The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-15
Press Meeting.

The Vermont Editors and Publishers As
ISOLATION held it's eigth annual meeting in
the hall of the Graded School Building, Tues
day evening.
The meeting was called to order by the
president, after which the annual address
was delivered by Hon. Z. P. Walton, of
Montpelier, who was actively and hOnorably
connected with the press of this State for
over forty years. The following is the ad-
dress in full:
Address delivered by Hon p Walton of
Montpelier before the Editors and Publishers
association of Vermont at their annual meet
ing held in Graded School Hall, Bennington,
Tuesday evening, August 14th, 1877.
Light, more light is the constant cry from
the cradle to the grave light for all things
in earth and heavenI; light for !the eyes. the
mind, the soul. Doubtless God eau create a
world of darkness; and people it with eye
less creatures as down in the depths of the
mammOuth cave in Kentucky where 10 ray
of sunlight has ever pierced, he has created
eyeless fish, but the record is that in the
Divine design for man. light was the first ID
ment that was necessary, were for omnipo-
tent power, in working out that design and
God said "Let there be light, and there was
light, and God saw the lights that it was
good, and God divided the light from the
darkness" This was the first act in that di-
vine drama which will not be completed, I'M
til there shall be new heaven and a new
EARTH where there shall be no night and
the jewellers there shall need no candle,
neither light of the sun, for the Lord God
giveth them light. Light therefore was the
beginning and is destined to be the end of
of Gods work for man. Without light the
earth would have had no heat mo vegetation
for the support of man or beast, no beauty of
sky and landscape of form and flower, no
beauty that man should desire it. but utter
darkness Most filthy, therefore, utter dark
ness was Christs synonym for hell. Since
then, tGod himself, gave to light the firsl
place and the highest dignity in the order of
his own works, and is at least to make it his
greatest glory. for God himself is the light
and the glory of heaven, it is not presump-
tious to say that the light givers Of the
earth are entitled to stand in the first ranks
among all orders Of men and to be hOnored
by all, precisely TO the degree they honor
themselves in the noble professions into
which they have been called.
And who are the hght-giversi or
old they were mainly the prophets,
priests, apostles. historians, philosophers.
poets - Christ being the greatest Of teach
ers, the highest of priests, the light
Of the world. In our day they are the
teachers of all true knowledge. the
preachers of all truth, and boldly add. the
heralds of good tidings to all men, the edi-
tors, publishers and printers whose duty IL
is to gather up all that is good from all light
givers and send it as the sun sends its rays
into every corner of the earth, refreshing and
gliding all it touches and gladdening all who
behold it. We have been wont, after the
best authors Iulers and statesmen, to give
the highest hOnors to the learned professions
the teachers. the preachers, the lawyers
and the physicians: but pray tell me what
profession needs so much learning as that
of the editor His field Is the world nay,
IL embraces both worlds: it covers klngoratt
aud priestcraft all the PROFESSIONALISM arts,
all sciences, all liteTatuTe-in short, all
knowledge, Thurman and divine, all phases OF
a practical life, all fancies of the ideal, and
all the promises of the eternal, Ihe editor
should be walking dictionary and encyelo-
pedia combined his head should contain all
the libraries within his reach his judgment
should be perfect; his heart pure, his person
al character spOtleRs and his hand apt III
penning the Hottest thoughts to instruct
and gathering up the lightest tribes 20
amuse. Many editors have reached nearly
up TO this ideal many more have approached
it: and am glad that the general tendency
is in the right direction. journalism has
como TO be recognized in some OF the col
leges rs a high profession, add within the
last quarter Of century the colleges Of Yer,
mont have sent out men who have adorned
it. Raymond and Spauldlng were giants
among the editors Of New York City, and
both were graduates Of the university OF
Vermont Aud to the credit Of the prach-
cal printers, who have had no advantages OF