The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-05
DR. LORDS FIRST LECTURE.
NOlnimllua.

realized. DR.. Lord is evidently student
of history, as deeply enamoured with his
subject as was ever the lover, "sighng like
a furnace with ballad made to his mis-
tress eyebrows" He is not what some
would call "nowcrv' speaker, often with
much more flower than fruit-but he hasa
good. clear, careful and impressive deliv-
cry, and evidently depends on the substance
of his discourse and its literary finish to
win the attention of his hearers, rather
than by the utterancc of startling phrases
and stunning periods, "full of sound and
fury, signfying nothing" with not few
so-called orators.
"Columbus" is an old lecture subject.
Many have been the lecturers who have
reason to be thankful TO the great navi-
rator for other reasons than were Ferdi-
nand and Isabella of Spain. They thanked
him, as we are told, for giving them new
world. Our modern lecturers are, or ought
to be, thankful that he has given them
fruitful subject to talk nbout-onc on
which to turn and round nice periods, and
even, in considering, without any sufficient
cause, appearing to get terribly excited and
''tear passion TO talters. We coniess,
therefore, that when we saw the somewhat
hackneycd Columbus advertised as the first
lecture subject in DR.. Lords course, we
felt little fear that he would fail to in
terest us and others in presenting this trte
theme rs fully us in some others of a more
novel character, with which his extended
lists abound. But, we soon saw, last night,
that the doctors treatment of Columbus is
hi; own, original, interesting satisfying
showing that he has done more than to
merely or mostly study the way in which
he should talk about Columbus, but that he
had studied, fullv and patiently, Columbus
himself, both in the greatness of his char
acter and magnitude of his work. In his
hands the old theme became invested,
therefore. with a new interest And we
venture to say that from first TO last that
interest was by his hearers maintained, all
only too sorry when the final word was
spoken. The Columbus Of the painstaking,
philosophical historian is far different
character than the Columbus Of the mere
declaimer, aud we confess. we like the
faithful historians portrait the best.
As for a report of the lecture, we can
only give at the very moment of going TO
press, but meagre reproduction.
But to the lecture. The lecturer did not
dwell on the personal history of the great
discoverer at any length, but directed his
attention chiefly to the consequences of his
discovery, and even the more obvious con-
sequences, such as the imp2lsc given to
commerce and the material wealth of the
world were rapidly passed over TO present
the moral effects which resulted from the
colonization OF America.
He maintained that great destiny was
in store for America, but If it was to add
simply to the wealth and grandeur of the
new nations then America could only re-
peat the old story oil all preceding civiliza-
tions-growth, decay and ruin. a high
and glorious material civilization the old
world had also modern Europe. The in
crease in wealth and power was only an
authorization to nations that have per-
ished and to those which are still an arena
for wicked pastimes and interests. Unless
America could give to the world something
greater than reapers and palace cars, and
other material advantages, her mission
would be wasted. If she is TO avoid the
uniform fate of nations, it can only be as
she develops unknown forces conservative
influences. Unles America shall originate
new forms of moral and intellectual life
new governments, new institutions, new
experiments in education, new laws to con-
serve the treasury Of past ages, she will be
no more favored than old Rome or Modern
Europe. She must create not merely new
machinery to abridge labor, but new insti.
tutions to expand the mind and elevate
the soul. 1t is for America tc
show the world whether self
government is possible, whether laws viii
be equal and Just, whether they will be en-
forced with wisdom, whether the people
will select their best men for rulers
whether. in short, Christianity, the grea
saving power of the world, WILL on thi
soil, be freer and more potent than in TIN
older countries which boast q higher ma
teral civilization.
America is glorious, but only rs she fui
fills new mission in history to be
| come more potent in material inventions
of which all ages boast, and 10 put fort
those invisible agencies which removal
mankind. An intdel savant will say ther
is nothing greater than the adaptation o
science to utilities. But this is simply tn
revival of ancient Epicurianism and
this be- then Christianity is defeated pow
err. But that country is grandest wher
Christianity has the greatest scope to opel
ate in the hearts and souls of men. Whf
country so favorable as this for Christian
to work.
As survey. said the lecturer, the emo
nous moral evils which degrade societ,
even among US, am tempted to propo:
inquiries which suggest the same old mourn
tul story of the decline of states and en-
pres. But when | fall back c
the promises of Christianity. TIL
mournful vision passes away, like eve
the speculations of vain PHILOSOPHERS.
christianity not to make grand Transform
alton here, then see nothing more chez
full than what pagan philosophy holt
out-man, without God, and without
soul, is destined to live only like butterlli
and brutes, and to pass away into the !
finity of space and time, like insect matte
decomposed, absorbed, and entering in
] new and everlasting combinations b
when see misunderstanding has already do
. | believe it will win new victories here, al
make this country the favored home of
the famished pilgrims and exies of I
! earth. And | throw to the moles and
/ the bats all speculations which either b
n tory or science suggests, and fall back
that glorious certitudes which have suppo
ed the heroes and martyrs of the wor
G and which alone can support all struggli
t good men so long as the world endures.
- leeGlectinns