The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-06-21


vie with our fellow-men, our faculties
must be cultivated, even at the expense
of wearisOme and often wearing toll
One can scarcely work too hard; at any
rate, to use homely phrase, "better
wear out than rust out" Much greater
good, not to say happiness, results to
him who constantly uses gifts Of body
and mind, than to him who allows them
to lie dormant. Ones powers must not
be allowed TO "hibernate," lest time Of
awakening never come.
A feeling Of responsibility should be
consequence Of all gifts, few or many.
The parable Of the talents is case just
to the point; it will be remembered that
an account was required not only of the
one upon whom the talents were be-
slowed but from him who had received
but one. Il is true that the degree Of
responsibility increases as the powers
increase, but the feeling is the same.
How many Of US will hide our Lords
gift in a napkin of selfish ease and idle
ness It is not for US, but the Giver, to
to say how valuable are the talents en-
trusted to our keeping; they are all val
liable in his sight. If one has capacity
only for the most simple and common
everyday work, and uses this capacity
as well as he is able, this is all that is
needed. He is doing the work given
him TO do.
Those few are especially favored upon
whom rare and unusual gifts have been
bestowed. The efforts which such per-
sons make, resulting in products which
are in general demand, and which can
be supplied by them alone, give them a
certain advantage over their less favored
brothers. Such are inventors and arti-
sans of unusual talent. Upon gifted au-
thors we look with feelings Of almost
reverence, as upon those whose minds
God has especially illumined. Some
seem to be gifted, " so-called, only with
the faculty Of sliding through life as
easily as possible, and, what is more,
they succeed admirably. Let there be
unmingled pity for those who feel the
divine fire, bot who have no means Of
tanning il into a quick flame-those Of
whom Gray said:
" Chill penury repressed their noble rage,
And froze the genial currents Of their soul"
How shall we feel toward such as have
large natural abilities, with ample
means for using them, aud either neg
lect OF use them to work against the
Giyer? How much above such, in true
manhood, are those whose capacities are
few and common, but who make wise
for what we have not; let this thought
comfort those who feel that they have
no special talent, or are hindered from
using what they have. To some a
knowledge Of gifts come late in life; aud
others cultivate what at first seems but
tendency, until it develops into a
/ precious power. My hope is that, as a
class, We each may soon come to a real
izing sense Of our innate abilities as
J concerns practical life, aud improve
them,
"By the patience Of hope and the labor OF Iove.'
Faithful aud kind teachers, we scarcely
know how 10 address you in parting;
words Of welcome and greeting come
much more easily from our hearts than
those of farewell. We feel as II, in leav-
ing you, we were leaving those who,
next to our parents, were our dearest
I earthly friends and guides. Your words
of kindly admonition aud faithful in
struction, your forbearance with our
faults beyond our deserts, your deep in
terest in our welfare, we shall always
keep in our hearts and cherish in our
memories. We thank you for your
many favors which we cannot number,
and pray that we may profit in all our
after lives by the instruction so pa
I tiently given by you. Our honored
/ president we pray the dear Father in his
own good time to restore to health, that
be may in future years, as he has in the
past, take his place by your side, and
give you the benefit Of his counsels, and
the students Of his teachings. In taking
our leave Of you all, we, as a class, ask
that our faults so far as they respect you
may be forgiven, aud that you will ever
favor US with kind remembrance.
Our loved schoolmates, whom we
leave behind, we shall remember you as
year by year one and another Of your
number occupy the places we to-day are
filling. As you sit in the school-rooms
once occupied by Us, and under the same
watchful care; as you hurry along the
walks, summoned by the same old bell
whose tones have many times warned
Us to the same duties; as you linger be-
meath the old oaks which have given u:
shelter, we shall think Of you. Now
that we are about TO bid you a reluctant
farewell, we ask you to forgive and, il
possible, forget whatever in our past in'
: tercourse may have wounded or injured
you that you will remember Us, nc
matter how far apart we may drift in
future years; and, above all. we bep thai
you viii be true to yourselves, youl
3 teachers, and your God.
5 Dear friends aud neighbors, we thanh
: you for the encouragement YOU hav,
= given Us while students here; and as we
E as a class, take our leave OF you, we asl
E that to those who may follow ia tn
e succeeding years you may extend tn
2 same ready sympathy and interes
. which you have to Us.