Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-01-13
CORONATION ADDRESS.
Delivered by ". 7. Mayo, Esquire,
AT The Coronation Of The Queen
OF The Holly Realm, at KiImar-
mock, December 20th, 1907.
Your MAJESTY, LADIES AND GEN
TLEMEN:

TLEMEN:
Allow me in the outset to say
congratulate the people of this towr
and vicinity upon the conception Of
the unique ceremony that We have
met here to celebrate. 1t speaks oI
delicate and exquisite sentimental
ity, a just appreciation and a CRATE
full recognition of Gods great gifI
to the highest order of his creation
which is the conception Of life
apart from and above the mere
existence of brute creation.
While it is always a great pleasure
to me to visit this county, where ]
had my home for so many years, and
where / feel that | have so many
warm friends, it is pleasure mingled
with sorrow when / see the changes
wrought by the ruthless spoiler Time
There is feeling Of genuine salts.
faction that the earnest of the youth
of my boyhood days is being fulfilled
in the men of my manhood's time by
the marks of progress and improve
ment in highway aud in field, in
home and in mart, that / note from
time to time. But many familiar
forms and faces are gore forever, and
never more shall | feel their cor
dial hand. shake or hear their kindly
greeting. When we contemplate
scenes like these, my friends, We are
constrained to think seriously on
life's problem, and sometimes, unin-
voked, the question will arise, What
is all this worth? 'Tis futile ques-
tion, and no good can come from
dwelling upon it. have no disposi-
tion to indulge in metaphysical dis
cussion tonight. / would rather
choose to take my inspiration from
this occasion and talk to you of
Nature and its wondrous ways. You
do not need to be told that this is a
theme so vast and varied, that al
though we are but standing on the
door-sill of the great store house that
has stood open before us since the
beginning of man, the wondrous
revelations of its infinite variety that
have already beer made would over
burden the best intellect but to
name. Therefore, wlen l say that
/ would talk to you of nature and
its wondrous ways, / trust you will
take the statement with grain of
allowance, for it is one of the won.
drous ways of nature Created of in
the science of psychology, perhaps)
that men of my profession are prone
to making bold, broad statements,
and but plausibly maintaining them.
Those of you who have been led by
this announcement to expect q
learned and scientific discussion
shall be disappointed. / am nc
scientist, and the impressions that
shall bring you are but the ordinary
everyday impressions of ordinary
everyday people, common to all who
move upon the earth. When we look
upon the sunsets glories, or see the
evening star cast its first sharp shaft
through the twilight shade, or view
the effulgence of the harvest moon
we are not burdened with scientific
thought. We simply feel the salts,
faction that the harmony of it al
engenders. When we move amid
the sunshine and the shadows; when
we see the quickening earth in
springtime, and hear the songs OF
birds; when we mingle with its
blossoms, or tread the harvest fields
of summer, we feel and know thai
God is good and life is sweet. Wher
the learned men of science tell III
that this science teaches that sun.
shine is health, that in the fer,
furnace of nature is found the mos
powerful disenfectant that the dread
bacteria of disease can encounter
and that if we would find health anC
strength we must live close to Natur.
and be guided by its laws, we believ,
that they have laid hold of the ke,
of knowledge, and we are propelled
to view with apprehension the in
cfeasing tendency of our population
to crowd into the cities. 1t is to b,
deplored that life is to be narrowed
to the one all absorbing aim t.
accumulate wealth at the expense Of
manhood and womanhood. Yor
cannot, amid these surroundings, ge
the broadening influences that ar,
essential to the perfect rounding o.
character. The average man ot
business in the city is hemmed in b,
the narrow grove that leads from
dwelling to place of business. He il
condemned to view the world over hi,
own narrow little counter, to striv,
to measure the vast universe by hi,
own little yardstick, and to weigh
the mighty problems of the world OF
his own little scales. Things tha
have naught to do with his particula
line can have little or naught O,
interest to him. With the motiye
that actuate his customers he cal
have no concern. Men are good, O,
bad, according to how their account
stand balanced on his books. Hon
otx -