Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-11-06
Mr.. SINNERS Speech at Tunbridge.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:-You have
doubtless considered it quite a "new de-
parture for the executive officers of this
society to invite an obscure farmer to adj
dress you. and you will be confirmed in that
opinion when / assure you that | have
nothing to say about the issues of the day.
outside of farming; no remarks TO make
upon political matters. Perhaps. though,
should advise my brother farmers to
make like demand upon the politicians
that boy who pumped an organ did upon
the organist lie said, 4" if you please, sir,
say zoe make the music The organist
replied, No. I make the music; | hold
tho keys" whereupon the boy stopped
pumping, and the music ceased. Then the
organist was compelled to acknowledge
the source of his power before he could
make another sound.
The first address ever had the pleas
ure of listening to on an occasion like this,
was given by Il president of an agricul-
tur;.l college. As he called our attention
to the loveliness OF the scenery which sur
rounded us. the fire of his eloquence lit
up the hills, and illumined the valleys of
Vermont SO that even the trees appeared
10 show a thrill of joy. And we saw that
we were surrounded with material beauty
which we had not before discovered or APP
prcciated. But when the force of his mag
netism had somewhat subsidized, and the
power of his cloquence had been modified
by sober thoughts, the rejecting, practical
mind was led to inquire. what is all this ?
What is land, air an, waterP What is this
beautiful world. SO completely fitted to
| no. ,,f 4
when the mind WAS inspired with the an
swer, it obtained higher and subimer
views of these things than could be con-
veyed by the greatest orator who ever liv-
ed. When we reflect that this world is the
divine thought; and that nature is TO its
Creator what speech is to thought-tht
definite expression-lhen there is meaning
attached to all things. We discover by
these expressions of nature. that none but
definite, practical thoughts emanatc from
the divine mind, and that all their opera
lions are perfect, and in harmony will
each other.
An ancient philosopher, n benefactor o
his race, had this inscription over the en-
trance to the place of his labors, &" Let NJ
one enter here who has not defnit
M0ughtS." The sentiment was an indie,
to the noble result of his labors. 1t il
| MougM that makes the man or woman
This proposition holds as good in bust
ness, in all our various avocations, as i
does in words and religion. All labor
whether agricultural or mechanical, to b,
efficient and valuable, must be preceded b,
the real thought. The reality is but
complete and visible expression of tn,
ideal thought. The sculptor sees in i'm
agination the image which his chisel is [,
form out of the rough block of marble
The figure stands complete before hi
mental vision, beautifully moulded accord
inc to his ideal thought. lie labors witt
an ever increasing ambition to make ih
real statue harmonize in form and expires
sion with the beautiful ideal which hi
mental eve ever dwells upon. Their
comes before the mind of tho painter
complete picture of what he wished #
) represent on canvas, and he uses hi
paint and oil to carry this thought into ef
feet. Were he to commence a pictur
; without any special plan of execution, hi
work would become curious mixture @
expression, and would fail to convey an
. definite meaning to the eve of the behold
or. The lack of prrctica thought meas
ures the deficiency Of success in all tn
labors of life.
Your exh bits upon this occasion are tn
types which have printed your works i
such text that the sagacious Judges AZ
pointed by the executive officers of thl
society, have been enabled to read tn
l thoughts of each exhibitor carried into e.
ecution by their labors. The dificultit
I YOUR Judges have encountered in passin
. anon the merits of your exhibits have ne
d arisen in the least from the plain diffarenc
J. in type. but from lines that read so nea
alike that it has often been difficult f,
them to determine who was Justly enlitlc
to the premium. But no exhibitor shout
feel dishear,encd when he reflects that tn
financial basis upon which all such suci,
lies are founded make it necessary tn,
few instead of many should draw awar
No intelligent exhibitor fails of sutiicie,
,ucce>s on in occasion like this. Thong
he NAV not receive the small amount
cash preminm. he does Gain gre
nmonpt of Knowledge and expcrienc
' which is far more valuable. Herein Ii,
J he great benefit of agricultural, and XIII
II red societies. No one individual ey,
) learns more than L little separately. b,
t by association, and communication of O,
VI knowledge to each other. it amounts in Il