Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-28

that experience in the Franeo-Prussian
war. when King William of Prussia said to
his officers: My boy, surely men did not
scale that height-pointing to the height
that is impossible Sire, it was impossi-
ble,' was the reply. but we did it 1 do
not believe that We appreciate the impossi-
BILE task We undertook last year. Fortu-
nately the bulk of thu anxiety could be
borne by myself; because of your very kind
and appreciative confidence there was no
need for troubling you with the anxiety; it
was very painful to me during the earlier
part of the year, for We were facing task
literally impossible. The only good thing
about 1t is that We have done it. 1t was
impossible, but we have done 1t. And 1t
has been done because of your interest in
the work, because you have responded at
every moment of every hour; because there
has been no meeting this year when 1
could not count upon more than respect
full interest. 1t has been a live interest
from the outset every Tuesday night We
have bean together. and / look back from
this night to the successive meetings we
have had this year with a very warm feel
ing growing up about my heart.
I'VE have a little more than comprised
the number of appointments the schedule
calls for. although it is here just at the
end Of March. did not know you would
be misled by the time into misconception
regarding this. but it is well enough that
we should understand that We have little
more than comprised the number of APP
pointments that We were under special for
mai obligation to attend, and if you have
ceased to attend the class from tais time
on you could not be held derelict in your
duty, because you could plead that the
course called for many hours attend
ance and you had already accomplished the
stipulated number.
Il feel exceedingly grateful to You, gentle
men, for the fact that you have found the
syllabus interesting; it has been a labor of
lcve-the making of it-and 1 have gone to
into With
faces very near to me in memory, and
when my hand has grown tired, as it has
sometimes, new life has come into it by
the thought of the men for whom the work
was being done. am speaking OF the work
OF preparation, when every burden has
been made joy. as i have thought of the
men whom it was my privilege to serve
from this platform. But 1 beg to assure
you that whatever the defects Of the work
which l have been Offering to you, they
have been defects of lack of ability and not
of lack of will; for after all those choice
words of Elizabeth the words 1 would
choose to leave with you. my fellow-studants
and friends. 1t was her last meeting with
the house of commons, and the great queen
said to them: Gentlemen, though you have
had and may have many princes more
mighty and wise sitting in this seat yet
you never had or ever will have one who
will be more careful and more loving
| Some day in the future when you wonder
| why separations come and why changes of
| plans are wrought out, l wish You would
recall the sentiments of good Queen Bess
| and credit them to my heart as well as to
hers, for a more careful and a more loving
| servant and friend and fellow-student You
| will not find, however much ADLER assistance
| may be brought to you; and SO thank you
gentlemen
| DR.. Whitmans response was greeted with
| long applause, and at the close of the hour
| he babe adeu to each member of the class
| in person and with them exchanged good
| wishes for the future. With his family he
| left Washington for Philadelphia this morn
| ing to enter regularly upon the discharge
| of his duties as pastor of the Spring Garder
| Baptist Church