comet Seeker." This structure was named in honor of its builder, Jumes .Lindsay, Esq., and well did he descrvo the honor ?of him it may bo truthfully said, that no one person ever did more for the material interests of this College. A man of strong will, of indomitable enercrv und of liberal heart, ho did much towards building up the College and thiH villago. With our own eyes we have even seen him aloft on scaffold, with trowel in hand pouring out the sweat of his brow in promoting tho interests of tho Institution.< Jiut j ho is no mure. J n his death the Collcgo sustained an irrcparablo loss, lie sleeps in his gravo surrounded by monuments ol" his public spirit. Wo knew him well and loved him much: bo was a friend, a gentleman and a Christian. "Peace b'o to bis ashes and rest to his spirit." , s? In tlio fall of 1350 Mr. Joseph K. , Leo was chosen Preleasor of Mathematics and Chomistry, Mathematics having pro\iously belonged to the l chair of Mr. Young. Deecmhor of the year just mentioned,. 1850, Erskino College was incorporated by the Legislature of the Slate. Hear the Act of Incorporation: "That the lion. John Belton O'Neal, A. Haddon, J. L. Ellis, Dr. Enoch Agnow, Dr. George W. Prcesly, Dr. W. Anderson, Dr. J. W. Hearst, Dr. 3 A. Chalmers, P. II. Bradley, W. K \} Bradley, E. E. Prcesly, Samuel Donald o J). O. Hawthorne, W. Wright, J s llcmplnll, W. It. Jiciupnui, j. ijinu[*. na}', J. 1. Bonner, J. C. Chalmers, J. L s Young, J. Hoyce, D. Lesly, J. Gallo. way, R. C. Gricr, J. R. Wilson, J H Pratt, John Walkor, II. A. Jorio.s, A. C 0 Hawthorno and J. JSI. Young, anc (] their successors in office, be and thej e aro hereby created and constitutec a body politic and corporate bj ^ the namo and stylo of "Thi Trustees Of En-kino Collego, a Semi0 nary of learning, situated at Duo West D in Abbevillo District, iu tho Stato c r. South Carolina, and as s'L^h and Lv L.s said name of tho Trustees of JSi'.nkin Qj College, shall bo capable and liable ii 0f law and equity to suo and be suoa, i ,c plead and bo itnploaded, to use a com ,y raon ecal and to mako such by-law 0I and rules for the regulation and go\ ernraent of euid Colloge .as they ma; deem neccssary. Provided said bj *c laws and rulcB bo not repugnant t the lav,8 of this State or of tho Unite Ot StatCS' II. That the said Board of Trui ae tees aro and shall be authorized t in appoint such officers as they ma so think neecsjary and proper for tb organization and government of the: r0 own body and also all the officers, pis feasors, tutors and instructors of an J3! in said College, provided tfmt 11 Associate Reformed Synod of tl ISouth, or any other Assembly I rc which said Synod may transfer i ,s authority, shall have tho power < to confirming or annulling such appoin jy inents and of exercising a gener n(j control and supervision over tl lte affaire, officers And government jjjj said College. ol, III. Thut the said Board of Truste he shall havo power and authority of honors, licenses and degrees as a o ti/1 nil ditnk /)iCitSn/tf lAv Ill IUUICI UliU ??? ?" W ?? DUWU rol nsfcally conferred and awarded in t! or Colleges ar.d Universities of the Un ted States. in IV. That the said Trustees ai ias- their successors shall have and ho go, all the OBtate, property and funds nc i is bolonging to said College, and 3v? property, funds, money, .donatio) toir legacies and devises, which may bei rty after be granted, conveyed, bequeath ef- and devised or given to said Collej icot in trust nevertheless for the use a bonefit of said College. ns V. That Baid Trustees shall bo a ur~ pointed or chosen for tho torm of fc B0~ yearn by the ''Associate .Reform son- Synod of tho South ;" and said Tr ical teeg Bhall bo divided as equally ?a may be into two classes, bo that c the may j,e chosen every second yt in after each division takes plaoe; a iaos giiid Synod shall have powor to fill vucuncioa in naid Board of Trustees, which uhall occur by doath resignation or