Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-04
Address to the Faculty.

NS@~sS ANSSt oA4SS AciNoSo1
tin:
Nearly as my heart is touched by the
others who have spoken, yet from the nature
of things you come little closer yolle-fel-
lows as you are, and true as you will I'M
doubtedly be. Your kindly cooperation is
an absolute necessity, hence my real joy in
these frank, earnest words which before
hand have been strongly enforced by kindly
deeds better than words, insomuch that l
am led to say of the words in relation to the
already accomplished deeds, "Apples of
gold in network of silver
| cannot refrain at this time from word
in appreciation of the kindness of the STU
dents, their courteous bearing, their gener-
GUS welcome and their general demeanor
are an inspiration to one who would be
their Instructor. They are credit to Fort
Worth and to Texas, Young ladies and
gentlemen, it will be my highest pleasure to
join your much endeared teachers in minis
tering to you in the noblest, best things.
Why | am here.
l am here, l trust, from no narrow mo-
tiveS, but in the wise order of that provi-
dence which directs our ends. Surely 1
am not here because of any self-Seeking.
When the matter of my coming was pre-
sented to me, must confess that was ig-
norant of Fort Worth and its university,
except that a certain pleasing fame of both
is abroad in all the land hence it had
reached me. To the first request, turned
deaf ear, but on the frequent repetition
of that call, | came to believe that the call
of men was the call of God, SO I am here |
am not vain enough to think this generous
welcome is for me, but because of your
faith in, and love for the university YOU do
this.
The Importance of the Office is magnifed
by the beauty and renown of the city
in which the university is located I
need not sound the praises of Fort Worth
1t reminds me of Ephesus of the long
ago. Ephesus was called the Eye of
Asia" st. Paul recognized the import
ance of that city and, hurried evangelist
as he was, he fingered there more than
three full years to fill that eye with the
light of Christ. What Ephesus was to
Asia Fort Worth is to Texas. Beautiful
for situation and, if not the joy of the
whole earth, yet the Joy of a large por-
ton of it-Texas. If then it would be
boastful to say that Fort Worth uni
versity will fill this Eye with light, will
only say it ought to do so.
The Office is further masnified by the real
greatness of our state in its possibilities of
future development. While the old world
was worn barren and lifeless by the gross
est of idolatry, the Lord kept America com
Raratively new and fresh The red man of
9the forest never bowed down to idols. but
hearing the voice of God in the thunder and
seeing the fash of His eye in the lightning,
he looked toward the ''happy hunting
ground with a spiritual discernment
scarcely found in savages elsewhere.
Hence, in the western world. the Christian
church and democratic government found
their rarest opportunity for development
and growth. In some measure Texas was
withheld from the earlier experiments of
our country to furnish q virgin soil for the
sSeed that is to bring forth
sfHE RAREST FRUIT FOR THE NEW CENTURY
Into such city, such state, and to such
responsibilities we come. From such van
tage ground we begin our work. May the
infinite One give Us wisdom and grace ac-
cordingly. In this vast state great fortunes
will be gained The university will exhibit
the best possible use to be made of them
In such use will monuments be reared as
will shine on, justly perpetuating the lives
OF worthy men, who reared them, when
less important memorials lie in forgotten
dust. In such an active city and state is
the corrective that will prevent the student
from becoming impractical and helpless,
he pedant We will not ask our students
TO be old before their time. but we shall
seek to have them acquire, in their college
days, suce a sense of the seriousness of
life, and such an enthusiasm of noble living
as shall never desert them.
THE UNIVERSITY
That is great name Too great, some
will say, for such school. Our mother
Eve joyfully exclaimed at the birth of a
child, 4 have gotten manu- It was only
a babe, yet with all the possibilities of man
hood. So if the founders, through their
faith and joy, cried out, University and
we only find an infant, yet we also find it
holds all the possibilities of the full grown
university. We do not quarrel with the
name but unite to help on its growth, and it
will grow. In five years, with 500 students.
it viii be the delight Of the city; in decade |
OF two, the state will claim it in honest |
pride; in 100 years it will be giant, and |
when 1000 years have passed away. it will |
still be young. If it were named academy. |
Then would we have good work to do but |
small. If they had said col |
lege, our duties would have been larger: |
but they have called it university Bid US |
grew q University. It must include the |