The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-11

so have turned aside from the beaten
track of commencement seasons TO urge
you to study present conditions ana take
a broad view of life and make the most
OF it's opportunities.
Not ONLY does your Alma Mater bestow
upon you her blessing and her penedlc-
ton. but she will follow you with ner
prayers. You have shown yourselves nom
orabie and worthy men and women ana
the faculty has become attached TO you
and you can always be assured OF thelr
personal interest in your welfare.
DR.. BROWNS ADDRESS.
The annual address by Rev. DR..
Brown was a very fine one, full OF
practical common sense advice. oucli
| addresses on such occasions can ouV
| do great good.
In course of his address the speaker
| emphasized the following facts:
l. Mere learning is no guarantee 10
| success in life.
There is no danger of learning TOO
much: the danger lies in the opposite
direction. But on the other hand II Is
possible to be very learned and still be
fool. Wrecks of this character lie
strewn everywhere upon the broad arena
of life. Their lives were wicked, selfish
and worthless; their learning, instead of
being blessing, had proven curse A
little heart and a big head produces a
conceted pedant who is sure to obtain
the contempt of friends and foes. This
big-headed foolishness is despicable, and
| whoever is thus diseased is failure from
| the beginning"
| 2. Learning without wisdom is futile.
Education to be profitable must be
| supplemented with wisdom Wisdom is
common sense-knowing how to direct tai
| ents to the best ends. The world is full
of theoretical men who gladly give free
advice and yet they are stupid doors, I'M
practicable in their plans and failures IN
| their undertakings. Such men are one
| sided and spend much time trying to make
square pegs fit round holes. They may
have enough book theory to fill library
| but not enough common sense to make
living
g. Learning without concentration is
unavailing.
1.-The most brilliant are not the most
successful. Definite and practical knowl-
edge directed to a definite and practical
end counts much in the game of life. Con-
| centration and not 'scatteraton' is the
key to success. Focalize your talents and
your strength and the solution to vic
torious life will no longer remain mys-
| terious.
a. Learning without character is moth
| ing.
Character lies at the foundation of all
that is worth having in life. 1t is vast
| ly greater than wealth, learning or
genius. 1t gives opportunity for the proper
exercise of these. Brains represent pow
er, but character is capital. Brainless
men are to be pitied but men without
| character are to be feared. Character is
coin that passes in all the markets of the
world at par value. 1t is truly the sim
gle gold Standard it has no siXteen-to-
one rival. None questions it's validity or
objects to it's circulation. This happy
combination brains and character must
be incorporated into life to- insure en-
during success"
5. Learning without Christianity is dan
gerous.
Strictly secular high schools and col
/ leges are hot beds for free thinkers.
I They breed skeptics, atheists, socialists
and disturbers of the public peace. I
fear to trust my freedom and close per-
sonal interests in the hands of men who
fear not God, who respect not the Coll
den Rule and who wilfully ignore the
sublime truth of Revelation that God
made of one blood all the nations of the
earth. The politicians of today are dan
gerous leaders, not for the lack of learn
ing or moral character, but for the lack
of genuine Christianity in their lives"