The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-05-31
DIR. ANGELES LECTURE.
The Normal Literary Societies Civ
en- a Literary Treat.

The evening was perfect one and
everyone was glad to have an oppor-
tunity to 90 out for an hour or 80. The
literary societies of the Normal made no
mistake in choosing DR.. Jas. b. Angel,
president of MichIgan's university, to
give them their annual address, and
they have placed Mankato people under
many obligations to them. The speaker,
as was to be expected from his enviable
reputation for popularity and eloquence,
gave most excellent and interesting
address. He is a very easy and pleasing
speaker, and was several times inter-
rupted by applause. HIS attainments
are scholarly, his ideas are well ma
tured, and his references to questions Of
the day were apt. Altogether the adj
dress ranked among the finest ever given
In the city. 1t was DIR. Angeles first
visit to Minnesota.
The stage was occupied bv the clergy
of the city, resident director Clark, Supt.
Bechdolt and the president of the
school.
The Germania orchestra was present
and gave very pleasant prelude In its
best stvle, which was heartily applaud
ed. President Soaring, who presided,
introduced DIR. Angel who appeared at
his best, and of whose address the fol-
lowing is brief outline. His subject
was "The Thinker and The Door,"
There are various classes of thinkers
and doors. Among the former is the
wisefaced thinkers, whose majestic mein
and silence win them respect for time,
but they are sooner or later found out.
Then there is the sputterer who fut-
tiers around and splits hairs and picks
flaws, finds out that Grant stole his plans
for the capture of Vicksburg from some
unheard of person, and that Shakes
peare's works were written by some one
else.
There are the quiet people who work
steadily and quietly on and sway the
world finally with their wisdom. Though
stoned by their own age, history will
finally vindicate them.
There are as many kinds of doors as
thinkers. The busy, fussy one ALWAYS
finds time to pry into things, is a busy
body, and believes that upon him.
self the workings of bis social sphere de-
pend.
There are the toiling, quiet men, who
are each worth regiment Of the busy
bodies.
There are great men at whose. touch
half the world Is moved and armies are
and not of pleasure but with some great
object in view.
The world is divided politically into
great classes of thinkers and doors. The
Greeks were the thinkers of the ancient
world, the Romans were the doors.
Among the modern nations the Germans
stand pre-eminent as the thinking ma
ton. They are the sovereigns of the
air, or ideas, while England is the
sovereign of the sea: and the French OF
the land. While her genius has fioated
high as the stars, Germany's tread has
been as solid as a rock.
The English have been the doors and
have achieved conquests over time and
space and man, and have made proud
conquests which overshadow those OF
ancient Rome.
Again there are periods of history
which are noted for being thinking OF
doing. In earlier times there was great
doing, in the sixteenth century there
was thinking, in the next two there was
dong. They sometimes come together,
as at the time of Caesar and during the
Elizabethan period.
1t is rare to find the qualities of think
ing and doing in one man, nation, OF
period; and consequently the two have
become divorced. Some tell us that on
ly in the great Ruler are the two united
others that great conquerors are alone to
be worshipped. This latter is a great
calamity for both parties. Thinking OF
itself becomes barren and needs the
fertilizing influence of doing. Such peo-
pie become too theoretical, as was the
case with many of the old preachers OF
the New England states. We must moi
discourse to the drowning boy of swim,
ming, standing upon the hIlltops. We
must rescue him and then he will listen
to us.
So, also, the doors themselves have
suffered from this divorce. In the frs
place, some people have had no one tt
90 to them and help them, and theil
doing amounts to nothing. In the sec
ond place, there is very large class tina
do their thinking by proxy. This is of
ten the case with our religious duties
believing it Is enough to pay the mlnist
ers to preach. So in our politics, tn,
most of our citizens take their opinion
second hand. What we need is far NOR
intelligence. independence and individ
| ualism in all our spheres of life.
There is every reason why thinking
| and doing should not be unfriendly
though divorced. The doer must admi
| that the right thinking has much to d.
with right living, and that the thought
| of the great thinkers and writer's ar
necessary for perfect enjoyment as wei
as culture. These great men have ad
mitted their dependence upon common
| doing. Even in matters of art, strange
as it may seem, plain common sens
sometimes solves problems that puzzle
the philosopher. There is often
strange eloQuence in simple deed
Mathew Arnold and others of her grea
thinkers have urged England to let NOR
| thinking precede her use of force. Blu
another great thinker urges her to d
| to-day what should be done now ant
tomorrow what should then be done
Both are partly right. Our boys in blu
| of the civil war were our true philosoph
ers and not the school room thinkers.
Our national civilization has tende,
to make us doors rather than thinkers
which is by no means to be regretted, q
far as it has gone. 1t is now time to be
| gin to develop the other side of on
character.
Everywhere our young men ar
Fastening to make money. There
great inducement to get Just enough cul
ture to get rich, and no more. Their
are few who acquire any more cultur
than is absolutely necessary. Therefor
we have plenty of "smart" men but FEY
profound men in our country. Tn
minister who is known as sound or pre-
found does not draw as well as "smart
Young man who is graceful, has sma
foot, dresses well, talks glibly, etc. Br
there is not total lack of profoundit
in the nation.
Our American journalism is more exc
cutive than critical. 1t is better at az
curing news than discussing it. Their
is room for much improvement in th
!. metropolitan journals, and they migf
we'll give less space 70 sensatlonalisr
and more to profound discussion. Nor
: trained men are now entering the edi
orial field.
The aristocracy of the dollar in VI
American. Our scholar should be i
touch with everyday life and in symps
thy with the people. He must not be
recluse, but should 90 among and b
among the common people, who look
, him for aid. The doer, too, must furnis
the scholar and the thinker with tn
means of increasing the schools and {,
cilities for education. He should met
the thinker and work with him. on
thinking will then be utilized by OF
doors, and our doors helped by on
thinkers. Then our national civilizatio
will be of the very highest in the worlt
But above all let there be good though
to underlie our life.
This concluded the exercises of til
evening, at shortly after nine o'clocl
DIR. Angel left for Winona on th
evening train, having an engagement
lecture there Tuesday night.
WE trust that it is not 80 that Senate
: Washburn told New York reports
that "our late legislature in Minneso
was the worst ever known" We ca