The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-16
Reported for the Globe.
THE SEMI-CENTENNBAE or IsENS-
SELAER 1NSTHfUgEi, TROY.


Troy, Monday, June 10.
The opening exercises Of the fiftieth an
nivcrsary of the engineering institute took
place on Sunday evening, being held in
Prof Webbcr's church.
The very general interest in the services
was seen from the large number assembled,
the edifice being crowded and many had to
go away, as they were unable to obtain
seats. The faculty, students and graduates
were well represented
AS Prof. Weber is SO well known in
Vermont from his long and honorable re-
lations with Middcbury college, q fuller
account of his discourse is given than
would otherwise be warranted.
ABsTRAcr OF DE-. wEBBER'5 ADDRESS
In the opening remarks Of welcome he
briefly alluded to his long connection with
educational institutions. and the warmcst
sympathy was expressed toward them.
The text was: acknowledge pufreth up.
but charity edifeth and if any man think
that he knoweth anything, he knoweth
nothing yet as he ought TO know
Nothing but full report could do justice
to the very scholarly DISCOURSE but some
thoughts from it may show the mastery
way in which the subject was treated.
Prof. Wcbbcr went on to say:
All knowledge ia of God. He who learns
the elements or structures of plant the
conditions that regulate the path Of the
Storm reads in them Il thought and vOliion
Of God. There is right and wrong way
Of knowing everything The moral uses
of true science are seen by us ail. 1t was
once said, knowledge is power. Now it is
claimed there is money IN II. Such 4 view
Is degrading. It's highest end is character
its fruit is manhood.
The material benefits derived from il arc
too evident to enlarge upon. The true
work of knowledge is first to show us oul
Ignorance. Socrates was the Wiscst Oi
men, because he thought he knew nothing
1t was once said to wit: You are n Zoo
and know 1t. The significant reply was
am better off than you are thon, for y0l
are Il fool and don't know it, Kuowlclg'
differs in degree. Fix your eye IN any
direction and iurtlieron the view is cut off
The wiser a man is. the more ignorant h
feels. says Jewish proyerb.
Science has two extremes one naleC
ignorance the other. the endowment o
the greatest minds. Hamilton, in spcallin!
! of the two states of ignorance, says, w
start from one, but we lie IN the other.
The beginning and ending in science "
are unable TO comprehend. The chomis
cannot understand the atom; the astrona
mcr cannot reach the end of space. Scicnc
is like one ascending winding stairs; W
look below and the view is interrupted; "
, look beyond US, but the end is hidden
, Another use of science is to develop a II
ligious spirit. This may sound strang,
: since the tendencies Of the times seems TO Il
, to denouncc religion in science. but It's MOI
nal tendency is favorable to promoting II
ligious teachings. Ignorance is said to /
the mother of devotion. Religion, in gcl
cral, is the adoring love OF the Infinite.
: We lit ourselves up to that we iull
comprehend and vcncraton ceases. go
known. says one, is no god at all. The Il
finite hints more than it reveals go maj
Beware Of false science. The writings I
. Darwin, Spencer and Huxley are given
lis ; it is the teachings of Milton and Fran
1 lin that truly enrich our modern worl,
/ knowledge ought TO awaken first faith an
. then worship. The fruit and highest en-
q of science should be to teach man worthil
a TO adore. Better a blind faith with igno
oncr than lnnwlpdgo that raieleodo
! Rationaism leaves nothing for man
. adore but his own greatness. Deity
struck out. Do away with science if
: has nothing better than that to teach
S SHALL we find less to inspire Us than di
;. the Pagan because science has interpretc
nature and vanished their supcrstitions
Because astronomy has given its glass
Y look into the distance DO the heavens d
c clare less of Gods glory to lis than to Il
r shepherds of Old |?
t Creative power may not be recognize
k by some. Darwin's theory Is too slendC
s to support his differences, but for one, Ina
rather be a man descended from Il monkc
than a monkey descended from a man.
u am not prejudiced against him. Chart
5 and bencvocncc is also the result of tru
IS knowledge. Learning should make ma
= compassionate toward the ignorant
I, ought to lead him to descend and help Il
u other up.
y The student is called on TO guard again
s all that encroaches or the dignity Of lear
It ing The world is in need Of such II
V greatest inconsistency next to u world.
o minded saint is time serving and mere
nary scholar H.