The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-07
DIR. GR1ER's BAcCALAUREATE ADDRESS.

The Necessity for an Intelligent Con.
scicncc-.-Thc Obligation to do the
Eight.-.COnduct the Index of the
Heart--IIeroic Patience--Thc Nor
al Nature Distinguishes Man and
Brute The Increasing Demand
for Broader and Deeper Scholar.
sI,ip...The Evil Influence of Party
Strife.
Young Gentlemen: 1t is possible for man
| to be u scholar and yet be u very useless MEM
ber of society. 1t Is possible for a man to be n
philosopher, learned in the mysteries OF the
causes of things, and yet be utterly destitute
Of the fundamental clements of a lofty char
acter. Education is valuable just as 1t con-
tributes TO develop and strengthen the moral
as well as the intellectual nature. AS edu-
Gated young men, the public Will hold you 10
u rigid account not so much for what you
know, as for what You do.
Approaching, as we trust we do, the pcrlls
Of your position nnd the Importance OF y
right beginning let me suggest To you and
commend to you an old rule for your guide
ancc IT Is the simplest, safest and most uni
vcrsal In its application. DO 1phdt you believe
TO be 7iyhL THIS will not secure you against
wrong-doing-very far from II; Tie world
has seen no men who have erred more fatally
|
obi ligatons Of this elementary principle. But
while this is checrfully conceded 1t cannot be
overlooked that the very mistakes OF such
persons have been charitably judged just be-
cause OF their conscious rcctitude ana their
loyalty to their sense Of duty.
This rule Is easy OF application. AS gem
cral fact the morality OF an act IS us most
clearly defined fcniure, and Renee the most
ell character it possesses. All other qualities
| of conduct depend on circumstances thai are
proverbially variable and contingent: What
I may to-day contribute to my peecnniary ad-
vantage may tomorrow portend cmbaErass-
ment and bankruptcy. That which to-day
may receive unStlnted praise and co!nmcnu;l-
I ton may Tomorrow be denounced as selfish
and ncrccnary. Cast your eye over society
and select some one of lis tcmp0rlZing con-
stituents and see with what diligence and
anxiety they watch every indication OF popll-
lar feeling. What subtle calculations there
are to reach conclusions In which every body
will concur And then look little longer ana
see how often with all their maneouverlng
they are chagrincd with disappointm
how often are they rcproached not only Win
failure, but rs cowardly timc-serrerS II,
then, you would escape this laborious man
agencut accompanied aS it Is with the mortt-
| rying cDnSciouSE cSS OF weakness, never DC
led nor afraid to do what you believe to
be right. Having intclligcntly determined
your course of conduct by Il reference TO the
sacred injunction of conscience you VIII rare
| ly have reason 10 deriate from the path mark
| ed out. The rule then Is simple and easy.
| (.O by adherence to IL You will give unity TO
y0ur character. Conduct Is the index Of the
heart rather than Of the intellcct-human nc.
lion will therefore possess complexion cor
responding to tho feelings and the hopes OF
| the Individual and he who Is regulated by no
| fixed, uniform standard can exhibit no con-
SiStcmcy Of conduct. The external influences
brought TO bear upon man vary as he Is
guided by interest, by the sentiments and
opinions of others, by The advice Of friends or
| mprllcd by passion SO variable and incon-
slant are these Influences that those who ac-
ccpt them and yield to them us dominaliiig
principles will not unfrcqncntly be placed III
the hulniliating position of refuting thcirown
arguments and contradcting their own aSScr-
ever be true of an educated man, one to
whom society Justly looks as Il leader III the
| path of duty. May ii never be true or any
one of you May the reasonable expectation
of YOUR fellow men be met In finding you not
on Intelligent but thoroughly conscien-
| tiOuS.
CD Another thought In connection with this
Subject and enc worthy of your earnest con-
sidCr;ttiOn is the preparation which this rule
of conduct supplies against the dllhcultlcs
AMI discUnragcments of an active life. so
long as duty and interest barnonlZe VINO
could not be Jealous, blatant euloglSt oi con-
siStcncy. How easy it is i'll such circum-
stances to claim and receive honors we do not
deserve. But when disappointed, opposed
and calumniatcd, what then Will sustain us !;
Constitutional energy; sheer obsllnacy and
force Of vii! can nerve us only to q spasinodic
defiance. There arc fcw who are possessed oi
this invncihilty OF character except rs IL
proceeds from profound moral principle. The
| history Of our race furnishes but few exam.
ule; of Il courageous resistance to obloQuy
when writhing under the rcbukcs or fiu-
| lated conscience. or all OF these prc-eminent
alike in fame and suffering. IT is written,
"Ful of titles, flattcry. honor, fame; beyond
desire, beyond ambition, full-hc died. Died
OF what? or wretchcdncsS." On the other
| hand there is not IL hamlet, nor q communt t.
In nll which
| bride 20 some who with heroic patience and
cheer fulness met every form OF trial.
% This suggests that the principal motive
which should induce you TO adopt this rule
is because that only thus will you act worthy
Of yonr moral nature Conscience puts the
widest distinction hetwcrn man ana thc
brute. In tic animal creation there Is moth
ing akin to the moral faculty. 1t was given
uS the arbitcr of conduct and the guide OF HE.
Let il never be said of any one OF you that
you have bartered away this peculiar inherit
those impulses, whose rule is tyranny, whose
| fruit is vice and whose end is death.
! Young gentlemen, society will justly expect
something from you as scholars. You nave
for years been dcvoling yourselves exclusive
| ~ 10 study. You ought to understand that
every year in this South land the demand for
Il broader, deeper scholarship is increasing.
Those institutions and those students who do
not appreciate this will find their influence
and their usefulness steadily waning. But
while this is true, and an important truth, IL
Is not SO important us that your life be reGu-
lated by the rules Of Il rigid morality and Il
thorough consccntiousness. There are fields.
white for The harvest, awaiting your coming.
| IT your intelligence will he tested, much moro
| will your virtue br put to the proof.
| one of the special perilS OF our SITUATION Is
| 4 lowering of the whole moral tone OF our So
cicty. What are deemed political necessities
| that know no law, either civil or moral, are
putting to fearful strain our truth and hon
cSty, and all the kindred virtues OF II fearless,
sell-dcnying integrity. Our young men arc ~
special danger OF an excess of party spirit
am glad TO refer TO this peril, this strain upon
simple hearted cOnSciGntOuSncSS in the words
| OF one with whose political faith Yc have no
sympathy: ave know" says he "how TINS
pcri0tiSnrss that will brook no question of its
methods and appointments. Lot that mail
ness spread fur enough and reach men enough
so that our party right or wrong shall be The
motto OF mniorlteS and no prophet will be
needed to furctei disaster. When party lead
crS presume upon the hold they have OF the
Christian convictions and conscience To hing
an insult from their platform in the face OF
those convictions and :hat conscience, they
need to be put in u wholesome fear OF Il very
decided .indepcndcncy. The endraHor TO
! brow-bCat dcccncy into the support OF Il wrong
by the hue and cry of something worse be-
| failing us II We refuse, ought " have Wluc
and indignant rcbnkc."
| Place you self ut once with those who honor
conscience in all things and who arc battling
against fearful odds. Each year Will widen
your influence / do not say ii Will add To
your reputation thuugh that may come as a
minor blcssimg) but IL will make your liIc Il
| blessing.
shells of the Ocean was then played by the
band. This completed the programme.