New-York tribune., 1900-11-21
THE OLD AND NEW CENTURY.
THE REV DIR. NJ R. VINCENT SPEAKS
ON NINETY-SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.


The hall of the New-York Historical Society. in
Second-ave.. Eleventh-st.. well filled last
evening when the Rev. Dr. Marvin r. Vincent de-
uyered an address for the niney-sixth anniversary
OF the society. Nicholas Fish presided in the abb
sence Of John Alsop King. the president of the
society, whose Illness referred to in a resolu-
ton Of sympathy. The gift of a handsome silver
vase containing roses by Mr.. Kings daughter. was
acknowledged by the society in the passage OF an
other resolution. On the platform with the chair
man and the speaker OF the evening were Marquis
de ApezteguIa the Rev DR.. Eugene Hoffman. F.
Robert Schell. John T. Tucker. Frederick W. Jack
son and Sidney II. Carney, jr., the secretary An
opening prayer was offered by DT. Honman. and
then DR.. Vincent was introduced.
After some Introductory remarks IN which a
tribute was paid to the valuable services OF the
Historical Society few salient points OF contrast
between the of 1904 and The America Of 1860
We're given. Dr. Vincent then announ ed the theme.
The Old and the New Century He said in part:
While it is difficult draw the lines sharply be-
tween peTlo1s 81 b e cenirv o of demolition
and acquisition, while the new century seems IKE
y 10 be eeqTy century OF oes many new and difficult
question of the triumphant vindicauon of democ
century is how individual liberty. allowed It's fun
coEmmonWeath in which the liberty Of the lnd
vdual and the interest of the body polite shall be
The factor of this problem which. during the last
century, has been pressing 10 the front Is the Prin
nation has been suffered live an isolated life
10 the great body OF na5ions THIS Vas ,be H.
SSd1ea B5J6es t6e R Romans. the scilians and by
Engiand's contact with India, Australia and
Ar We Of tbs have ea
been into it by our m ihs foreign amen
in our The The raGe mo aTn is
form in which We have 10 confront the questions
growing out Of points m OF Is is
no longer possible AS the wealthiest nation in the
the Ter World. we cannot be economically Isolated. We
cannot be geographically Isolated while INES or
into Contact with very ends OF ne earth II it
wealth and power is being shifted from the At,
ianc the Pacific as once It was transfeTred ans erred
Ing of the isthmus canal Of itself viii throw us
into +b the Pnrifc and we cannot be politically
isolated long as P%S gne ana d tbrT in in
the Pacifc and its adjacent lands the question Is
bv the Slav or the Anglo Saxon we must have a
voice in the settlement am glad that we naTe We
play definite part in the commonwealt9 Of na- ma
lions There and no m large ' bore Iy m n shapnr the
civilization. the commerce; the intercourse "f Inc me
the greatest security, and the most nrmy a estaa-
Wr 9He have much to say about the projection Of re
and property and the laws Of social morality We
have much TO do on the line Of education IN sell.
rovernment have part IN seeing to It that that
the arts ard refnr@nts of cTi@ann IA sha rowtb Nth
while their development Is regulated by the hr"ao
itv It is for assist In fostering the nstitu;
tons of relirion. TO further the development OF
Here is a new and practically houndess field, not
only for statesmanship hut for philanthropy. TOT
science, for religon for hterary culture II L 0cT
problems. 1t is for MS not to give up the pr9nIr'
hut to enlarge adjust the system. our fathers;
aParoa 81 [Ta'nS 6y or " unanr conatfon WSirh hHT could
not foresNe. We have had no experience In ool3nal
nolcv2 r. do not know. let va 20 to schonl.
One Of the host things that car hanpen TO the
American Nation is 70 become convinced thae st ~
does not know everything. This is not our hrst
exDnrience with untrfed problems.
DR. Vincent then touched the task which
awaits the new century in the settlement of the
great question OF labor and capital and on the
promise md the danger in the development or
literary class, urging the application of high cut
ure to politics Omens of good could be detected in
the reserve power of the American people and, the
influence of religion. The religious sentiment eX-
pressed itself to-day in forms. The demand
religion keep its hands off from politics was
an impudent demand. Religion and its teachers
had legitimate and active relation to anything
in any region which involved moral issue. Every
American citizen who feared God and held by the
moral standards of Christianity should have MS
eyes open black chasm. the growing menace
the sanctity of the marriage relation and 10 the
consequent integrity and social influence OF the
family life, which the very foundation stone
of national prosperity. ~.
generation would not be permitted to go far INTO
the century. The vast and imposing POSI- sh
bilitieS of that new era would unfold uh1er ti.e
hands OF other generations. But we could cheeE-
fully make over to them best achievements IN
the assurance that they would better them anu
rise on them higher things: could at
tach to them best expectations for the wel1aTe
and hope with all hearts that they might enjoy
more know more, and achieve more than hdu
fallen to our lot