The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-22

Is.
loved and rcvrrrd by tho students OF these
early days: President Robert {. Grier. cidrWHl
f rcntTUbi!c Hon!rD. grave yet genial, ulgnlneu
yet gentle. who ruled by the power OF KIND
words aud wise cUunselS over the hearts and
minds of his pupiIS-JameS y. PreSSy. distin-
gui>hed alike for profound and accurate Schol-
arShip '-.1nn. y. Young, the mathematician
and Scientist whose ready aid and active
sympathy alike stimulated the gifted ana
the pOdding--Lce acute and diScriml-
mating, iIemphil earnest and laborious-
III" scholarly Lowry. the accomplished
Kennedy. the learned Patton. They all have
passed from us. but the memories Of their
virtues. and the inspiring force of their exam
pie remain ;,S II possession and II joy forever.
Their mantle has fallen upon worthy success
Sors, who connecting the past and the present
in the history of the College, shall renew per-
hnps. upon II wider field, the spirit of It's
founders; and catching fresh inspirat lon
from their devotion and self sacrifice, shall
with enlarged means and still better appli-
ancrS, achieve still noblcr results.
THE PAST AND THE FUTURE.
And now at the close of the first fifty years
of the lite OF the College, and I'm the last dc
cadc Of the 18Th century. and when we are
about to celebrate that illustrlonS event which
gave not indeed Il mere Kingdom to Ferdi-
nand and Isabella, but opened Il new world to
the civilization OF the old, it is interesting 10
lend wings alike TO The memory and the imag,
inatiOn: 10 survey the future in the light OF
the past and from the standpoint of the pres
pnt To consider the influences which have
moulded the past life and will control the fl.
ture destiny OF the College.
TIE SPIRIT OF PROGRESS.
We live in an extraordinary age; an age
great in It's achievements, but even greater In
ITS poSsibIitirS-an age instinct with Il new
SpiIIt and ihrobbing with the pulses of new
i;acGnian phinsophy-the spirit of prngrcss-
of earnest effort and eager curiosity and
homeless enterprise, II knows no difficulty,
and tslecms nothing done, until all is accom-.
pliShed. IT nerves the explorer amid Polar
seas, and the wayfarer among tropical jun.
glcS. 1t leads .0rth "the martyrs Of science 10
sac: itice themselves as willing victims in ev-
cry field of research. 1t sustilins the lonely
student rs he pores ovet some dusty record
or supports some eager antiQuary who cX-
humoS some long-buried treasure Of forgot
ten past. IT compasses heaven and earth To
unlock their secret processes and unfold their
hidden powers. 1t adds new zeal 10 effort
and new incentives to ambition. IT subSi-
dies every art, and lays all nature under con-
tributiOn.
A PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY.
1t is the spirit of IL philosophy practical as
well HS speculative-a philosophy Of fruit
and standing among its memorials and sur.
rounded 10y its trophies, we may eXcaim with
one, who stands under the dome OF ST. Paul's
and lifts his eyes to the hundiwork of Sir
Christopher Wren, cOnSpice mOni,nteRth'H. II
Is the spirit of universal progress, In govern
mcnt, literature, science and art. II lightens
our streets and beauties our homes. II lends
Wings to the swift ships, and the swifter loco
motive, and girdlcS the earth as with a sun.
beam. Above all ii iOreShadows still greater
triumphS. "I,ooklng back" is but an incen.
tive to looking forward. and past triumphs
are but an earnest OF nobler achievements.
4 SPIRIT, RASH AND IRREvERENT.
But alas the spirit Of the age Is a wayward
spirit: Il foe indeed to ignorance, bigotry and
superstition. but too often Selfsuiiicient, lr-
rcvercnt, rash and iconuclastic-Lhe spirit OF
the Babel-builders who would scale heaven IT.
sclf in their daring selfconfidencc. Such n
spirit exhibits nothing of the modesiy of true
Scicnce-nOthing of the moGrsiy of Newton
who likened himself tn n child gathering pcb-
blrS on the sea- shore. whilst the great ocean
of undiscovered truth lay beyond-nothng OF
the wisdom Of Lord BacUA. who tells us that
to innOvatr, we must follow the example OF
time, (Which indeed innovateS greatly, but
quietly and BY degrees, SO that the rciOrnl;l-
ton shall bring about the change rather than
the desire Of change the reformation"
\ SPIRIT OF ScEpTICIsM
Again the spirit of the age too often as.
