The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-25


PROGRAMME.
Music
Prayer. M. Tator
Latin Salutatory. Edward Leonard
Essay. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Emma ID. Grinnell
Essay-"Psges of unwritten History"
Minnie +. Fennell
Music.
Observation-Disclosures 10. Edward Leonard
Essay-"Life" ..-...........E Esther Benedict
Music.
Comforting Diplomas--Benedction
| Music.
The essays we're all well written and
well read, and showed careful thought and
great facility of illustration.
Miss Grinnell's subject was "All the
worlds a STAGE She took as an illustra-
ton the lives of two sisters, and followed
them from childhood to the grave, depict
ing the different scenes quite wildly.
pages of unwritten history" by Miss
Fennell described the different periods in
the earth's history during Its preparation
for man, and the different stages of mans
development 1t showed remarkably
thorough knowledge of geology, and of the
principles of history.
"Elocution" by Mr.. Leonard treated of
the same subject as the previous essay but
in different manner.
Miss Benedict's essay on "Life" took the
ground that there is one spot of divinity in
every soul and the development of this
better nature is each persons highest life
work. 1t was the best essay of the day,
containing sound thought and cogent
reasoning, and being we'll written and well
read.
After the essays the graduating class
stepped forward and received their diplo-
mas. Mr. E. ]. Hyde, principal of the
seminary, made the following
ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATING oEAss.
Standing to-day as we do, with hands
clasped across threshold, hand fills hand
as full our hearts are too. We are here,
face to face, / to lay down care which
has been full of comfort, you, to take up
burden which, may God help you to bear.
And, as it must always be at meetings like
this, we look two different ways. My
eyes are straining out across the threshold,
and l seem to see you in the far future
climbing up tine rugged hill of life, while
your eyes turn toward the place you leave
and the untried future is but phantom.
might 60 back in loving recollection to all
that gracious store of mutual memories
which the year of daily intercourse has
garnered here for lifelong, careful board
ing. 1t would be sweet sorrow Just 10
dwell on them, for they are sealed foun.
tains that send forth at once sweet water
and bitter /; sweet with the refreshment of
the love that has grown up between us;
bitter with the sense that the places here
in chapel and class rooms which have
echoed t., your feet and rung with your
merry voices can know you no more. And
this say, would be sweetly pleasant, but
you arc about to leave you first alma mater
and it is my duty instead, to speak few
words of advice and encouragement
Carved on the old bit of stonc-work at
Abbottsford, with the date 1916, is this in
scription in Latin ''Virtus rectOrun clu-
cemQue desiderat, Uttid sine mdgistro discuna-
ter" "Virtxe of guide we both have need.
Lessons of vice we learn untaught to read.'
How it came there, or for what purpose
written, is not known. But, from its
ancient date, it may have meant to tell the
purpose for which the old monks of Mel
rose abbey lived and wrought that they
might give the rule and be the guides to
the men who had lived in vice and igno-
rance about them. 1t is to the word
"virtus" call your attention. 1t has but
feeble rendering in any English words.
Virtus, in the generic sense, means ''all
that may become a man," and l would
have you think not of virtus as we circum-
scribe 1t, to mean manly courage and in
| tpOrifU wAmon1xr r;t anI
beauty, but as having for you a broader,
grander meaning, the only rlghtful ann. the
only reaching aspiration, the only real at
tainment, all that become man or woman.
SO then we send you forth to-day upon
your life's work from this first stage of
training, to attain at, to aspire after, to
attainments, true VIRUS, through man and
womanhood. To gain this in its perfect
ness the mind and soul, which are seat of
ortus, must be constantly nurtured, the
dignity of man consists in his mind. and II
is well that the desire of extending the
sphere of his knowledge, of enlarging the
intellectual resources and strengthening
the intellectual faculties is an
inherent principle of his nature. He is
never satisfied with present attainments.
Beyond beyond is the watchword of his
soul. None of you are so circumstanced
in life that the amount of your enjoyment
may not be sensibly increased or to whom
the morrow may not bring some new OPP
portunity of improvement. That man or
that woman is deserving of all honor be
his rank in society what it may, who does
all he can, who lives not merely to eat,
work and die. You should have higher
aim, holier, purer purpose. Society has
claims upon you, your own minds have q
God endowed claim upon you, for cultiva-
ton and improvement of invaluable time
to strengthen and develop them. A Guilt
waited mind commands the respect and ad-
miration Of the world. High intellectual
endowments have preserved from oblivion
many brilliant names and will perpetuate
their fame to the end of the world.
The human mind, viewed as perfect in
it's intellectual powers, is the greatest gift
of God. While other animals have limit
ed and definite sphere in which to employ
their feeble powers and after running their
brief round, die and are forgotten, leaving
behind them no monument of their glory,
man has circumscribed for him no limit
but that which bounds the universe no
span OF existence but eternity Labor,
strive for the cultivation of the mind. Let
it be the consolation to remember amid the
fatigue and tolls of mental discipline that
the mind is immortal, that wisdom and
knowledge are eternal What though you
may not startle the world by great deeds
what though you may not win name that
shall go down to future ages, tnged with
the golden coloring of fame, "shall you re-
fuse to improve your one talent because
you have not ten 2" Though you may moi
win name among the illustrious ones, yor
may grave il in living characters upon the
human heart. Thus will you have attained
unto true virtues.
The diplomas were here presented.
Take these diplomas, They possess nc
intrinsic value they are simply an evi
dence of the work you have performed il
Castletoh seminary Let your future worl
prove you to have deserved them.