Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-08-06
ADDRESS OF DIR. FISK.


and Destiny. An address delivered befnre
the Cadets of the Norwich University, at the
annual commencement, August 20. 1910, by
Theopilus Fisk. This address has been recently
published at the office of the United States
Journal of which DR.. Fisk is one ofthe edi.
tors In this address the author puts forth with
great boldness and earnesIness, his peculiar
opinions on the subject of education. and some
other matters of grave importance. However
Objectionable these opinions may be to large
class the community. itcannot be. denied that
Dr. F. supports them in forcible and eloquent
style. The pamphlet IS worthy of careful pe..
lusa We have only room for The following
extracts:
..Bear in mind another important fact
you are 10 be the arti6cers of your own
destiny; il depends upon yourselves whe-
ther you shall be shining lights in The
great temple of Freedom, or whether the
glory within shall be hidden .in-darkness;
it depends upon you To say whether your
course shall be upward and onward, or
downward and backward. You can alone
! build name of ren0wn 0n viruous deeds;
the path of truth and justice alone conducts
to the spot where amblion's NEED is won,
all other wreaths That bind The brow, save
those of truth and righ, must turn to Bit
Ter weeds. TO expect TO obtain ]he prize
you seek by any other road, would he as
futile as TO build home for safety in the
halls of the trembling avalanche. The
perishing autumn leaf, that quivers upon
he shaken bough, retains lis hold by as
strong tenure. as does he who clings to
The treachorous ponds of folly's delusive
| hope, 10 win a need Of fame. The prize
you seek can alone be gained BY Unremit-
ting toll, like the Huma, " hich is ever
upon a tireless wing. never perching for
"A moments rest; until it dies; from morn
ings early beams TO the slf1rd hum Of
midnight, whsn traffic has laid down to
rest and the chariot wheels of vanity alone
rattle through The deserted sIreets-when
riot leaves the face of man 10 swagger in
is dens of shame-your nuhagsing hours
ruusi only cease for food and recreation.
Above all things el>e, save rae paths Of vice
avoid the slough of idolencr, that false mi
rage. which leads so many To waste their
lives, like desert fountain, in the sun and
sand. They alone can win, who toll. All
cnntentmenI. peace, health. depend upon
unririug industry. TheiGer. with drowsy
hllel over his eyes, who eats, drinks, sleeps,
vegetables and riots, more resembles an oys-
ter than man he IS as utterly worthless.
for all the purposes Of human life, as a dried
mummy Of Egypt Man was made for
labor and activity ; if he deviates from The
mandates of nature. the penalty falls upon
his head with nne. RUG eXacIness. The
mseri's enIaiI"d upon man by idleness
u d sIoth. as we'll nigh innulnrrahle; they
are lhe constant companl0 ofvice and
folly; they are the very cank'r of the
soul. running the hraIth. hlighting The buds
of nnocence and hope, as well as being
The tane Of useful knowledge. The soul
was MOI made TO dwell in he fetIers Of in
dnlencr; lIe sluggish mind must he aroused.
The languld nerve Strung with energy, if
we have Golfers to fill. ur cells in The MEM
nry tie Store. The willy magician, .slo,h,
Nth his wirhering spells, must be driven
from our borders; the attempts making in
This country to foster leisure class of
drnwsy drones, is as dangerous to liberty
as il is destructive of virue. Similar al.
lempls have been made in other days. aud
the end has been destructive of all The ho.
lier hopes Of man. THE priesthood Of
Egypt was such class, and " hat were
its achieve mrnrs I? 1t made the entire land
the property of The monarch, aud reduced
The VIII lr uati0n To srridon he locked up
K owledge in hierngl, phics. keeping all
srience AZ peculiar property, and using
it chiefly to play tricks beInre The eyes ot
the people. so as t" deceive their senses,
and hind them in stale of mental sLbser-
vience; by hs mysticism il lad The people
into The grossesl forms of Idolatry, and
made them more degraded population
than perhaps the world has ever seen and
AT last. this leisure class, aud the product
! i've classes tno, over wh horn il ruled, passed
a, az. leaving, fiji emblem Of The magnif-
cence on its claims, and the lilteGess of
its doings, The discovery to be made, thou
sands of years afterwards, by great dill
gence and exerlIon. that the priesthood of
Egyp, had ehshrined the bones of COW
in The centre of pyramid.
"Energyof character is The true philoso-
piers stone-.it is the only alchymy that
can turn dross to gold. 1t peoples the
temple of fame with living worsnippers
changes gross humanity, Gom brother
hood of bruIes. 10 reasoning men What
else made philopber Of 'he Boston jour
neylnan printer, The eloquent orator of the
Grecian stammerer. the immortal poet Of
The English poacher! TO what else do
all the dealhless names, that hold high pla-
ces upon the pillars Of fame, owe their un-
dying renown! :.
Lille lies hefure you-an impervious veil
hangs before The future. Standing, as
YOU do, eager to commence the race Of dar
Ing deeds, strong with hope, and youth.
and undoubling faith, it ere almost cruel
even TO whisper bitter words of warning
and of fear TO talk of doubt, and to speak
of Disappointment, Of The worlds cares aud
crimes, in this hey-day Of your fond anti
cipations, were, perhaps, to be thought IN.