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Laying the Corner Stone of the Univer-
sity of the South.

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The Nashville Republican Banner, of the
13th inst., brings us a full and interesting ac-
count of the solemn ceremony of the laying the
corner stone of the University of the South,
on the 10th, which account we condense.

The day was very fine. University Place,
the site of the institution, on Cumberland
Mountain, was the centre to which a great
concourse of people converged. The Sewanee
Railway Company had made every prepara-
tion for the transportation of passengers, and
delegated their agent to take charge of the
passengers from Cowan to University Place.
The accommodations for the entertainment of
visitors was all that, and even more than
could have been anticipated. A large num-
ber of ladies were among those present.

At 11 o'clock A. M. the procession, consist-
ing of the Board of Trustees of the Univer-
sity, persons specially invited to take part in
the ceremonies, clergymen and citizens, was
formed, and moved off through the forest four
abreast, and on arriving at the site, the visitors
and citizens opened ranks, and the bishops and
clergymen, clad in white surplices, the archi-
tects, choir and band, passed through into the
palisaded enclosure, where the corner stone
was to be laid, and formed a circle round it.
The ladies were then all invited within the
enclosure, and the band struck up "Hail Co-
lumbia;" after which the Rt. Rev. the Bishop
(Otey) of Tennessee, began the services by
giving out the Psalm: "With one consent,"
&c., which was sung by the choir, to the tune
of "Old Hundred." Rt. Rev. the Bishop
(Rutledge) of Florida then read appropriate
selections from the Holy Scriptures; after
which Rt. Rev. the Bishop (Atkinson) of
North Carolina delivered the following ex-
hortation:

Christian Brethren, Friends and Fellow-
Citizens--It is decent, and agreeable to the
precepts of Holy Scripture, that in all our un-
dertakings, we should beseech Almighty God,
from whom cometh every good and perfect
gift, to direct us with His most gracious favor,
and further us with His continual help. Es-
pecially, therefore, when we are gathered to-
gether to lay the foundation of a house which
is to be erected to His honor, and consecrated
to the promotion of true religion, virtue and
learning among men, let us humbly ask the
forgiveness of our sins, and implore his merci-
ful protection and blessings.

Rt. Rev. the Bishop (Cobbs) of Alabama
then offered several of the beautiful and com-
prehensive collects of the Episcopal Church;
the 190th Psalm of David was sung; and the
Rt. Rev. the Bishop (Elliott) of Georgia, an-
nounced the following as being the deposits in
the corner stone:

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world may be so peacefully ordered by thy
governance that thy church may joyfully serve
thee in all godly quietness, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

These interesting services over, cam {blank} ner
Seven rows of tables were spread the entire
length of the building, and another one on a
raised platform across the hall, at one end, for
the bishops, the speakers and the ladies. The
dinner was excellent, and there seemed a pro-
fusion of everything. Provision was made to
seat 500 persons at one time, but only 300
were present, many being entertained at the
neighboring cottages. The band was playing
during the dinner, and in the intervals between
the speeches which followed in the afternoon.
When the dinner was finished, the guests still
retaining their seats, Bishop Otey arose and
said:

I feel peculiar pleasure in introducing to you
a distinguished fellow citizen, whose labors in
the cause of science have crowned his name
with honor throughout the world, and made
him, in a measure, the property of nations.
The winds of Heaven and the waves of the
sea have, by his researches, been made tribu-
tary to increase the facilities of trade to every
land and on every sea where commerce spreads
her sails. I announce to you the name of
Commander Mathew Fontaine Maury.

Lieut. Maury addressed the audience briefly,
but eloquently, and was greeted with applause
as he continued. Speeches were also made
by Rev. F. A. P. Barnard, President of the
University of Mississippi, who has consecrated
his talents and devoted the earnest labors of
his whole life to the development of the true
principles of education, and by Bishop Smith,
of Kentucky, and the Hon. John M. Bright,
of Fayetteville.

The visitors and guests were all taken care
of for the night by the attentive Committee of
Arrangements, and rooms and comfortable
couches were assigned to all. And thus (says
the Banner) passed off the day, harmoniously
and delightfully, and to the entire satisfaction
of all interested. The arrangements altogether
were admirable, and lasting credit is due to
the efficient management for the agreeable
manner with which they prepared for, and
received the visitors. The Executive Com-
mittee spared neither pains nor expense in
furnishing supplies for the occasion, and we
are happy to be enabled to state that their ef-
forts were crowned with success. Most of
the visitors returned to their homes the next
morning, delighted with their excursion, and
with the beginning of an undertaking, the
most important ever inaugurated in the South,
and from which incalculable advantages may
be derived by the Southern people.

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