The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-21
LEARNED ADDRESS.
DR.. Judson's Dis
course on Matthew
Arnold.
SPEAKS TO GRADUATING CLASS.
Reception to Distinguished
Clergymen at Principal
Abercrombie's Home.
SPEAKS TO GRADUATING CLASS.

The Grafton to the graduating class
of Worcester Academy was delivered
in Walker hall last evening by Rev.
DIR. Edward Judson of New York, at
the head of Judson Memorial Church of
New York.
The following members of the junior
class acted as ushers: c. F. Batcheller,
w. j. Cooper, John Daniels c. V. Dean,
A. R. Keeline, 1. F. Orr, Robert Norris,
K. N. Robins a. Lapham.
Principal D. w. Abercrombie intro
duced Rev. DR.. Judson, the students
rising in a body to greet him. The
speaker announced his theme, Mathew
Arnold, or symmetrical development"
He said in part:
Matthew Arnold's personality at
tracts and charms AS a man and
poet, his delicate touch will be long felt
In human thought. Wordsworth seems
TO have been his favorite poet, and like
Wordsworth he came close to natures
heart His poetry drew its inspiration
from nature rather than from art. AS
far as we can discover, he had little
love for music or for painting. Ar
chitecture and sculpture deeply i'm
pressed his mind but his heart found
its deepest calm in nature.
His chief characteristic compassion
for the sorrows of his fellow creatures
the lower animals is one of the high
water marks of civilization. a part of
that fund of altruism deposited in HUI
man history by the man of Nazareth.
Matthew Arnold was a kind of pan
theist. Nature was his God. A silent
energy was his inspiration in work.
sort of high priest of nature, as he was
the druidical temperament was soft
ened by sympathy with humanity. He
will always be read because he puts
into classical form the souls saddest
moods. He finds us when our spirits
are their lowest ebb Such men COM
fort us, not SO much for any positive
truth they offer, as because they have
felt our mental pain, and interprets us
to ourself, just as a cool, soothing hand
on a fevered brow is more than medi-
cine.
Matthew Arnold stands close by our
side as we meet. For years he endured
the pain of Strengthened circumstances,
the small salary he received as school
inspector scarcely meeting the wants
of refinement and scholarship. 1t is
pathetic to observe how often in his
letters he alludes to the cost of living.
While trying to convert the beast of
Philistinism, he is haunted by the fear
of dying in a ditch or a workhouse at
the end of 1t all.
1T was his personal acquaintance
with poverty that qualified him to ex-
press the sorrows of the poor
He grew old reluctantly. With his age
| as with his poverty, the first pinch was
the sharpest MOurnful premonitions of
death often appear in his letters and In
his poems. His plaintive misgivings re-
garding age and death are in strong
contrast with the iron hopefulness of
Browning. Beside his love of nature and
sympathy with man, one cannot fail to
| note the ethical strain that pervades
the life and writing of Matthew Arnold
| Conduct he puts first and makes it
| three-fourths of life. All his work is
| tinged by moral seriousness.
Self-renunciation out of love for
| others he taught to be the secret Of
Jesus. 1t was this that he admired and
stroVe to initiate in his father of whom
he writes: This is just what makes
| him great-that he was not alone a good
man, saving his own soul by righteous
ness, but that he carried so many others
with him in his hands, and saved them.
If they would let him, along with him
| self"
| 1t has truthfully been said that Mat
| thew Arnold in his own characterize
| ton Of Marcus Aurelius unconsciously
| described himself. His moral strivings
are never cold or stoical They are 1T
| up always with religious emotion. He
| VIII live longest as a poet. His educa-
| uonal work had value and he was
| prince of literary critics, and he was
| faultless in taste and unerring in iudg-
ment. He was social reformer and ar
| apostle of culture. He undertook, also.
to be a religious reformer, but when his
| opinions on many subjects will no long
er be asked he will still be read as a
| poet, the interpreter of nature to man
and of the soul to itself.
He launched phrases which ever Lord
| Beaconsfeld said was a great achieve
ment. and some of them became an IN
tegral part of English speech.
Matthew Arnold's moral quality-his
blameless life-dces not produce in our
minds the conviction that a Christian
lty out of which should be evaporated
| all faith in the supernatural and n
| personal God, would endure and would
meet the ethical needs of our race. His
| life makes upon us the impression of
unrest III health, domestic sorrow. ago,
| impending death, all these produce q
gloom unillumined by any hope of I'M
mortality
| he loved the will. he did the deed:
| Such love shall live, such doubt is dust
| He served the truth he missed the cream
| Trust him TO God, dear is the trust
At the conclusion of the address. the
| students applauded Rev. DR.. Judson
| and an opportunity was afforded the
/ members of the senior class TO meet the
| speaker at Principal Abercromb ie's
| house. Principal and Mrs. Abercrombie
were assisted in receiving by Miss Edith
| Abercrombie, Vassar College. 'O1. ana
the following classmates who are visit
| ing her: Miss Edith Schmidt. of san
! Francisco; Miss Bees Berger. Miss
Eleanor Gregg of Pittsburg Pa. Miss
Alice Howe of this city.
Miss Abercrombie and her classmates
were handsomely gowned, and with the
| decorations of class colors and en-
blems of the graduating class of Wor-
| cester Academy, lent vividness to the
| scene. Rev. DIR. Judson was elected a
honorary member of the class of 'e9
Worcester Academy.
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