The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-10-04

to attain culture, because some have at
tanned. it without assistance, would be
folly. In your scheme of studies, then,
do not neglect those that tend to
ameliorate your natures and to widen
your views. You will find them
to be the sources of the
! purest and most refined pleasures, and the
| incentives to the MODEST and manifest ac-
/ tions.
But in addition to well trained intel
leot and broadened, cultivated views,
literally educated man should have fully
developed moral nature. He should be
/ able to discern clearly and distinctly the
fundamental principles of right, AID
should have the power of will 20 act upon
| them regardless of what the consequences
may be. Indeed, he will know that the
consequences must, in the end, be equita-
| BILE and Just, "for the Lord God omnipo-
tent reigneth," and His universe
is governed by moral as well as by phys
ical laws.
The ability to do right, simply because
it is right, is the contamination of all
systematic training; it is the browning
! glory of educated manhood and woman
hood. man may have an intellect that
is "a clear, cold, logic engine, ready to be
turned to any kind of work, to spin the
gossamers as we'll as forge the anchors of
the mind" but what if he is en- habitual
| liar? man may have all the graces of a
Chesterfield, and all the accom- plish-
ments of an Admirable Chrichton;
but what if he is morally rotten and cor
rupt? A man may have as bread mind
as Gcon's;-but what if he takes brides?
Can virtue be taught? Socrates as
serted that 1t could, and 1 don't know that
he was entirely wrong. Whether morality
is legitimate subject of education or
not, it is certainly true that it is during
the period usually devoted to education
that habits of morality or of immortality
are most generally formed. 1t will be
during your stay, then, at this University
that you will probably receive the finish
ing touches to that moral education
which began at your homes.
This part of your training must, from the
nature of the case, be largely an lndivid-
ual matter. You will be taught the funda-
mental principles of ethics as they have
been written down in books, and which
every educated man ought to be familiar
with, but it will be in your daily inter-
course with your fellow students, and
with your teachers, and it will be in your
daily oommunings with yourself
that you will find opportunities to
test your moral sense and strengthen
your moral purpose. In this self
training your best and safest guides
will be your conscience and the Sermon on
the Mount.
| Such, in brief, are, according to my
; ideas, the fundamental elements of lib
eral education. Wherever they are found
I the possessor is an educated man whether
he ever took degree or not, ard when
| they are not found the man is not com
pletely educated man though he holds
diplomas from half the universities in
Europe. Any so-called scheme of educa.
tion which omits them is a sham and a
| delusior, as those who embrace it will find
, to their cost when it is too late to
remedy their mistake. CongratulatiDg you
on the fact that you have made no such
mistake, and reiteratipg the belief that
your work during the session that is
before us will be both pleasant and profit
able, l hereby announce that these formal
opening exercises have come to close,
and that you ere dismissed to your re-
spective lecture rooms.
October l, 1888.