Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-24

BACCALAUREATEA ADDRESS.
Sow, young gentlemen, that y GA are
about TO leave with honor, the school
in which you have been diligently
taught and trained, and 20 enter into
some honest and useful business, or
upon a course of professional educa-
ton, II will not he amiss for me to ad
wise and eXhurJ you to cherish all the
good Impressions YOU have received
and all the valuable lessons you have
learned during your College course.
Let them be deCpened and confirmed
within you, and grow in strength and
brightness with every passing year
Not least among all the truths in which
you have been instructed, you will, |
trust, esteem this, that as in the gov
eminent of God over the world there
are two essentially distinct spheres Of
movement, 50 there are ia the life of
man two similar spheres Of thought,
feeling and conduct, the moral aud the
material, the latter of which is ever
wisely and justly TO be subordiuated
to the former.
Physical health and vigor are desir-
able, but an enlightened and good
conscience is more to be valued. Sue
meut of human labor, is instinctively
sought as an object deserving earnest
and diligent effort. But uprightness
of character, honesty in dealing and
unstained honor even at cost, are worth
vastly more than success. Increase of
ossessions and of material advantages
nas its attractions, TO which compare
lively very few are insensible; and if
it is allied with Intelligence ana benev-
olence in the pOssessor, il NAV yield
good aud pralseworthy results But
tie industry, economy aud prudence
which may have contributed to the
acquisition, are ealimable, before and
above the increase itself; and much
more 10 are the higher virtues of in
tegIity, purity, devotion 10 duty aud
neighborly love.
\ fair reputation, a high aEd lucra
tive position, an extended fame,
commanding influence either OF these
is not 70 be despised. But a substan-
tial character Is better than such rep
utaiiou. \ soul formed 20 virtue and
honor ana true nobility. Is better than
place with emOlumeut-better than
fame, wide and clear a. il may be
better than great influence with the
multitude or the few who have power,
and better than the power they WELD.
The patent and imperative need OF
our country aud time, is not 50 much
the mere enlargement OF natural re-
sources the growth of cities, the opeE-
ing up of new territory, the multiple
cation of sensuOus pleasures, the cult
walton Of the fine arts, the increase of
riches. Neither is il more useiully,
the development Ofmines, the building
of manufactures, the improvement Of
farms, the abundance OF harVests, the
creation of commercial facilities, the
multiplication and diffusion Of things
prOmOtive of human comfort. But the
need is for purer, stronger, higher,
moral sense, everywhere prevalent
among the people Of the land, that
shall manifest itself in their every day
transactions with each other i'm mutual
good will, in probity and truthfulness,
in the practice of every kingly virtue.
The consciousness of this want has of
late years, been impressed upon the
public mind, and there are indications
that it will gather force with time. flor
decade and half of years, there has
been lapse Of society from its nor
NAL, moral condition, and departure
from the order which reason approves
aud teaches; if driven by the gusts
of passion upon a strong current Of
unavoidable circumstances, it has been
drawn into a maelstrom Of troubles
and difficulties, and in the midst Of
mems strugglings, each for himself,
they have too largely forgotten what
is due from every one to his neighbor /;
If in their blind eagerness to recover a
lost stability and quietude-to gain
once more firm footing on the solid
earth, they have perverted right views
Of the relative value of things, moral
: and material, aud subordinated under