The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-01

9W8GIIRo0 AND LIGHT.
The spring6eld Republican Of March
has . delightful sketch Of the late Rev. DR..
Noah Porter, for many years the president
Of Ysis colisge. The story Of DIR. Portsr's
life makes clear the difference between
great and powerful teacher, whose bsauti-
ful personality impressss itself upon
HE scholars sad hslps 70 make them
noble men and women, rnsslfish and In
spring citizens, and mers pedagogue--s
Thomas Gradgrind 1T the best, . dyspeptic
ascssie 1T the worst.
Dr.. Porter belonged 20 that school Of
great teachers, men Of mingled strength.
sweetness and light who believe that the
ultimate purpose Of education is, ~ Hum
boldt said, 80 build . man." To this
school OF great teachers belonged the
famous DIR. Thomas Arnold. Of tho En-
glish school Of Rugby; Ruskin and Car
dinsi Newman: 70 this school In America
belonged Claiming, Parker, Agassix,
Longfeliow, Emerson, Holmes, Whittier
and Phillips Brooks. We have called them
teach. whether they are nominaliy pro-
(essors OF nos; whether they ..rits prose or
poetry or philosophy. or pour forth their
souls IN the pulpit. Such men are always
optimlsts. not pessimists: they are optim-
lists because they dsvoutly believe in God,
and no man who really believes In God
with . devout spirit can possibly BE- a
pessimist; he must BE- an 'optimist He II
sure that the world grows better. not
worse: moves forward, not back, because
he believes with Victor Hugo that prog
ssss Ii tho very stride of God" and there
fore such natures are always hopsfai;
always serene; never cast down; always
look forward, and not back. because they
believe that God reigns and that he doeth
Ill things well.
These men Of optimism. Of sweetness
and light are always men of humane sym
pathy with their fellows. Emerson knew
everybody In Concord down to the station
master Of the railroad. When he went up
into tho Adirondack woods the rough
guides were all charmed with him. The
late President Porter OF Yale was man of
this sort; he thought man was better
than . sheep; he petted children rather
than play with malodorous dogs. He was
. Minister'S con, . doctor of divinity, .
professor. . philosopher, = deep scholar.
IN acute metaph ysician. but above all no
was 90 thoroughly human tina. everybody
found him spproachab!s and everybody
loved TO approach him. Before he became
. college professor he was the beloved pas
tor Of . great country parish. lie Was like
Emerson. of Astounding hospitality and
enduring friendship. He loved flowers.
natural scenery and little children. To
the last days Of his lite little children
wrote arsless letters 10 Doctor Porter. and
poor little children that did not know him
always erept under Doctor rorser's um-
brsiiA when ID was raining because they
know by his face that they were welcome.
When he went 10 the Adirondack woods
for his vacation all the plain simple coun-
Try folk Who lived In the most solitary
parts Of that region hailed his coming
with delight. In the midst OF nature he
found . rchake to the nasrowness and
meanness of petty men: man OF sym.
patty, kindness and eandor. tho common
people everywhere loved him and vel
coined his presence; no had the rare gift
Of Wendell Phillips. Who wherever he
went. made everybody. high and low, an
PEAR at their best. by his absolute coursesy
and genial humer.
He had the same In tense love of nature
that We nnd in Keats and Shelter, with
whom II vas an over mastering passion.
The guide who was nest with Or. Porter
In his ramhles in the Aiirosdacks tells an
affecting story Of tae last visit Of this
grand old man. 1t MAS at . time when
his conscious decline of strength warned
him tina, II would probably he his las,
visit 60 the UPPER Ausahle lake The last
morning when they broke camp and every.
thing was ready for departure DIR. Porter
bads the guide leave tie luggage where II
Was packed and row hias out into the lake.
Midway between the shore. he caused
The boat Ia stop A lCag time he sat there
turning this wsy and that, bending bis
eyes earnestly, stsstfasgly. but without
speaking, on sne views aroana--she Sothin
range. the cone % iisystAck. the eps,irrsint,
forest Then 10 directed the raisr ~
take him near and aIong The shore. As
they moved slowly on BY one AMI another
familiar spot TfumhaIl saw The dsctor'.
eyes we're allied with tears. and rsrcesve,i
thas IL wss a leave taking. 4 never IN nv
life had anything that made me .exl 81
bad. he said. in telling tie story. So shev
passed round the circuit of she lake. the
silencs hetween them hardly broken hv a
word. the doctor rartine wlIh slg ss one
would part with friend he might never
ses svain. the guide stealing sgrtlvs giamoss
Of sympathy si hsn.
twas cid Father Taylor Of the nosson
bethel that in his lest lons sickness fer.
vsatiy prayed. "oh. Lord. On some bright
summer morning snatch me home TO tAy
selt" Twas tillsd with this srlsli that
Doctor orter essed his last upon the Adj
randseks. he had the same sympathy
with nssars and maa that Ne find N
saslisy's .'oas 10 TIE West wind"; La hts
"AaoGals IN Keats II stcei siaso> ca I