Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-06-23
LOCAL NEWS
At oRaCh On URCH.
p-esfdent Williams speaks of the
Imp0r,ance Of Education.

norniug. Rev. J. NJ. Williams occupied
,h, nnipit and preached his annual
sermon to the graduating class OF the
Wesleyan Female College.
The reverend gentleman took for his
tsxt. "But, by man OF understanding
ond knowledge, the state thereof shall be
prolonged" Proverbs XVIII. 2.
uYonng ladies OF the class of 81, +" said
Ia, OH. swift revelation Of another year
bas brought the occasion that invites us
~ mia mornings meditations. TO me it
ia now no longer novel thing to gather
I,,tore me few chosen friends-yOung,
fresh. buoyant, flushed with the victory
If hope. proud of the conquests won, in
arvdulous OF the dangers and difficulties
ahead, living in sort OF dream land
wh.r. fairy fingers weave only green
garlands and love crowns the objects of
H. affection with nothing but the rich
and roIeate flowers that bloom in the
genial cline of pure and generous devo-
ton.
81 repeat, this is no longer new exper
i.ue. for me: yet 1t brings to my heart
amotions none the less keen because they
have been again and again experienced,
m. inv that sits in wild eestacy around
-
a new tloudgate of affection develops into
a deeper aud broader tide OF love with
every added offspring. So my heart feels
to-day more than tongue or actions tell
A. come to sever the relations that have
hitherto united us, as | invite you up
side by side with int in the activities OF
life, | am, ii possible, more than ever
IMPRESSED with the Importance OF the act
and the hour. To-day | am in SENSE
your sovereign and you my subjects; to-
morrow you will he my peers. To-day
nv hand Is on the helm OF your barqnes;
tomorrow you will be your own steers
men."
The speaker then turned his attention
10 the text, deducing therefrom the gen
eral topic, Education the supreme force
In time
II. would say to his hearers that edu-
cation is that force, power, appliance,
agency, any or all combined, which is the
most potent in the production of that con
dttion OF society in this world which ali
of us desire; no matter whether We view
IL from the standpoint of the nation, the
individual, the student, the active bust
ness man, the church, the state, the
world Of fashion or of plain tact. OF wealth
or of poverty. lie was now referring tn
this world only; not taking into account
the iuestiuabls value OF education when
We shalt liz called upon 10 scan thu
mysteries, solve the problems and appre
ciate the wonders of the glory land. He
believed firmly that disenbolird spirits
are active intelligences, and that we
shall escape from all material grossnes,
and desires with all our mental faculties
alive and their activities intensified, IL
revrl in the opportunity and capa-
bility Of knowing as we are
known" lie believed that every
redeemed soul is supleluely happy but
expressed his conviction that that spirit
best trained here, made capable of mas
teriug the profounder problems in this
life, will stat out i'll eternity with en-
largrd capacities and therefore capable Vi
larger receptions and a higher grade OI
investigation. We can take none Of thu
treasures Of this world to that bright
shore with Us, but We may take our cul-
tureu minds, and the more they are cul-
tiyated the greater will be our advan-
tages.
But, however pleasing this line OF
thought, it is not taken into the scope Of
this sermon. The text speaks Of the value
Of understanding and knowledge i'll per
petuating the State.
There afe other and important forces,
for example ths force Of wealth. Man musI
fill the stomach before he can feed the
mind. Wealth is the most important but
not the supreme force in the world except
in 80 far rs it accompanies and does the
bidding of education.
With Ibis limitation let us consider
these two thoughts; First, that eduea-
tiou is the generalissimo Of all the forces
for good in the world second, that this
Is true II we were to COutine ourselves Ia
this present state. In support of this
ground the following reasons may BE-
cited
/. The great distinguishing feature be-
tween savage and civilized nations lies IN
the difference Of their education. The
speaker was not prepared to aver that
there is no natural difference in intellec
between savage tribes and civilized
people. There was doubt AS to whether
the difference between the two was inhe
rent or circuulsiautial, but it was certain
that the difference was vast. This il
shown hy their government and manne
the old ada1e that knowledge is power
and that intelligence ruled when pitte,
against ignorance.
:. CIvIiizrd nations would soon be re-
mqmdcd to barharism il all schools wer
closed. In proof OF this it was abl,
argued that the great force in rlevatinj
nations to civilization was education. Tn
speaker dwelt upon the influence Of learn
lug III the home and showed that ftou
there great aud COOL influences Wen
forth. Education made way for -nlight
ened government, but Ignorance must AN,
Is always ruled 10y the strong hand d
drspotlsml. The place accorded to woune
IN the Opportunity to higher rducato
Is peculiarly il licitOus sign Of the times
which accords to women the right I
stand on the summit OF scholastic attain
ment side by side with her brothers &,
the strrner sex.
8. The most powerful nations hav
been the best educated. This was show
by alluSion To nations whose influence i
the worlds affairs has been felt throug
their enlightenment and, As the rrvers,
the condition vi countries pool educate
or not educated at all was described 4
great length. In the world, in all agri
with Reference to advancement, braius. II,
MUSCLE, have been the mastering an
directing iurcrs in the world.
i. Educated nations must come to III
front, no matter what the country. lnie
lisence Is force that mus he felt in a
nations, aud II is hound to show in tim
Iho Influence OF an educated man
bound to be- felt, and the nation that h;
Intelligence and education will be- COZ
suited III the management of the wdrlt
B, What Is true of natiOas is tue
individuals aud of churches. The prir
OF the Methodist Church has been tn
She las administered 10 reason and gul
down among the poor aud gathered the
to the fold Of Christ. BY education Tia
could he best accomplished. The Churc
has so advanced that il eNrrts q gre
Influence over the affairs OF State.
The preacher then went on to allude
the progress of the Church, and cited
an example the dedication of Gra
Church, and said that in all the advanc
meht OF alcoholism, of which this was
specimen. there was not Il college I
women worthy Of til, name in the con
try. lie then went on To say that ii Il
Meth0dists desired to leai they !nu
educate, and spoke at some length
iaHor of the Wesleyan College, dwcllil
upon the good it was doing through ed
eating young women in the proper wa
lie made an earnest plea in favor of I
college, and said that he should he pro-
TO see the foundations of learning la
deep and broad in Delaware, his natl