, 1892-03-02
"REMINISCENCES.
ESSAY READ BY GEO. s. HOPKINS
BEFORE THE DIDAsCALIONS.


May Derive Benefit--What Men
Think After Leaving College.
Among the Hterary==numbers.on the pro-
gramme rendered at the fourth annivers-
ary ot the Didascalion at the Olympia Col
legiate Institute, was an essay entitled
"Reminiscences" read by Geo. S. Hop
kins, The literary excellence of the essay
was so marked and the sentiment expressed
so in touch with the occasion that the So
ciety at "a recent meeting voted the publ
cation Of the essay. The TRIBUNE has been
fortunate enough to secure it in full and
herewith presents the essay to-its readers:
Anniversaries are always accompanied
by two thoughts exactly opposite, and yet
we seldom think of one without the other
intrudes. Old friends seldom meet but
that they must talk of old times, and from
past events they turn without effort or
thought to the future; while cementing
friendships anew by "reminiscences Of the
their plans for coming days.
So when this anniversary was proposed
my memory reverted to past school DAYS,
and from them turned to the many changes
since. And then while recounting the
changes of the past wears. how easV and
turning
back the pages of life, and soon [ had
drifted back through scenes of school days
which memory had partially buried, back
along the pleasant paths trod in other
years, until forgetting all the later changes,
lost to the present realities I wandered a
happy, thoughtless child, with chiId's de-
light in the things which engage its atten-
ton.
What wonderful place was then. Won
derful, indeed, it is, but the child sees an
other world from that of the older one.
Looking across the rolling prairies it
seemed as if just beyond yon forest the
sky came down and touched the earth;
that to my mind was the end of the world
and the blue sky above was heaven.
Those were happy days when our home
was the center of the world and the great
sun rose in the east and set in the west.
But time rolled on and school study and
thoughts soon taught the child that its
world was but speck in the universe.
How utterly contrary to reason did it seem
at first and with what faith did the little
mind cling to its childish belief.
Summers came and went bringing
changes and growth until finally the mind,
instead of placing a limit to this worlds
possibilities, could not conceive of a
horizon placed ever so far away but that
its dim outline did not hide from the mind
of man vista of beauty and possibility
which exceeded the fairest of our surround
ings.
The same mind which was so narrow in
its bounds once, grows and develops until
the universe cannot compass it and eterni-
ty only limits its determinations.
Did you ever try to bound space2 Some
bright night go out beneath the open sky
and pick out from the countless host which
dotsthe heavens the star which seems II
send its rays through the greatest distance;
then suppose that a line runs from that
star through the earth and terminates in a
star as far distant on the other side of the
earth With this line as radius describe a
circle through space and with that circle
enclose a sphere. Would the mind accept
the walls of that sphere as the end of space.
No; not it it We're removed a thousand
times as far away; not if its bounds were
prolonged through an eternity.
No. There is no limit to space-as
boundless as time. Neither can the scope
and power of the human intellect be
measured. Its growth begins in childhood
and ends not while God rejgns. 1t is the
God in man and cannot be limited What
1t has accomplished we know; what it will
and can accomplish the Ruler of the Uni
verse alone conceiVes. 1T reaches out and
grasps truths that few years before would
have been impossible; it puts under its
power the mIghtiest of natures forces; it
wrings from the clouds their terrible power
and converts it into heat, light and
strength; it annihilates distance and we
behold the beauties of other worlds mil
lions of miles away; it reads the laws of
nature and governs itself thereby.
"a Newton sitting beneath a tree sees an
apple fall to the ground-a simple thing,
and yet behold the revelation of the law
which governs the universe.
A Franklin chains the lightning; a Morse
sends it where he will and an Edison COM
pels it to take him where he will We look
back over a hundred wears and are spell
boT7T,6 at he contra Of with r,117- 6av1e yVo
wonder, can there be anything more to add
to human knowledge? Has not the limit
been reached !? VIII not the mind begin to
retrOgrade now?
Did you ever stand upon the ocean beach
and lifting your eyes from the waves curl
ing up on the sand at your feet look away
across the heaYing pillows till the vision
was barred by a dim outstretched bank
which the eye could not penetrate? Do
you think it would be possible to take sail
and reach that barrier2 No; you would
never gain upon it,; it would forever keep
beyond your reach.
So it seems to me are the possibilities of
the mind In youth we set our mark
toward which we strive. Beyond we can
not see and we imagine that the end will
be accomplished when we have that desire
fulfilled. Years roll on and we have grown
to manhood and WOmanhood. Have we
attained the height toward which we are
striving? Yes; but the goal of our ambi-
tions is Just as far ahead vet. The end for.
which we we're first striving seemed as
nothing when we held it in out grasp, and
now the prize which is to give us complete
satisfaction is afar Off
We grow from youth to middle age; from
that to staid men and women; old age
comes upon us and still we are studying
and striving to reach the heights. Finally
the grave opens before us and one by one
we pass away: The strife is ended and our
ambitions will never be realized. The end
has come and our endeayors are buried in
the grave with us. Are they? Have all
our attempts in this Do we climb the
ladder from round to round with patient
toll enduring the rebuffs of this world only
to fall when the end seems so near2
No, thousand time no. When the
spark of life leaves this mortal body it but
leaves behind that which hindered it in its
progress. UntTammelled no longer ii be-
gins an eternity ofadvancement. Our good
Professor Yemen used to say that when he
reaches heaven the first place he will seek
will be the corner where the astronomy
class recites.
What an endless display of possibility
will meet our delighted fancies. This is
but the beginning the prize is over there.
Friends, school life will soon be over.
Even now one by one we are taking up tile
duties Of active life.
We will separate and go our different
ways and each Will have an object in view,
the accomplishment of which will engage
his whole attention. Be sure that it is the
right one and then work for it with might
You will meet with discouragements but
rise above them and go onward
II time does not suffice for its accom-
plishment eternity will.
strength and Health.
If YOU are not feeling strong and healthy