New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-25

" and Independent Thinking"
He opened bv abiding 10 the generally received
opinion that this a wonderful age, and then spoke
Oh the cant which was INDUCED in by many respect
ing the peculiar kind Of men which were necessary to
meet is demands The speaker contended That all
ages need men who have strength IN themselves ana
ae fitted by rgid training for lis vigorous exercise
prepartd 10 accomplish any work which may De
IIlseed before them What sre the characteristics of
independent thinkers They do not ignore the WIS.,
dom of the past. Although they do not receive ideas
simply because they ancient, vet they CONSIDER
many things settled aud established. Nor DO iLey
ignore the wisdom Of cotemporaries Nor DO they
make II virtue to differ with every one, no matter
what propositions are advanced. But desirable A.
the power Of independent thinking may De- there arc
many obstacles 20 ifs attainment Many OF these are
created BY defective early education-eSpeciaiy by
an undue stimulation of the mental faculties at period
when the development Of the physical system needs the
most careful attention Teachers yield 10 the tenpta-
ton 10 make infant phenomena Mistaken opino Is as
10 the kind OF studies which ft for practical life
prevail. This is illustrated in the history of many
Youth who enters college unprepared. finds Il hope
LEES enterprise 10 catch up with his class and then a.
salve 70 his conscience ard wounded pride turns aside
from the regular course of study TO the cultivation Of
literature and miscellaneous reading, &c, under the
idea that he will thus t himself more fully and rapidly
for practical life list, ad Of this he Is taking the
surest course TO ilsuccess and disappointment. 30
the theological student finding It IrKsome to dug out
Hebrew roots and study Greek idloms, devofes his
energies to the preparation of sermons, = licensed
with q good stock, and for time makes profound
sensson but when any great question arises, he hnds
hs weakness and his people find 1t too : have
heard of gymnas UNI in one OF the towns
of Prussia which has the honor of educating
full two-ihirds of all the eminent men OF Ger
many in every Department. Yet the only studies
pursued there are the Greek, Latin and the Mathe-
MATES BY these studies the minds of these scholars
are thoroughly prepared to grappe with every diff
Guilty. Erneste, who had been pupil of this school
and had studied Cicero with great enthusiasm and sue
cess received from the King OF Prussia the appoint
ment of Professor of theology. 1t was derdingly
said, "a splendid Professor of Theology will Erneste
"make who has never read page on The subject!
But the principal of this school said, In two years
ErIeste will be the most able and popular lecturer on
Theology in Germany" And SO II proved Tho
modern educational refomer denounces these studies
because he saws the thoughts Of the classic authors
"can be more easily obtained by the aid OF transa.
tons as thon these thoughts were the great end
of education. The ability 10 tell how an Increased
crop of corn may be raised upon an acre OF land Il
thought by many 10 be more valuable than that OF
prouOuncing a Greek Grafton. Thus detective training
ia the parent of many vicious habits as IN ioence hs
essuess the reception of opinions upon trust easy ac-
ouiesceuce i'm public opinion and setting greater value
on cor sistoncy than truth Some pride themselves
upon being too wise to change their opinions. Some
never need 10 change. CALVIN never swerved from
opinions he had advanced, because he never saw rea-
sons for changing them; though had he lived longer,
he would doubtless have changed some of his views
Bancroft, in bis Miscellanes, pays high tribute 10
Calvin. He describes him az pushing inquiry 10 lts
utmost verge. and vauing II solely as means OF
Carving at fixed conclusions" The manly thinker
is both conservative and progressive. Jntrammeled
thought ia the handmade of faith IT IL the parent OF
humility ard the inspner OF energy SIR Howell bux-
ton once said: 1.-The great difference between the great
and the little, the powerful and the feeble, is made by
"energy-an invincble determination, purpose once
fixed and then death or victory"
The sneaker closed by saying that this mental
power developed by right training, must be controlled
bv the fear of God else the possessor will only be an
Archangel ruined With this, he may be little lees
than Archangel unfalen
The address was well received, giving general
satisfaction on account of the soundness OF Its
views
The Alumni continued its sessions for business,
the principal item of which is the publication ofa
catalogue of the Alumni which has been projected
and in preparation for some two years.
AT three o clock the Literary Societies assembled
in their respective halls and addressed by an
niyersary speakers. The Peithosophian Society
WINS addressed by the Rev VIM. Reilly ID. d.,
of Monmouth Co, n j, and the Phyoclean by the
Rev. Peter Striker, of Rheinbeck, n. Y. As these
Societies are secret it would be violation of their
rules for us to tell chat these gentlemen dscoursed
about(O
AT o'clock the Societies formed in procession
in the College Campus and marched in company
with the Trustees TO the sound of the trumpet,
drum aud fife to the FIRST Reformed Dutch Church.
cites was delivered by John Thompson, Esq, of
POuehkeepsie, n. Y.
No report would do Justice to this able grafton
which did not report it in full and this would be
contrary to the gentlemans wishes, and require
more space than we can devote to it. II spsrkled
with brilliancy-was perfect succession OF gems.
He said he should descant on the True and the
False" What is Truth Men and nature
yearned for the answer Truth is everywhere but
7. no lofH
ence Of truth and the principles of BeTkey lead to the
same result. Truth has an immutabe essence and re-
lstOts 1t is not simply law. IL presides over, lives
in and animaes all the dOlngs OF Providence tue ac
tons of engols and men, There are facts and forces
as vel as laws in the universe and there Is an order
in which they appear. There physical TRUTH or the
science of nauTe moral truth, or the science OF duty
metaphysical truth, or the sclence OF mlnd' 90
too there is truth IN history, in art, in liter
AZURE and in Revelation, These were the topics
which the speaker tooN for the Illustration OF
his subject and be did il III most able, graceful and
interesting manner. Proceeding upon the axiom that
truth resides in God ne traced IT, exbibte in all his
work and showed its harmony with himself and u.s.
self In most vivid manner he sketched the truth
of the physical scences-astronomy, geology and
MISUNDERSTANDING that the spirit OF truth In all these
Inv escations was one faithOf reverence and yet Of
fearless search for facts because these harmonious
with reverence to God, and never contradict the dic-
tates Of reason nor the declarations Of revelation
Another of truth is found 10 moral scence-the
consideration Of the relations which bind us TO God
and our fellow-bengs. Throw aside these aud man
becomes On Intellectual machine. There 10 golden
vein in our nature--a stratum deep down IN the
soul History is field for the investigation of truth,
showing the movements Of God. The speaker glanced
at truth as presented in the wor ks OF human genus
and considered we should be simple and truthful IN
architecture both Of dwellings and Of churches. He
was particularly severe upon the extravaganza and
tawdy character which marks the latter species at the
present time. lie glanced at the violation Of hi pnn
cpe in painting as contrary to all the principles Of true
art re speaker glanced at some Of the relations Of
- do and If