The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-07-08
to build up and carry forward the work
of education, not to pull down or injure

to build up and carry forward the WORK
of education, not to pull down or injure
any good work that is being done in the
State. It is related of Gen. Robert p.
Lee that during one of his fercest bat.
ties iu Virginia, while commanding, the
Confederate. army, he had selected an
elevated knoll slightly behind the line of
battle from which to observe the fight
and direct his army. On this knoll stood
a spacious shade tree under which the
General and his staff were standing in
their fatigue suits. Soon after the, battle
began, a brigade surgeon in all the pomp
of uniform and position rode up and
selected this shade tree as the place to
receive the wounded. After issuing his
direction he peremptorily ordered the
unknown party to leave the ground. 10
this General Lee replied, there is room
enough for both of US here. The order
to leave was repeated, and guard to en-
force it sent for. Before its arrival q
courier with dispatches for General Lee
arrived, and when the unassuming old
gentleman opened the dispatches the sur
geon with confusion and stammered apol.
ogies started to leave, upon which Gen.
Lee directed him to stay, repeating the
assurance that there was room enough
for both of them, So my friends, there
is room enough for all of the colleges in
South Carolina and work enough for
them all-tcdo. As citizen of the State,
however, I must express my sympathy
with the protest which the denomination
al colleges Of the State have made
against the order which has been issued
for them to go. Although the taxing
power of the State has been summoned
to make them go, have an abiding faith
that the great people of South Carolina
will correct this wrong and say to them,
stay, there is room enough and work
enough for all.
Young gentlemen, with this occasion
you are placing down mile stone upon
your life's journey. The sands of anoth-
er year of your scholastic life is ebbing
beneath your feet. The year that is
gone will be memorable in the lives of
many of you. The golden thoughts
which you have garnered from the abun-
dant harvest of knowledge which sur
rounds you are not meant to fill the
measure of your attainments. The
shadows from your lives are falling far to
the West. The sun is shining brightly
in the East for you, and the hour is early
morning. The day is yet unspent and
before you. 1t will be easy to fill the
hours with busy toll, and in each duty
performed, and each difficulty overcome,
you will gather increased strength for
your future labor. Let the advice of old
Pollonius to his son be your controlling
sentiment. Young men reared in the
christian families of this country, and
tutored in the pure fountains of knowl-
edge, whose vivifying influences are shap-
ing the character and the thought Of this
generation are the hope upon which our
country's future greatness depends.
They are manly, generous and moral.
They can we'll afford to be true to them
selves, and in doing so, the highest inter.
ests of their neighbors and their country
will be preserved. Remember, that as
eternal vigilance is the price Of liberty,
so constant labor is the price of success.
4uo WOIlu 10 ioISC3 Uou sbAO vottoo9 N'o
cations in life are teeming with strong
and hopeful men who will meet you in
generous rivalry. If you would succeed
where others fail, careful, diligent work,
yes, work, must be your portion. What:
soeyer you undertake do thoroughly, and
remember that your time is the most val
liable and the most precious possession
that you have. And in conclusion, let
me commend to you the realization of
the aptness of the simile of life which
Upper draws when he says:
"a mans life is a tower, with staircase
of many steps,
That, as be toileth upward, orumble sue
cessively behind him:
No going back; the past is an abyss, no
stopping, for the present perisheth.
But ever hasting on, precarious on the
foothold Of to-day.
Our cares are all to-day our joys arc all
And in one little word, our life, what is it
but to-day?''