Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-10-23
VT,
ylafrhnan & NunrnaL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1878.
Rev. william Hayes Lord, d. d.

Rev. William Hayes Lord, d. d.
The following address was prepared at the
request of the Vermont Historical Society
by President NJ. II. Buckham ID. d., and
read before the society at their meeting in
the Hall of the House of Representatives
October 10Th, 1878:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of Tie Hisiori.
cal Society:
BY your invitation | am to speak in mem
ory of our late associate, DIR. WILLIAM II.
LORD. This recognition DR.. Lord merits
from this society. He was for many years
one of its most assiduous members was its
president from 1869 to 1876 and is entitled
to large share of the honor which the So
ciety, now established and prosperous, re-
fleets upon its earliest, its abest and its
most faithful supporters. But it is not the
mere ceremonious compliment paid to de-
ceased official which you expect of me to-
night DIR. Lord did not belong to the class
of men whose respectable virtues you com
memUrate in resolution, which you enter
on your minutes, and then pass on to the
order of the day. When such man leaves
the stage of life history claims place for
him. lie filled large space in the public
eye; he was a man Of broad, many-sided
character; many interests claim part of
him as their own many callings, ranks,
classes make up the long procession of his
grateful and hereaved admirers. Letters,
learning, public enterprise, society, friend
ship, all are eager to pay him tribute of
affection, for to all he gave freely of his
own. And yet, if DIR. Lord has impressed
himself upon the history of the state in such
a way as to merit the thoughtful attention
of the Historical Society," it is mainly
through the work which he did as Chris
tian minister, and so it is of him in this ca
pacty that ! am called chiefly to speak.
offer no apology to this secular body for the
frequent references to sacred names and
things which my theme requires. Re-
lgion has as legitimate place in history
as any other of mans interests, and its
ministers act as important a part in the
worlds great affairs as do those of legis-
lation, or war, or Justice. DIR. Lord him
self, though he had but a modest estimate
of his abilities, did not doubt that in doing
his appropriate work as minister he was
as really influencing the intelligence and
culture, the legislation and jurisprudence,
the industry and the social economy of the
state, and was thus as really shaping its
history, as if he had been working more di-
rectly for these ends in any of the secular
professions. 1t is well that there should be
public recognition of this truth at such a
time and place as this. Vermont is what it
is; its history its character, its high place
in the regards of the nation and the world
are what they are, partly, | might say
largely, because of the potent though noise
less influence of its Christian ministers of
all denominations. The mass of them, la
boring in obscurity aud humility, and often
all the more successfully for that reason,
history can honor only as she honors the
mass of faithful workers in other fields, by
honoring their calling and recognizing the
value of their services. When, however,
one of their number, by reason of larger
gifts or favoring opportunities, rises to emf
nence among his brethren, and, in some
good degree, becomes a representative to
the world of the merit and value of the
Christian ministry, history duly recog-
nizes and honors the whole body by accord
ing to him place by the side Of the great
soldiers, statesmen and jurists whom she de-
lights to honor.
William Hayes Lord was born of Rev.
Nathan Lord and Elizabeth King lie.
land Lord, March llth, 1924, at Amherst,
New Hampshire. In 1925 Rev. Nathan
Lord, the pastor of the Congregational
church at Amherst, was called to the presi-
dency of Dartmouth College, post which
he filled for thirty-iive years with distin
guished ability, associating his name insep-
arably with the history of Dartmouth Col
lege, as did his contemporaries, DIR. Mott
with Union College, DR.. Humphrey with
Amherst aud DR.. Mark Hopkins with Will
liams. No estimate of William Lord would
do him justice which failed to appreciate
the strong influence over him of that remark
able man from whom he inherited some of
his most characteristic mental and moral
traits and some of his most pronounced
opinions. Brought at this early age into
the midst of a college circle he had the ad
vantage and the disadvantage of growing
being fore-ordained to collegiate career
The advantage of such position is obvious /;
the disadvantage is Lo less real, and lies in
the danger that liberal education, most
valued when it is far-away prize to be
won with toll and sacrifice, will when it
comes without effort be accepted without
enthusiasm. That it was so in the case of
some Of his brothers and not so in his own,
reveals in him a strong native aptitude for
intellectual pursuits. Having received his
preparatory education at Moor's Charity
School at Hanover, he entered Dartmouth
College in 1889, in his fourteenth year, an
| OlueT duu younger uIolueI DtllB hlHo Heui'
bers of the first class. Professor Sauborn,
one of his instructors, says of him lie was
even then, young as he was, marked man.
A stranger entering the class for the first
time would have been impressed by his
manly appearance and dignity of deport
ment. He wore a serious and earnest ex
preston of countenance and seemed Unusu
ally grave for his years" On the other
hand, classmate says of him. He never
seemed to have the manner of close stu
dent, but was always playful aud ready fol
any college sports. His frank, friendly man
ner and his uniform good nature made hin
one of the best known and most popular
members of the class" From these diyers'
but not conflicting accounts it is easy Il
see what he was as college student grave
and earnest when on duty, genial, mirthful
frolicksome, as a boy should be, when hi
task was done the same, in short, that h
was all through life. From both sources o
information we learn that he was one of tn
best scholars in his class, ranking well in al
his studies and excelliug in the department