GtherwiBO. VI. That it shall not be lawful for any person to ostablish or keop in any * direction within two miles of the said College, any houso or store or shop lor retailing ardent spirits VLI. That this act shall bo taken and deemed a public Act, and continuo in l'orco for tho term of twonty-ono years and from thenco until the ad journmeni 01 ino noxbuonorai .assembly thoroaftor." (12 Statute at Large, page 47.) ^ Previous to tlio passago of this Act, diplomas and dogreos woro conferred upon tho graduates of tho College, under and by virluo of tho authority of Synod. In 1K53 tho scheme of endowing tho College by thosalo of scholarships was inaugurated, tho result of which was tho raising of the Hum of fifty thousand dollars. This, with liberal contributions from n low staunch friends of tho G'ollcgo, Capt. Blair and Col. Wright, of Yorkvillo, South Carolina, and Christophor Strong, of Tcpnea see, swelled tho amount to tho handsomo sum of soventy thousand dollars. At a meeting of tho Board ol Trustees in 1854, Mr., aftorwards Eev. Ed-mund L. I'atton was oleclod Professor of tho Latin Language, Mr. llomphill j being transferred to the chair of Hisi I onil In 185S Dr. Grier tendorod his res ignation as President of the College, and in IS-r,0 Mr. Patton was elected to fill tho vacancy occasioned by 6aid resignation, and in 18G0 Mr. John P. ' Kennedy wan chosen to fill tho chair made vacant by the promotion of Mr. Patton to tho Presidency of tho Col^ lego. At the commenccmont of tho war in 1801, tho Faculty Btood thus: Hov. ' Edmund L. Patton, President and Professor of Montal and Moral Scioncea ^ Itcv. Dr. James P. Proaely, Professor of tho Greek Languago ; Rev. John N. Young, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy; Eev. Wm. 11. Hemphill, Professor of Belles-Lettre* ? and Ili.story; Joseph F. Leo, A.M., Professor of M.athomaticB and Chem-* ^ istry, and John P. Kennnedy A.M., 0 Profeseor of the Latin Language. H nu. : ii A U13 WUl UaUlTIIJgj bUO JLlJDblI'll 1*1 UU 0 was stripped of its students, its classes l" wc:ro broken up and its Faculty dis8 organized. The effects pf tho war have alm0a6 ^ entirely destroyed the handsome endowment of the Collogo. Tho funda ^ of tho Institution wore mainly invested in tho stocks of various moneyed corporations of this and other States. 3* These have been rendered uttorly val? ueless or greatly depreciated by tho )' result of the war. From these stocks ie but littlo if anything is oxpected to ir be realized. u' Since tho close of the war thoro d has been gradual effort at reorganizaie tion and recuporation. At this time ,e tho Faculty stands: Dr. Grier ? rc-elected to the Presidency, in tho placo of Mr. Patton resigned, tho other chairs remain the same, except that of Mr. Kennedy made vacant by a* recent resignation. Tho College now 10 numbers thirty-six studonts, with ?f three classes, Freshmen, Sophomoro and Junior. cs As observed before, a Theological to Seminary has been conncctod with ro this Institution from nn early day. lfl> Tho 5th section of an Act of the Legislature of December, 1862, grants to tbiB department a distinct and separate corporate name and existenoe. iirl T* ilnnlriKali llThdt. .T T TlnnnflP. TT T. 'Id Sloan, J. N. Young, E. L. Patton, J. )w Boyce, J. L. Millei\ G. W. Prosely, H. all L. Murphy, T. B. Chalmers, J. P. os, Kennedy, P. H. Bradley, B. O. Sharp, re- and their successors in office, be and ed they are hereby deolared a body politio 50, and eorporato by the name and atylo ud of the 'Erskino Theological Sominary' with all the rights, powers and privip_ legos incident to bodies politic and ?ur corporate; to hold real and porsonal ed property, pot exceeding two hundrod QS. thousand dollars; to elect their own as officers and to fill all vacafcoios in their me own body; to take the cobtrol and 3av manago tbo funds of. said Io^titotion, and to discharge all th'e datiea perall taining to the same; and that the n *