Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-08-05

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every element that can contribute to tn
formation of noble style and exalted ora
tory. And In using these terms beg one
for all, TO caution you that do not inten
to convey an idea of the mere mystery O
the necessary attitudes to engage sympa
thy or invite applause, but of the deel
foundation Of intellectual. moral and ply
steal culture upon which all external nc
complishments may be naturally ant
healthily superinduced.
oRAToRY A FORCE.
The speaker then proceeded to motto,
the current opinions respecting oratory--
that il Is All art altogether unworthy O
study and ridiculed as on a level with tn,
art OF the dancing master. He regretted
that such opinions prevailed. Oratory |!
not trick. 1t Is q great force In the
State. Neither was II an inborn faculty
1t Is the result Of study combined with
natural ability. The facilities to promote
his usefulness ought nowhere to be Sc
abundant as 1t Is In our colleges. He de
sired to warn his hearers against Discon-
ception. The oratory which he would
have taught was not the mere construc.
tion of paragraphs OF the modes enuncia.
ting so as to produce the greatest effect.
| This education Is deeper and broader. IL
knowledge. The mind must rst be stored
and next be dicipllned itself. Logic. phil
osopny and history are as indispensable as
| rhetoric. Referring to the eloquence and
oratory OF the ancients and their knowl-
| edge OF philosophy etc, he asked does the
| orator of to-day shine by reflection In the
| pulpit. the forum or the platform? Not as
he should do.
Passing from the general consideration
Of the propriety of infusing into the abodes
OF education An elevated and comprehen-
sive fashion of study of all questions OF
worldwide interest. whether guided
through the pen or by the voice. now
come to an exposition OF my reasons, why
l hold the present moment as most par
iicularly calling for development OF the
qualities l most desire to see cultivated
among the youth of our colleges and uni
versities. Perhaps may be wrong. but to
my eyes an important change In the modes
OF both Thought and feeling has been
wrought during the last ten years in this
country, change, however not absolute
" confined within our borders. though
marking its progress with the most rapid
ity Mere. On this occasion | shall not at
tempt 10 span the entire extent of SO wide
an arch. Ny time Is short, and / confine
myself 10 speculation upon two topics on
ly:
/. The decline OF sensillveness to the
force Of purely moral obligation in civil
life.
,. The spread OF Indifference. If not OF
skepticism in the church. on the one hand.
and OF rural worship on the other
CORRUPTION OF POLITICAL PARTIES.
But when allude to this growing cor
ruption OF parties 10 our country where
free institutions are established and the
will OF the majority governs, differences OF
opinion on important questions are in
evitaole among honest and independent
thinkers. Action can Only be directed bv
the VIII olthe greater number, who unite
in sentiment SO far As 10 effect that result,
The selection Of agents follows tn. ssrne
association. TO arrive n practical results,
10 imperltive. Hence, IL follows that so
long Is opinions conhct with each other
the right OF control must be vested In one
or two aggregations of individual voices,
and finally. In that one concentrating the
greatest number. / Iike~ise concur in
the proposition that IL Is not only right
but also duty OF every citizen TO attach
himself TO one OF these associations TO the
extent that he may deem his own views
o, the general good promoted thereby.
Purely solitary voting is in its utility much
like the act OF a soldier who should fire his
piece TO bring down the sun.
All this reasoning, however, must be
predicsted on the fact that the opposing
forces are free from all but legitimate
influences, contributing to the attain
ment OF honest ends. The very instant
evidence is given justifying a conviction of
the supremacy OF corrupt couosels, guild.
ed By venal agents. for selfish aims. then
the duty 70 secede from all participation In
such results becomes absolute and para
mount. IL ever the time should arrive
when the vermin swarmng In official hot
beds, become sufficiently numerous to
spread completely over the net work OF
party organization. then will contin-
gency arise demanding from those deter
mined 10 maintain the political purity Of
the country. the organization of distinct
policy, and the advance OF a different or
der OF men TO guide it.
And here come 10 the pinch OF the
question. | look around me 10 discover
where class of men TO lead in such oc-
casions Is 70 come from. They must be
persons more or less thoroughly trained
for the arduous responsibility OF the posi-
ton. Standing on the solid foundation Of
philosophy in Its pursst esthetical form,
we'll versed il the history of the past, an
cieDt as well as modern, conversant with
law in ,lts highest and broadest sense.
they should be at the same time equally
armed with the sharpest weapons OF con-
troyersy. and those graces OF speaking
and writing which fasten them TO the at
tcntion and confidence of multitudes in all
free communities. Above all. they must
be keenly observant OF the characteristics
OF the people among whom they live.
THE PRESENT STATE OF CHRIsTENDoM.
Having shown the demand Of the count
ry upon the college for a class of accom-
plished scholars. he turns TO the present
state Of ChristendOm, where he observes
the growth Of indifference in the church
on the one hand and of ritualism on the
other, both OF which are unhealthy symp-
toms in the Christian world. After remark
ing that this tendency was not confined to
America, he says he will only treat OF the
subject in connection with the demands of
the age upon colleges.
Religion, the bond between mankind and
q sovereign Creat or beyond the zach of the
senses, is largely compounded Of the two
strongest passions engraited In the race,
the one. love; the other, fear. These forces
irresistibly prompt the worship of the un-
known Cause in ways more or less regu-
lated by reason. In one class. emotion
predominates. In the other. it is iu meas
sre qualified by reflection. The former de-
pends upon effects produced upon the i'm
agination through the presentation of
Images to the sense. The latter is equally
maintained by the pressure OF arguments
forcibly convincing to the reason. So long
as these forces moved in harmony under
the common standard of the Savior and
His revelation, there was no sufficient jar
among the forms OF faith seriously to inn
pair the unity Of the church He founded.
But the temptation of temporal power
came in. and it opened door to discord
which ultimately rent il in twain. The re-
suit we all know. The Papal and Protes-
tant powers have now for centuries main
tanned toward each other An attitude of aD-
tagonism. But during this interval the
condition OF these opposing forces has
been very differently affected. While on
one side the Roman church has steadily
rallied all its followers upon the central
point Of union, emotion stimulated by fear
the PrOtestants, planting themselves on
the right of private judgment, have seen
their unity slowly and steadily impaired
hn s.:s