Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-06-17

great human intellect, dormant, it
may be, but capable of a splendid
awakening. What, then, shall be the
attitude of mind which this young
man and this young woman shall
maintain toward the masses of man
kind? Let them remember that out
of the dust of the ground God
created man, and that the record
does not indicate that more than one
quality of dust was used; and let
them remember that God breathed
into man the breath of life and made
him a living soul, and that to-day
every man has that breath of God
and that living soul; and let them
not forget that it is of universal hui
mainly that it is written: Thou hast
made him a little lower than the
angels and hast crowned him with
glory and honor"
If this first lesson be perfectly
learned, there will arise IN us a sense
of the dignity of man, a reverence
for ourselves and a deeper reverence
for our neighbor. But, if in our
heart we feel that we are made OF
| better dust-that the Divine breath
III lie Is ulO1S O1N1llS d1O LIN ~
| glory and honor is, perhaps, Sc much
a little higher than the angels as to
lift us somewhat above the rest OF
mankind, then we cut ourselves OF
from sympathy with u kind and
lose the power to serve them.
If, then, we have proper concep-
tions of the possibilities in man, it
ought to be u pleasure to aid III
their development. Every helpful
Influence that we can set in motion
to strengthen and expand the God
given nature implanted in US, ought
to be employed, both for our own
upbu1ding and that of the world, OF
| which we form apart, and we should
remember that every step which Is
| taken by any portion of the ace III
the direction of a higher life, makes
its impress on all the race.
If it be true that he who makes
two blades of grass grow where only
one grew before, is a public bene-
factor. how much greater he who
arouses the sleeping moral and in
tellectual life, with all it's wonderful
capabilities, and gives impetus to
forces which, in ever widening cir
cles, shall go on forever, elevating
and blessing mankind.
The wise and patriotic men who
put their money in this building and
| the faithful teachers who here in
struct the youth of this community,
! stand side by side with the Church
as the great factors in the develop
lment Of the God-like in man.
[ recall one who for many years
went in and out among this people,
whose lifelong business it was to
teacr. who loved his work and de
lighted to see the intelligence dawn
ling in the eyes of his Students, who
stimulated their ambition and in
spired them with the love of know
ledge, whose affectionate soIicitude
followed them in after-life and re
joiced in their successes and grieved
over their m~isfortunes. Like sc
many of the noble army of teachers.
he died poor in this worlds goods.
but how rich in good works those OF
us who came under his influence cal
testify. [ should like to place 6
wreath of affectionate remembrance
upon his grave and call down g
lasting benediction upon this pionesl
| of education. Who shall guage and
measure the benefits conferred upon
a people by the life of such a man as
J. B. Williams? He gave his strength
to this great to which, if we
are ever to grow into the people we
can be, there must be an infinitely
greater devotion on our part.
We have a soil and climate unsur-
ipassed; we have the finest native
American population on the CONT
nent; we have resources that are
boundless, and yet with all these ad-
vantages, we allow rocky and sterile
New England to outstrip us III
wealth, learning and literature. One
of the original States of the Union.
and the one most devoted to liberty.
we have seen State after State ad-
mitted and have seen them surpass
us IN riches and power, and have
seen them take commanding places
in the councils of the nation, while
we have been content to bring up the
rear of the procession of common
wealths. When we seek the reason
for this it is found in the fact that
! the education of all the people is a
cardinal principle with these com
munities; when they started life as
political entities. no matter how
poor they were they made ample
provision for learning. They thought
heavy taxes were easily horne IF tha