Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-17

INTO ana OVsf IliS Sredt AEitilIdu DSoOi0,
and along with focks and herds they bring
schools and churches, museums, and acade-
mics. This stalwart race leaves IN the
rear not one OF the monuments OF the rii.ess
on its broad shoulders il carries
both the burdens end TIE trophies Of A-n3ri-
can progress and culture What we are do
ing here in Wichita today is but a type O.
what our brethren in q hundred other points
of this great west are preparing to DO. ana
thus we are ,nanifesting the purpose which
the Almighty himself has put into our hearts,
viz: to plant every where over these vast
prairies a civilization as deep and a.s broad,
SIS full of refinement. OF culture, ahd OF
moral wealth as that found Ia any land be
meath the sun. And on this generous pur--
pose we invoke the approving benedlct!on OF
Almighty God.
of calling attention to the re-
lation existing between wealth ana ef,ues. !.
ton. This is the age of silver and 2oid-a
golden age indeed it is-the STANDARD dollar
to the contrary notwithstanding. The indu,
ence of gold dominates every avenue ana
circle of society. Gold is intensely secular,
indeed. hut 1t is cosisOilng alter all TO
reflect that it my have, and often does
have, a grand moral influence. Let
it be freely admitted: wealth can not give 70
men the pen Of Shakespeare, the tongue OF
cicero, lie ItlstSSISC VI % L AsSNO' ~
true: but it can make man the patron ana
friend of genius, of eloquence, of learning.
Money may not be able to preach-but it can
train and qualify q thousand gifted tongu :
like Luther's and Whitfield's and .. L..
Moody's. that shall overturn the world with
their eloauence. Riches can build colossal
elevators, continental railroads, stately man
sions-why can it not as well build the art
gallery, the academy, the college! 1t Is time
i o,,I -. of An,,ia
to the charge that money Is, always and
everywhere, sordid, penurious, groveling,
selfish. No one can give this denial SO effect
lively as he who possesses weaith-and he can
do it not by word, but by act-as VIM. r.
Dodge. and John G.. Green, and John L..
Blair. and Pardee, and goodly number OF
others have done. There never has been in
all the worlds history such an hour am
such an opportunity as this for wealth
to stand up before men, clothed with the i'm
posing regaIia of wise and generous liberal
ity.
No doubt the wealthy man Is often ap-
pealed to for aid to meet some small present
emergency-the widow and the orphan must
be cared for-the poor we have ever with us.
Let none of these be overlooked. AT the
same time let the moneyed men remember
that it is his high prerOgratlve to use his
means in such way that the passing ages
shall ennoble his'gifts ever more and more.
There is no man so utterly dead as the man
who leaves behind him nothing but his name.
There is no man who lives SO intensely as he
who Joins his name indiSsolubiy with some
noble work that the world is unwilling 10
let die. The name of John Harvard is cut
sharper and clearer today than it was two
centuries ago. For more than two hundred
wears men have walked the halls of Harvard
and during all these hours
hnS
been on some ones tongue.
SO it is with the name and the founder of
Yale. And so, make bold to say it will be
in the case of the institution whose corner
stone we lay today. Long as these waters,
rolling from mountains to the sea, wash the
banks of your beautiful city, SO long will be
held in grateful remembrance the generous
patron after whom Lewis Academy is named.
And linked forever with his shall be the
name Of the earnest pastor in whose heart
their bcneficient project was conceived, and
by whose faith and persistent tolls the enter
prise has been brought to the point of assured
success. With the name of Fl. w. Lewis we
invariably associate that Of Rev. John D..
Hewitt. And thus it comes to pass that man
may survive the grave. Like Abel. 'though
dead they may yet speak," He who in Bed
ford jail wrote about the progress OF the
he never lived IS he lives now; he
is speaking today in $50 tongues. Only a
few out Of all the multitude who sings his
HYMNS know the author of can Eail the
power of Jesus Naine!' But, surely, STEM
n.s did not cease work at the graves mouth,
ct. Grand beyond question is tho privilege
OF linking your name with some immortal
book, some immortal poer1; but Is it any less
inspiring TO inweaye your name and person
atty with a noble institution of learning
whose sole mission is to bless and
elevate society. The hand that lays
this cornerstone today may work
thoughts that are brooiin, here now must
bear ever increasing fruit in the far OFF ages.
BY own hope is that this act of one gener-
Gus citizen of Wichita shall stimulate q hun
bred others to similar acts il the same direc-
tion The day is near at hand, do firmly
believe, when u goodly nuInber of men will
seek wealth just as men now seek learning,
not solely that it may minister to their own
selfish pleasure, but that it may furnish them
tho effective appliances for rightly shaping
and moulding human socisty. Believe me-
no is the thoughtful man who keeps his ear
open, listening to t5s sounds OF the coming
ay.s The achievements OF our cOanbrymen
in the domain OF commerce, OF Industrial az t,
of mining and invention, o1ciso tire admira
ton Of the world Arc We not warranted in
expecting that tho time is rips for similar
examples in tina dOnlail OF higher education:
To some men God has given genius for &C
emulation, IS it not time for slch
men to give the world an example of what
glory wealth may achieve by linking itself
with great moral enterprises, such as tbs
Christian school aud the Christian uniyer
sity. Men sre mover reproached for eroctine
costly mausoleuins, and carving their name.
upon tbs enduring granite, but the mauso
leuun will crunlble and tho granite viii los-
Its inscription. The only lettsrs that SIR
vive all changes are this invisible letters, snG
thus il comes to pass that the nlonUrnen
more lasting than bras is the school OF learn
ing that transmits your name onward to tn
latest generation.
We are here, then, to-day to manifest our
deep interest iii this magnificent Christian
endeayOr that seeks to plant throughout oul
adopted state the college and the academy
Surely we must be inspired by the example
OF the Others who have gone bsfore US: w
rem aoa how IN 9o.,,P eyeTs AND 'fs,
over, and Wabash. and oven Prince
ton and Yale and Harvard. We know
the story of their struggles, and their ina
victory. And as it has been wish them Sd i
will be with us here in this New West. Thi.
academy, ii it prove itself worthy, will no.
always remain simple preparatory school
as it is today BY an inherent Law OF it.
life 1t will expand and develop, reaching on
ward through the various stages Of healthy
evolution, until at length it shall attain sal
proud status of we'll equipped university
We .lant tho acorn now-ve await il cain
confidence tina full development of the lorsily
oak Tho walls that shall rest upon this cor
ner-stone will shelter our children and on
chl!dren's children for twenty generations
These halls shall forever be consecrated t.
learning, morality and religion. This cher
ishad institution shall stand beneicen
light house through the coming ages, ilil
mining this fertile valley .of the Arkansas
and bound in,iissolubly. with all its vi 'isi
tudes and achievements, its accumulatin.
wealth of memories and well won fame shal
be the honored name of its generous patron
Today We speak of Lewis academy. \ celtur,
hence rnen will say Lewis University.