The Topeka state journal., 1899-04-03
A TALK ON CULTURE.
Is AppIauded by the Chicago Audi
ence of DR.. Van Dyke.

Chicago, Ill, April 3-Studebaker Hall
was filed to the doors last night, the
occasion being the quarterly convoca-
ton exercises of the University of Chi
cago.
The address of the evening was de-
1ivered by Rev. Henry Van Dyke, D. D.,
of New York, his subject being De
mocracy and Culture" The eloquent
divine made a most favorable impress
sion upon his audience and frequently
was interrupted by outbursts of ap-
pIause. Some of his sayings follow:
I'VE believe that Democracy is right,
that it will triumph in the end; that
the magnificent experiment which is
now in progress in our country will re-
suit is a splendid success. But in our
material prosperity, our rapid ADVANCE
in mechanical inventions and the arts
of life, the wide diffusion of what the
old divines called creature comforts
and in the consequent good humor and
self-cOmplacency which prevail among
the different classes of society lies one
of our great perils.
"A tone of airy carelessness pervadeS
our political life.
Large powers are suffered to fall
into the hands of small and incompetent
men.
Our city government speaks with
various brogues.
"A republic must have moral and in
tellectual foundations. The corner stOne
of Democracy is culture. Culture must
begin and continue with a fine disre-
gard of pecuniary returns. 1t must be
catholic, genial, disinterested. Its OBJ
ject is to make the shoemaker go be-
yond his last. and the clerk beyond his
desk, and the surveyor beyond his chain
and the doctor beyond his prescription,
and the preacher beyond his sermon.
What we need at present is not new
colleges with a power of comforting de-
grees, but more power in the existing
colleges to make men.
Popular discomfort comes chiefly
efrom want of power to see the beauty
nd MT of world
simplest things in the natural charm.
''Nature-Iovers seldom are mob lead
erS.
s'Class-hatred,. the arrogance of the
newly rich, the stupid, blundering cruel
ties of those who grind the faces of the
poor arise where the faculty of imagi-
native sympathy has been smothered in
the Grass atmosphere of commercial
ism.
political manias and financial luna
cies and social hydrophobias are the re-
suit of a popular craving for swift ac-
tion without the trouble of steady
thought.
'It may be that the great Republic
has at last won the long-coveted and
boasted power to whip all creation.
But that is not the chief question of to-
day The chief question is, Has she
kept the power of conquer and rule and
guide herSelf?
'sThe present is no time to follow des-
tiny blindfold. The present is no time
to discourage sober thought, to stifie
free discussion or to appeal to the pas
sion and prejudice of the multitude.
Il believe that democracy as it is en-
bodied in this Republic is, next to the
Christian religion, the most precious
possession of mankind.
Il believe that it can be preserved on
1y under the light and leading of true
culture which makes the demagogue
ridiculous, the anarchisFt loathsome, the
plutocrat impotent and The autocrat i'm
possible.
L believe that the best culture is that
which makes, not selfish ard sour crit
les, but sane and sober patriots
Il believe that man has the right
culture unless he is willing to put his
clearer vision, his loftier imagination,
his deeper thought at the service of his
country and humanity"