Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-30
DR.. Moxom's Address.

DR.. MoXom said, IN part:
Culture, In the true sense of the term,
concerns every one who would make the
most of life, both for enjoyment and for
service, and it Is inseparably connected
with religion.
THAT by many this is not clearly under
stood, even among those who are in the
pursuit of education, is shown by the
prevalence of two mistaken ideas. The
first Is that culture is something apart from
serious and practical life. A true idea Of
culture will correct this mistake. 1t is no
veneer of esthetic accomplishments laid on
the outside of our natures, but quality
of our whole intellectual and moral sub
stance.
1.-THE second mistaken idea, closely re-
lated to the former, Is that culture, how
ever desirable, is attainable only by the
few. Many aspire for knowledge and the
technical training which will Mt them for
doing remunerative work in the world who
do not dream that they may become in the
highest sense the possessors of culture.
That is relegated to the few fortunate per-
sons whom birth and circumstance elect to
be the intellectual aristocracy of society. A
true idea of culture will correct this notion
also
I'VE need to discriminate between culture
and education, the latter is commonly
understood. Within the past quarter of
century there has been an immense increase
IN the general appreciation OF eQuCdIlOH-
Beneath this movement is the idea that
education is the privilege and the right,
not of the few, but of the many; 1t is
good for all the people. As political power
and privilege have been surely passing
from the few to the many, so education
has been moving out of the hands of the
learned professions and becoming the
heritage of the multitude Not long since
higher education was for boys only; now it
is also for girls, and Vassar, Wellesley,
Mount Holyoke Smith, Bryn Mawr, Rad
cliffe, Barnard and other girls colleges are
overlooking with students, while many uni
men.
The Requisites.
I'm order to have true culture it is not
enough to know the best things in art and
literature. One must have power of spir-
itual perception and the disposition to APP
prove excellence in the sphere of the moral
as well as of the esthetical. To judge an
action rightly is higher and finer exercise
of the mind than accurately to estimate
the artistic merit of a picture or statue
To appreciate the real quality Of character
is more important than to appreciate the
literary value of a poem or novel. In It's
highest form the moral Judgment coalesces
with the esthetic judgment, for the beaut1
full is fnseparable from the true and the
good.
How shall this culture be attained? BY
seeking a more perfect development of the
whole nature. AS culture of the intellect is
attained by the acquisition of knowledge,
the exercises and patient discipline of the
mental faculties and the companionship OF
the best books, pictures and music, and the
best minds; as culture of manners Ia at
tained by the cultivation of noble and gem
erous sentiments. the practice of courtesy
and kindness, and companonship with the
pure and refined so culture of the soul,
that culture which In Its wide sweep In
cludes all graces and strengths of charac-
ter, as well as deep and sure moral in
sights, is attained by our resort to the
source of all good-that is. God-and COM
partnership with Jesus, the exemplar of all
virtues, and with those who In character
and life most resemble Him."