The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-05-28
RAMBLING THOUGHTS.
BY MEMO.


Those words are written while
the dedicatory exercises at the new
site Of Columbian University on
Morningside Heights, New York,
are still echoing in the ears. Gath.
cred to do honor to the day were
the presidents, or representatives
of nearly all the large colleges and
universities in the country, and
with them joined Governor Morton
and numberless other men
of influence and wealth. The usual
unrelieved blackness Of platform
when crowded with men was
markedly missing because Of the
silk and satin gowns and bright
insignis warn by the learned pots.
blss who fianked President Seth
Low. Dean Hoffman of the Gen.
eral Theological Seminary were
his scarlet robe of state with It's
heavy cape of ermine, and Bishop
Littlejohn of Long Island was an.
other conspicuous figure with his
gown Of crimson and inortarbOard
Of the same bright hue.
nv
The material prosperity Of Co.
lumbia University IL so remark.
able, its president alone having
given over one million dollars for
the new library building; its al
umni vieing with one another in
erecting the various halls that will
be needed in the new location; its
property in the heart of N. Y. city
producing for 1t an annual income
Of over $500, 900; that a tone of exul.
tation In the various speeches
might have been excused. The
contrary was the fact however and
herein may we find the material
for some "Rambling Thoughts"
~
Rear-Admiral Meade (retired)
presented to the University on be-
half Of Lafyette Post, G. A. r., the
national colors. and in doing so
made typical fighters speech 1t
was resonant with the echoes of
conflict and ringing with the FOR
ward cries OF combat. Round after
round Of applause were given by
the excited audience. Then stood
forth President Low, the man Of
millions and yet of humility, the
man of progress and yet of ancient
faith, the man who was in the
forefront Of this brilliant assem-
blage as its moving spirit and yet
In u few hours was to be quietly
teaching his Sunday morning class
of east side men, he stood forth, l
say, with every temtation to
spread-eagleism before him and
said: "As we shall be ready, God
helping us, to die for this flag in
case Of need, so, trust we shall be
even more ready to live for 1t,
striving always to make the coun-
try over which 1t floats ever
worthier to be loved" And the
murmurs of a, considious thrill
swept over the crowds of listeners.
~
There was a singular unity in all
the' speeches; the refrain being
"Education, wealth, liberty, patri-
otism, all fall short Of their highest
powers if they fail to make us live
for our times" Especially power
full were the thoughts of the aged
Abram s. Hewitt, class of AZ, whose
feeble voice was at times inaudible.
For a moment his ancient energy
surged back as he interpreted the
spirit of the centuries in this pro-
phetic sentence; "The feeling is
rapidly spreading that the time
has come for new and nobler civ.
ilzation. A spiritual wave like that
which produced the crusades,
erected the cathedrals and the
universities In the Middle Ages, OF
the later movement which culmi-
mated in the renaissance and in
the Reformation, is plainly in sight
and ready to usher in the advent
of the next century, when the
position will be, not as in the eigh.
teenth century. What are the
rights of man.; or in the nine,
teenth century, How these rights
are to be made available for the
production of wealth" but rather
"What is the duty of society in re-
gard to the use of wealth which
/