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.


en- a Literary Treat.
The opera house was again crowded
Monday night by an audience comprising
the best people of the city, all anxious
to partake of the literary treat in store.
The evening was perfect one and
everyone was glad to have an oppor-
tunity to 90 out for an hour or 30. The
literary societies of the Normal made no
mistake in choosing DIR. 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 a most excellent and interesting
address. He is 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 wac 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 q 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 busy
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
nalf the world Is moved and armies are
directed. They do their work quietly,
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. Thew 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 foated
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
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, or
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 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 not
discourse to the drowning boy of swimS
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 first
place, some people have had no one to
go to them and help them, and their
doing. amounts to nothing. In the sec
ond place, there is a very large class that
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, the
most of our citizens take their opinions
second hand. What we need is far more
intelligence. Independence and individ-
ualism in all our spheres of Esa.
There is every reason why thinking
and doing should not be unfriendly,
though divorced. The doer must admit
that the right thinking has much to do
with right living, and that the thoughts
of the great thinkers and writer's are
necessary for perfect enjoyment as well
as culture. These great men have adj
mitted their dependence upon common
doing. Even in matters of art, strange
as it may seem, plain common sense
solves problems that puzzle
the philosopher. There is often q
strange eloquence in simple deed.
thinkers have urged England to let more
another great thinker urges her to do
to-day what should be done now and
what should then be done.
Both are partly right. Our boys in blue
of the civil war were our true philosoph-
ers and not the school room thinkers.
Our national civilization has tended
to make us doors rather than thinkers,
which is by no means to be regretted, as
far as it has gone. 1t is now time to be-
gin to develop the other side of our
character,
Everywhere our young men are
Fastening to make money. There is |
great inducement to get Just enough cul- |
ture to get rich, and no more. There
are few who acquire any more culture
than is absolutely necessary. Therefore
we have plenty of "smart" men but few |
profound men in our country. The |
minister who is known as sound or pro-
found does not draw as well as q "smart"
young man who is graceful, has small
foot, dresses well, talks glibly, etc. But
there is not total lack of profoundly
in the nation.
Our Amencan journalism is more exc
cutive than critical. 1t is better at ac-
curing news than discussing it. There
is room for much Improvement in the
journals, and they might |
we'll give less space 70 sensationalism |
and more to profound discussion. More
trained men are now entering the edit |
orial field.
The aristocracy of the dollar in un-
American. Our scholar should be in |
touch with everyday life and in sympa-
thy with the people. He must not be
recluse, but should 90 among and be |
among the common people, who look to |
him for aid. The doer, too, must furnish |
the scholar and the thinker with the |
means of increasing the schools and ia
cilities for education. He should meet |
the thinker and work with him. Our |
thinking will then be utilized bv our
doors, and our doors helped by our
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