The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-11-04


have to do in their generation, we
may be l1indering their real useful
ness. But notwithstanding mistakes
that are inseparable from 4ll human
endeavors. the collective wisdom Of
the people, assuming specific form in
the plans of the leading educators Of
the country, is not likely to go very
far wrong in the selection of that edu-
cation, which is most closely related
to life.
This institution, another period Of
the history Of which we are making
today by the dedication of Holland
Hall, is a Lutheran college. It is
appropriate that we inquire how far
we are carrying out the ideas
of our great teacher Luther, in
modern education We will
let another a Presbyterian. President
Robert Ellis Thompson, tell us what
these ideas we're:
ITO the reforamtion. and espec-
tally to Luther, popular education
owes very good impulse. In some
sense we may say it began at that
date The claim put forth that the
Bible should become the peoples
book, and the efforts to circulate new
translations of it, as we'll as other ed
flying books, involved, as a correla-
tive, general effore to make the new
literature accessible to the common
people by general diffusion Of
knowledge. But Luther aimed at
diffusing national education that
should be truly such. In his appeals
to the German cities urging them to
set up good schools mot such as
have been heretofore. where lad
learned at his Donatus and his Alex
ander for twenty or maybe thirty
years, but never learned them
especially pleads for the general study
Of 1etters-"good poets and histories"
and for the formation of city IL
braries of all sorts Of good books as
the complement of the school system.
He would have the chronicles of their
own country hold prominent place
in these collections He would thus
provide not only a competent body
of educated men for the service Of
the church and state, but also "a
plenty of fine learned, rational, hon.
orab1e, we1l-brought-up citizens" as
"the best and costliest possession Of
city"
There we have the ideal that is still
before us "a plenty of fine, learned,
rational. honorable, well-brought-up
citizens" May Newberry give many
more such to state and country as
we'll as to the church.
These thoughts came to my mind
while rejecting Of the application Of
the idea contained in the description
of David's life as serving of his
generation, to the great work of ed
ucation. And that text was sug-
gested to me while thinking of him,
whose name this building is to per-
petuate,> if indeed it needs any such
means of perpetuation. I will now
explain why I thought it suitable
thing to speak from it. I heard
President George ". Holland
preach on it once here in Newberry.
Again 7 heard him preach on the
same text, when he delivered the bac-
calaureate sermon at South Carolina
college, at the time he received from
that institution the degree of D. D.
In that sermon he gave expression
to his ideal of life. He earnestly
strove to serve his generation, and
he did it; and so he proved himself
we'll educated man and an educator.
Can we bestow greater encomlum
upon him than to denonlinate him:
Zone who served his generation?"
Nav the college he loved, for
which he labored, and in whose ser
vice, he died, ever be animated with