SumeS the form OF ScepticlSm and infldelity,
aSccnds even "MOSeS' seat" and wounds Chris.
tianiiy in the house OF its friends. But "wis.
dom Is justified of her children. Learning
furnish both shield and Il sword and as we
ply, whilst ~ little philosophy inclineth to
atheism depth of philosophy, bringeth
mems minds TO religion"
a PHILOSOPHY OF MATERIALlSM
Coupled with its lack Of faith the spirit OF
the age manilcStS Itself in Il philosophy OF
unaterialism which regards miud itself as an
emanation of matter, ignores The laws OF the
spiritual world; looks upon conscience, duly
and obligation as the creatures OF education
l f..An ,t.,,,, I,nt,
the brute, withhnlds from him even the fl-
lurc home OF the poor Indian, whose un-
tulOred mind,
proud science never taught to stray,
Far as the solar walk, or milky way"
Such Il philosophy il "0f the earth, earthly"
II uuSeaIS God from the throne of the uni
verse, applies lis own narrow square and com
pass, It's retOrt ana crucible, TO solve the
problems Of life and being, and rejects faith
and hope and that unseen presence which
consoles and SuStiinS Us here, and will be our
Guide even after DEATH" From such shallow
philosophy ana ''science falsely SO called" let
us pray 10 be delivered.
DANGER FROM ABUNDANCE
Another danger which besetS the student
of the present and the future, arises from the
very abundance Of his riches, and he Is like
the Sabine women in danger Of being
crushed by the weight OF his ornaments.
Macaulay states n well known truth, when he
says. iii is not by turning over libraries, but
by intcntly perusing, and repeatedly contcnl-
plating Il few great models, that the mind Is
best disciplined" DemOSthcneS Is said To
have transcribed six times the history OF
ThucytlldeS, and IL is only by familiarity with
the best models. by turning with daily and
mighty hand the masterpieces of ancient and
modern learning, that the student can hope
to emulate their eXcellencieS. In the wealth
of modern literature there Is every tcmpta-
tion To intellectual dissipation and we can
only repeat iu the language of Rev. John :.
Pressly to his distinguished nephew, Judge Il.
{. Prr:isiy, ut the outset of his legal career.
"Bcnjamn, beware
TENDENCY OF SPECIAL WORK.
Lastly, another evil which grows ont OF the
ramitlcatiOnS OF modern society, and the d.
vision of ahor Is, that man is assigned TO
special functions, and becomes L mere cog or
perhaps II wheel in the workshop of hunani-
~. Society advances but the individual Is
dwarled, loses his Individuality, and fails to
attain tie full development of all his iacul-
ties. The true corrective, in fact, the only re-
source, is in the inspiration. the discipline,
and the encouragemcntS ~ liberal educa-
tinn--"a virtuOuS and noble education" To use
the language of Milton. 'labnriouS indeed AT
the first ascent but else so smooth, so green,
so full of =ondly prospect and meiodinus
sounds on every side. that the harp Of Or
2hcus was not more charming"
TIE PROPER HOME OF TIE coLLEGE
We have met to-day TO !ny the corner stone
of Il new edilice, not In alien soil, but here, in
lis own proper home; t6 build upon the old
foundations which have been cOnSccraieu by
the memories and associations OF successive
graduatrs and amid The same classic groves,
where each familiar object is rcdolent of the
hopes, the struggles and the triumphS OF the
past.
\ TEMPLE TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
We have met to dedicate anew. temple 10
the cause of higher rducalion-;n cducnlinn
hest fitted TO broa'fen the intellect, to widen
the sympathies, TO cultivate the taste, TO
strengthen The moral sense, and To develop
the divine life within--hn education. fotHs