The banner-enterprise., 1883-05-31
ANNUAL ADDRESS,
DELIVERED BY E. Z. SMITH TO THE
DANIEL WEBSTER LITERARY So
CIETY OF SHAW UNIVERSITY,
NAY 2lsT, 1888.

Mr.. President, Members of the
Society, Ladies and Gentlemen: To
one who has not tried the expert
ment, it may seem easy to select
theme suited to the occasion which
has called us together. | confess, my
experience has been otherwise.
2 Politics, lin the higher sense, which
embraces the eshics Of goyernment,)
religion, literature, education, and
kindred topics have been 50 exhaust-
lively treated by abler pens that |
shrink from the unequal task mine
be it to call your attention, briefly,
to the humber theme of Especial
Aims; not humble because of less in
terest to our progress and prosperity,
but because lost to sight in specious
generalizations. From the mlsts that
enshroud the by-gone ages, gigantic
forms loom up, clothed in the mys-
terious charms of universal knowl-
edge seemingly universal because OF
the dense ignorance Of the ages IN
which they lived. To live and pro-
vide the means of sustenance was the
q eat aim of humanity knowledge
beyond that requirement they had no
time to gain, and hence learning
was confined to the few. As time
progressed and men grew wiser by
mere acquaintance with each other,
! knowledge spread abroad, and It's
ramihcations were seen and felt IN
the various walks of life. Systems
OF philosophy, arts, sciences, Juris-
prudence, were invented and cultl-
vated until indeed in the palmy days
of Greece and Rome, certain branches
of human science attained Il height
| that we Of modern times have striven
as yet in vain to reach. Even then
these attainments were possessed by
comparatively few; division of knowl-
edge, unlike separate pursuits IN
everyday life had not oegun. Only
| the wealthy could embark in literary
pursuits, and to this class learning
VAS confined Centuries like these
are recorded, and in each We find
names which will never die-not be-
ause Of their unapproachable per
bction, but solely that they were the
omparatiyely learned men Of their
tnes. AS the world grew older and
the arts and sciences became more
diffused through manuscripts and
oral teaching, the numbers OF these
wise men greatly increased until the
blessed printing press flooded the
world with the bright dawn OF that
day Of light and knowledge, which
shall 80 on increasing in splendor as
its meridian approaches, to set in
etfulgent glory only when time itself
shall end.
Under the benefcent influence of
the press, human knowledge has so
rsmi6ed aud extended its scope that
it is no idle boast to claim its cycle,
as now almost complete, knowledge
being now 50 universal no one man
can claim pre-emiuence in every
department. The span of human
life reaches not far enough to en-
able one man to learn all that is
written, and he who would claim
such distinction would be laughed at
as fool Special departments Of
knowledge must and will always have
their contemporary representatives,
and with this present distinction the
student and professor must hereafter
rest content. Nor will it he known,
save to him who has diligently fought
fought his way thithsr, what this
pre.eminence has cost in time and
toll, in hope and Encouragement
College education of to-day is con
.idered complete when the graduate
receives his diploma and goes out into
the world to win his way to fortune
or to fame. He will soon learn that
his education has but begun. Before
him, in truth, lies the whole world,
unanswered the question, "Where to
choose?' Filled to overlooking, as
are all the learned professions, repre-.
sented by every grade of skill and
proficiency therein, it ia indeed the
question Of greatest moment to him.
lie knows that no one man can be
first in all. Wisdom has been 50 dis
spminated among the masses that he
cannot excel in any one even with
out earnest, arduous and ceaseless
effort. Hence, the absolute neces-
sity for selecting some particular en-
ployment to be the chief object of his
after lite-to be his special am If
he shall elect any special business and
desire success therein, surely he can
not expect to succeed in others, for
each and every other department is
now full of men of learning, of skill
derived from practical experience;
so, that instead of succeeding in all,
he would find himself reduced to
pitiable nediocrity in each. Whilst
aiming high he should aim to a spe-
cial object. All the great names Of
the nineteenth century are those Of
men who have gained pre-eninence
by steady, persistent effort in some
particular calling.
Thomas Carlyle's stormy diatribes
have not lessened the glory which
must always encircle the names of the
great men Of the eighteenth century.
Washington, Burns, johnson, Watts,
Goldsmith, Handel, Mozart, can
never die. Yet these men claimed
not to be great iu all things-each
one only in his chosen calling, to
which were devoted all his talent