The times., 1901-05-02

! United States is today the finest product
of adj time. sound at the heart and full of
life. II is the centre of the best hopes OF
mankind. and on its action depends the
future history of the race. Against its
will, suddenly and without pre-view. it has
been led out into a large place where a 5
always. great responsibility and great op-
portunity stand waiting hand in hand.
Naturally, the conservative and the
timOrous shrink back. but the nation has
heard the trumpet which can never sound
retreat and as nation it must go for
ward. II could not turn back If it would.
but IT would not If it could. 1t remem-
beTS the wonderful way in which ii has
| been led in the past the years of the
right hand of the most high. and sees
| through the fogs of doubt and the thickets
OF difficulty the clear opening of the path
of duty.
AT this impressive moment you, the
FIRST graduates of Gallaudet College in the
| twentieth century, step forth from this
sheltered and scholarly place, so com
Portable, SO agreeable into the activities
of the outside world. which are now stern
ana again sweet. and always stimulating
| II not satisfying. AS thoughtful men and
1 women realizing that having had excep-
I Jl0ndl preparation you must render ex-
ctptional service, YOU ask yourselves what
you are TO do in this great hour of our
national life You feel the fine desire of
an the best American youth to strike a
tull and telling blow You are ambitious
tc make your mark, and. believe, to do
your duty fully and faithfully What
OF the United States? You may not be-
come soldier or a sailor. a merchant
adNenturer. or a scientific explorer You
may not be asked to carry the flag of
your country to new triumphs abroad
Your name may not be destined for the
ifroll of fame. Nevertheless. every one Of
you may as perfectly serve your country
with high purpose and honorable achieve
ment- The private station may be the
post of honor. 1t will be if that is where
you are called to stand, in common with
f.fT,
Then. as the battle line may depend upon
It's weakest member, so the States sue
cess may turn upon your fidelity in the
humb!est place.
THE nation is simply the men and wo-
men who compose it. 1t viii be what
they are and every one of them is re-
sponslDle for one share in its well-dping
ana weil-being. Therefore, you, every one
OF you. must maintain as though you
Were the President of the United States
the honor, the credit OF your country at
home and abroad. To do this most effec-
lively You must support the standard of
ITS high ideals by conforming your own
lie TO them. They are the ideals of
Christianity They have been said to be
too high for unaided human nature to
follow. And this is so But YOU and /
believe in God the Father Almighty and
That he Is able and willing to aid us to
live up to the ideals he has given us.
We cannot have too high ideals. too
noble purposes, under the new demands
which nave come upon our country and in
ing with them. Materialism. now sweep
ing over the earth like a food, will drown
all ideals and purposes which are not
high. And it behpoVes us as lovers of
our country to make a stand for all that
has ennobled its past and that has prom
lsed glory for its future More is eXacted
now OF every American, because more is
eXacted of America. We do not need
more Americans. but we need that every
American shall be more Of a man or wo-
man TO meet the new conditions OF our
national life at home and abroad.
Yet our country. yes. our God, asks
nothing unreasonable Of us.
What asks our Father Of his children save
Justice and mercy and humility
4 reasonable service of good deeds,
Pure living. tenderness to human needs
Reverence and trust, and prayer for light 70 see
The Masters footprints in daily waysI
No knotted scourge, nor sscrifcial knife,
But the calm beauty of an ordered life
Whose every breathing is unWorded praise.
Let us not shrink back from this rea-
sonable service which viii be the best
that we can render to the Fatherland, as
we render it to the Father Let everyone
OF Us say from the heart:
And as the path Of duty is made plain.
May grace be given that ] walk therein:
Not like the hireling for his selfish gain
With backward glances and reluctant tread
Making merit OF his coward dread
But cheerful in the light around thrown,
Walking as one to pleasant service led:
Doing Gods VIII as if IT my own
Yet trusting not in mine, but in his strength
alone!
The speech was translated by Prof. Ed
ward A Fay.
Wu Ting-fang. the Chinese Minister. was
then introduced anu spoke briefly as fol-
lows:
Il must confess that I am a little bit
nervous talking to such audience. /
have never before spoken to an audience
of deaf people, besides. ] don't like a man
near me making signs. Referring to Prof
Gallaudet, who was transating for the
benefit Of the deaf mutes. Lots of people
hear. but do not understand. You under
stand, but you do not hear. 1t is a great
deprivation TO lose a sense. but ii is US
ually compensated for By the auickeuing
Of other senses, such as touch and sight
You graduates should be glad that you
are not going to be bothered by the noisy
streets of American cities 1t is good to
be deaf sometimes ] am most pleased
with what l have seen, and / hope that
the work may be carried out into our
The final benediction was delivered by
the Rev. Thomas Gallaudet, d. D., vicar
Of St Anna's Church for deaf nutes in
New York
Those present on the platform were
President GailaHdet. Lewis J. Davis
the Rev. Byron Sunderland, the Rev. DR.
namlin. the Rev. II. Pierce, pastor Of All
Souls Church; ]. A Kasson, a former
director, Commissioner .Macfarland, Min
lister Wu Tiugfang, and the entire faculty
OF the college.
An interested spectator in the audience
was Mrs. Wa, who watched with a great
deal of interest the sign language as IL
was spoken. At the close of the exercises
the guests Of the college were allowed to
visit the various departments in the build
ing. and investigate the methods used in
teaching the deaf