Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-07-06

back. We may pay and we should pay
our tribute to the past. But the eternal
v~erities will endure-the Eternity of God
the immortality of the soul-the power
of the endless life. When the New Eng
land college, when this college, no longer
believes these things and no longer by
precept and example teaches them, the
New England college and this college
with It's influence and its power will also
have passed away.
The college of The future should give a
broad and generous scholarship. Litera-
ture. art, science. religion fidelity to all
truth should mark it. All lines of truth
are cOnverging highways that lead to
God. Fear it not. Art is long. Know
ledge multiplies. a liberal education to-
day means much more than it meant a
hundred years ago. But still if it is to be
liberal it must not be narrowed too soon
into the poverty of specialization. a
college may pay too generous and too
willing tribute to the clamOrOus eXactions
of of this mortal life. And the college
of the future should teach the love Of
country and the duties of good citizen
ship. 1t should not teach a blinded
fetishism that says to the evil of IA party
platform, "be thou my good 1t should
make good citizens because it makes
good men. Young men should not be
made TO believe, nor be permitted to
believe. that politics is simply a field for
Individual ambition to wrestle in or that
public Office is simply big game TO stalk
for the excitement of the hunt and the
personal glory of a great kill. But they
should be taught that public Office is in
deed a public trust-nOt n prize for some
supreme egotist to clutch, hut a crown
fnr comm hnrnh1a haad tn v.foar nd fho
college of the future should teach the
solidarity of the race. the brotherhood of
man. Every year the world Is fuller,
and every year the competition for
work and place grows swifter and more
fierce. Must it be that with this in
creasing struggle men must grow more
savage and relentless, like wild beasts
growing over white bones in a Jungle:
| will not believe it. Against the adj
vocates of the strenuous life that would
trample a pitiless way to selfish success,
let the college interpOse with lessons OF
gentleness and pity. Against the cynic-
ism of ambition and selfishness let the
college put unselfshness and the loye OF
God. They have the experience of the
relentless world. they have the AFRO
gance of success, but we have the
blessing of Heaven and the brave heart
Of generous youth, and on it the Ameri.
can colleges in the coming years may
write their will.
Peace IS not only the ideal but it Is the
normal state of society. Wars are not
the rule but the exception. TO fit young
men for the peaceful pursuits of life is
the function of the college. Creative
genius Is of q higher order than the
savage instinct of death and destruction,
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build up is better than to tear down.
Man has not yet tread out Of his nature
the faint of the savage. the lust of con
quest and the thirst for blood. The bar
barrie splendor of shining arms and clash.
ing steel AID rolling drums and the
thunder of the charge have still their
charm, but nevertheless peace aud not
war is the ideal and the normal life. We
do pray give US peace in our time" and
We look forward TO that promised day
when the nations shall learn war &C
more. Is that the vision of a dreamer
the dream of a poet, or the promise OF
God: l. il her fife on this dull life,
Well there is left the danger of carrying
cups of water to them who die of pesti
lence. and there remains the excitement
of giving bread to them that starve.
The work of this college In the future a,
in the past is not TO teach the sacrifice Of
slaughter or the acts of war, but rather
TO teach the science of constructive lit,
and the arts of peace 70 make good mel
and wise men who shall not only make
an impress upon their own time bu
upon all time TO come; to make scholar,
who shall master the wisdom of the pas.
and mould it into blessing for the comins
age: 10 make statesmen who shall solv,
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