Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-17
A MEMORABLE EVENT.
The Laying Of the Cornerstone
OF Lewis Academy Yes
terday.
Eloquent and Appropriate Adj
dress Of Rev. j. F. Hondy.
D. D., OF Emporia.
The Occasion Graced by the Presence
of the Hon. John Il. Carlisle,
Speaker OF the National
Congress-.
who Made Response to an Invitation
in Brief but Fitting In
prOmptu Address,
Followed by Col. III. W. Lewis in q
Nasterly Effort, and the Plac-
ing Of the Stone.

y
afternoon for the laying Of the cornerstone
| o: the Lewis Academy, a large crowd had
gathered The day was n beautiful one and
suitable in every respect for tine oscasion.
At 3:I5 o'clock the Rev. J. D. Hewitt accend-
cd the platform accompanied by our dis
tinguisEed visitor Hon John G. Carlisle.
| A few minutes latter the K. p. band favored
! the assembly with one of its choice selections
after which the Hon. Rodolph Hatfield who
is president of the board of trustees of the
institution stated that the exercises OF
the afternoon would be continued by the
reading of the scriptures by Rev. w. F..
Harper Of tho First Baptist church. The
reverend gentlemen read the one hundred
and thirty second Psalm after which Rev.
Fleming of Arkansas City led in prayer.
President Hatfield introduced Rev. j. f.
Hendy d. D., president of the Emporia col
lege, who spoke as follows:
Mr. President Ladies and Gentlemen
We have assembled today to witness the
LAYING of a cOrner-stone-a cornerstone OF a
noble institution OF learning. 1t is one Of
mans distinguishing prerogativeS that he
can create Institutions Without institutions
man is, at best, like walled up fountain; like
a soul unembodied; ike q body bereft OF
hands. Institutions are essential for the per
feet development Of the individual man. We
DO not assert that in the deepest sense they
confer anything upon man, but we maintain
that they afford him the surest means of us
ing that which belongs to him by the right
of creation Men are not made for inStltu
tons. On the contrary institutions are made
for men-thev are not his master but bis ser
want. The source of all power here below is
in man himself; he is greater than even law;
his sacredress surpasses the majesty even OF
government These are fundamental max
inns in Republican liberty-they are also the
principles forever at war with imperial and
autocratic assumption.
As to the nature of institutions, it may be
said in brief, that an institution is princi-
PIE or set of principles organized into ma
terial form. They are thus artificial bodies
inspired 10y certain definite principles, the
object of which is to prolong their life
through the successive generations of men.
| In our own day the name of institution"
| has come to be applied chiefly to organiza-
lions of intellectual and moral powor. In
situations may further be divided into two
classes-the aim OF the one bong to develop
| mans powers-the ain of the other to fur
| nish that trained and disciplined power ON
opportunity for fitting exercise. The inSti-
| ucational--tho othcrS "e call industrial, COM
ulercial, social, ard civil.
There is ever noticeable taiS marked con-
| traSt bet ween th. Two kinds of Institutions:
the one appears to spring forth without much
| assistance, the other VIII always need the
| fostering care and encouragement of large
! hearted men and women. Civil, industrial,
commercial institutions often come forth full
! helfned and vigorous, able to stand alone.
| Colleges, academies, churches, museums,
| must he nourished patiently, with maternal
| care and sympathy, perhaps through Il long
succession of years. Let 10 man give cur
rency to the charge that tho college and the
academy are simply mendlcants transmitted
| to Us from q past age, Dat unworthy the
countenancc and tho benefactions of liberia!
men in this advancing age OF civilization.
| They are not dedicantS-til'y are productive
OF energies We are here to affirm that thess
| beneticent institutions stimulate society
through every nerve; that they arouse with
in men the latent powers OF their manhood
| chat they inspire tho youth Within
their walls SO as to become in
turn tho inspirers of their fellow-men.
| Show Us an institution whore mon are
| trained and disciplined properly, and we will
show YOU perennial fountain from which
the best society of evAry age draw its life
But, says the cavilier. Your schools OF
higher education are only for tho pleasure
1
! tie benefit on the toiling laborer and me
| chanic. OF what possible benefit can 1t be to
us working men TO have learned professors
measuring and weighing the sun, watching
The conjunctions ana transltS of planets, and
| watching the exact movement of eclip5es.
Be patient, fellow laborer, and let wisdom
moderate your reflections while | remind you
that the common comforts OF life
which to-day You share with millions of your
fellow men, are the direct gifts conferred by
| education, and were two centuries ago the
possessions of but the favored few. Tho phil
osophic maxims that our l0year-old boys
know to-day, rs they know tlei,
primer, were the profound prob
lens of philosophy century ago, and
There is not working man who eats more
food and better food today; there is not q
mechanic enjoying Injuries that only king
euioyed centuries back that does not owe, IL
the largest degree, ths>e things to the inves
LEGATIONS of scholars and philosophers. The
influences at the top OF society, You may resi-
assured will affect society at the very bot
tom. Perhaps not one hundred rer
in the lifetime of the illustriou:
Lord Bacon felt decidedly the influence of hi
mighty thoughts; but To-Day these maxi.ir
and principles are courslng through all th'
veins of science like invigorating blood, pa,
pitating and throbbing with knowledge
Great principles and great truths that to-
aces spread out like nebulouS clouds ovel
men, are at length gathered and fall in rair
drops; then come the harvests, and with tn,
harveSts come abundant food for all
We readily admit that these higii
er schools will not make a.!
the citizens of state mathematicians, OF
lawyers or scientists; but we maintain stead
fastlv that their designed and inevitable ten
dency is to make better workEleH, NOR,
sk:llful mechanics more SPACIOUS inventors
in a word more of the vast multitude WHO
can read and think and speculate wisely
thus enabling them at length to attain Al
altogether moro symmetrical manhood. Ii
therefore, it be granted that the academy
and the college affords to but few com
paritively the great boon OF classical aiiC
scientific learning it is not bit less true tina
they make luminous the thoughts of tn,
multitude. In former DAYS stationary
engines were placed upon the mountain top
OF the Allsgheaias To draw trains up tn
long and narrow incline Our serninarle
may be on AN elevation but their ASSURE
work is to draw the vast train OF society VI
to their OWE high level.
How impressive is tlais scene in which W,
participate today. A quarter century
ago this was the outpost of civiiization-th'
frontier of the great west The warwhooi
of the savage has scarcely died away befon
this daring Anglo-Saxon race begins TO hul!,
the walls of the academy and the college. |
is .rtling spectacle-startling IN mora
grandeur. doubt If ever. since the worit
began, such unique scenes were witnessed a
those Row taking place along this western
border. In other ages nations have misrates
from land to land, carrying with them theiI
fiocks and herds, their weapons Of war ant
warlike spirit But never did they carr,
with them written constitutions. formulatet
systems of law, academies and colleges Be