the United States scarcely a single minister who does not hold the view of Calvin and the Reformed Confessions."

In 1847 the effort to improve and elevate public worship, known as the Liturgical movement, came formally before the Eastern Synod, by a request from the Classis of Eastern Pennsylvania. At a Synod held in Norristown in 1849, Dr. Bomberger "made an elaborate report in which the general posture of the early Church and the Church of the Reformation was set forth, accompanied with resolutions in favor of an immediate onward movement for the formation of a Liturgy suitable to the wants of the churches represented by Synod." *

At the General Synod held at Dayton, Ohio, in 1866, where Dr. Nevin made an argument which went from heart to heart in the church, and was never forgotten by his auditors, the final success of the movement became assured. In 1884, the General Synod which met at Baltimore submitted the Directory of Worship to the Classes for adoption or rejection and in 1887, one year after Dr. Nevin's death, it became formally the authorized liturgy of the Reformed Church in the United States. Time fails me in presenting this movement in its appropriate historical character. I can only add that a discussion which once threatened to end the unity of the Reformed church, a controversy carried on for a period of forty years, has died away leaving the church in a higher state of religious life with a three-fold increase in the number of its ministers.†

Glancing for a moment at the history of the Western church, on the first of May, 1820, the classis of Ohio was organized with five ministers, fifty congregations and about eighteen hundred communicants. In 1824 it developed into a Synod. Now there are five powerful synods west of the Allegheny mountains, thirty classes, over seventy-one thousand communicants; a theological seminary, universities and colleges, whose basis of instruction is the inviolable divine authority of the Holy Scriptures and the doctrine contained in the Heidelberg Catechism.

The Reformed Church is now equipped with B eign and Domestic Missions, of Beneficiary Edu society for the relief of ministers. Its pioneer m long since crossed the swollen waters of the Illin the trail of the emigrant to where his

"Axe rings sharply 'mid the forest shades

Which from Creation, toward the skies have towered in unsh

and the Synod of Potomac has on its rolls the Clas land-Oregon, and of San Francisco. When we add tistics of the Reformed Church in the United State the number of its communicants has doubled in the years, where is there room for doubt that God has things for the best?

With her glorious history, her broad and co standards of faith, her simple and devout form of w compact sacramental host moving on to future victor Kingdom of Christ, in the lingering twilight of t we joyfully go round about her Zion, "tell the towe mark well her bulwarks and consider her palaces th tell it to the generation following."

In the presence of the assembled alumni of the t over which he presided, this retrospect of years now be altogether deficient without some allusion to the character, the profound theologian, the kindly man, D Nevin. With a clear cut intellect and a will positive cisive decisions he was one of those colossal figures wh with the impress of their greatness the century in w live. How well we recall his untiring and irrepressib and fortitude! How full of seed thoughts were all courses! How he thundered out to us, "no tradition, conclusion of reason contrary to the clear testimon Holy Scriptures can be received as rules of faith or Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is th duty of man: "The fear of the Lord that is wisdom; depart from evil is understanding."

Though his spirit has taken its flight into the imperishable glories of the new Jerusalem, he seems still to speak to us. After the lapse of forty-three years, I can still recall the wistful tenderness with which the kindly man regarded his students. With a soul growing in strength as the time appointed for an exchange of worlds drew near, with an unfaltering trust in the eternal promises of God, he entered into immortal life where no clouds obscure the thought or hinder the spirit's growth. The crown of righteousness is laid up for all who follow the conquering Christ.

It is proper also on this occasion to bear public testimony to the great loss the Board of Trustees has sustained in the death of Dr. J. P. Wickersham. I knew him well; he never faltered in the paths of duty. When the civil war came on, he bravely entered the field of conflict. The sympathies and labors of his life, however, were in the interests of education. He occupied a conspicuous place in the State where his scholarly attainments and the energy he threw into his work made him well known throughout the commonwealth. He had a ready command of his learning and was admirably adapted to what became the employment of his life. His name stands now enrolled in the history of the common schools of Pennsylvania with the names of Gov. George Wolf, Thaddeus Stevens and Thomas H. Burrows. In 1875, Dr. Wickersham was appointed the first Superintendent of Public Instruction, and such was his judicious. management that a system of public instruction was introduced which commands unbounded respect and is worthy of the deep and broad foundation laid for education in the constitution of 1790.

Death has also within the past year entered the ranks of the alumni.

"We have heard the sound of their falling feet
Going down the river where two worlds meet,
They go to return no more."

Dr. John H. A. Bomberger has taken his departure into the unseen world. Single and alone, having no classmates, he

started the roll of the alumni of Marshall Colle In 1846, the year I entered college, he was the al and the closing words of his address, “Remember not only alumni, but alumni of Marshall College; recollection of this piously cherished by every men brotherhood give energy to our future zeal in the learning," still linger in recollection like the dying some far distant music.

Of the death of Hon. A. K. Syester, Associate the 4th Judicial District of Maryland, we read not with full hearts. How well we recall his bright and face and kindly countenance that always bespoke the generous heart. He gave promise while at colleg attainment in oratory. We all admired the beauty and melody of his diction, and he frequently repres Diagnothian Society at her anniversaries. Not a diligent student in curriculum, he devoted much time to profitable reading that told powerfully in after profess He was an illustrious example of "poor boys wh famous." The son of a poor widow he rose to be General of the State of Maryland, stood in the front the orators of that State and was in his day the ablest lawyer, and the most eloquent forensic debater of hi commonwealth. His character as a Judge, I quote: editorial column of the Hagerstown News. "He was was merciful and at the Grand Assize where he has meet the hosts that have preceded him, his cheek blanch when the Supreme Judge of all the earth shall la the rule, 'With what measure ye mete, it shall be meast you again;' because if ever a human being tempere ment with mercy that being was Andrew K. Syester, ever a human heart went out in pity and help to the po oppressed that heart was his."

My recollections of A. K. Syester are associated with E. W. Reineke, D.D., and Walter J. Budd, Esq., who ha soon followed him to his grave. Dr. Reineke was a tutor

college in 1846-1848. He was a prudent, thoughtful, careful man; true to every obligation as a tutor and minister of the Gospel, he wrought with fidelity in his calling oblivious to popularity. His downcast eyes are now lighted up with immortality. Walter J. Budd graduated in 1846 and has been a prominent member of the Bar of Philadelphia for nearly forty years.

In closing I must make mention of the Professors in my college days who still survive. William M. Nevin, Emeritus alumni, Professor of Franklin and Marshall college and Traill Green, L.L.D., of Easton, Pennsylvania, still linger in life's journey loved and honored by their pupils now scattered far and wide over this republic. Life with them has not been a failure; their intercourse with young men was always pleasant and delightful, and they both testify that life with them has been worth living. We send them kindly greeting from this alumni assembly.

They have seen class after class come in and go out; generation follow generation like shadows across the plain. Were this all followed by the eternal oblivion of the grave, we might well say with "the preacher, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." But the days of heathenism and agnosticism are over with us, and we no longer lay our dead in cold despair beneath the cypress shade to sleep the sleep that knows no morning. Religion girdles the coffin and the grave with glory.

The time draws on when not a single spot of burial earth, whether on land or in the spacious sea but must give up its long committed dust inviolate.

Yes, when the archangel's trump shall sound Bomberger, Little, Mayberry, Funk, Kremer, Butler, Albert, Beck, Clark, Newcomer and the long roll of our alumni over whom death has rocked a little below in the quiet church yard, will burst the bonds of death and rise victorious from the grave. Reynolds will come from his tomb among the cypress of Louisiana; Perry A. Rice will come from his unknown grave among our country's martyrs on Belle Island; Grafius will come from his sea weed