Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-27

address was the The Scholar in a
commercial Age.
The Speaker began by saying that
every age thinks itself remarkable.
Horace and Virgil were as much inn
pressed with the greatness of their
day as any one of us is with the
greatness of ours.
None the less even in our most
pesSimiStic moments are we convinced
that in one particular we surpass the
ancicnts. We call our age commercial.
It's most dazzling rewards are for its
captains Of industry.
Americans have every reason t. bt
proud of the share economic scholars
have had in the development of orr
public spirit Some Of us recall only
too distinctly when political economy
was a discussion of an alleged economic
man whose whole Interests were con-
cernrd with the production, the OK
change. the distribution. ana the con-
sumption of wealth. We can recall also
how into the dismal science that was
built IN about this man whose likeness
WAS never met on land or sea there
came the influence Of the teachers of a
a
sciologists who insisted that man is
moro than wealth ana that wealth
must do more for mankind. Laughed at
as theorists, removed from Office as
radicals, they went about their work
of creating better public opinion. Now
that this work has been in large meas
urc done. it is the duty for such men
and their Successors To- make plain that
the spirit in which reform should h"
undertaken is that which demands first
Of AL facts rather than rhetorical hys-
tcricS.
TIL" scholar must Civ" in Il CONNER
cial age 4 living exhibition of faith in
spiritual ideals. \ scholar has 4 right to
he proud. 1t * true his income is small.
The cost Of production Of Il scholar is
hiSn, I.'It his price is low. Along with
the minister the scholar must b~ 4
representative OF high thinking and
plain living in IN age that j.. APP to pr"-
fer plain thinking ana high living. His
must he that difficult optimism which
sees in life something more than COM
mercial success and without pulpit or
ritual breaches the Kingdom of TIE
Spirit.
Every age has hOn0rcl the men who
have thus stood for ideals. even Though
they have abused and killed thCm. In
decd. persecution is IN expression Of
the cstimat" of worth which the Attic
mans placed upon Socrates, the He
h"cWs upon the prophets. and tho
Christians upon HCrCtics. Iiut persocut-
ed or not the man who has stood for
the ideal has won and will win respect.
Today as always genuine idralism
goes hand in hand with poverty. SNUG
comfort is fatal to genius. DiScOnt"nt
is; the twin brother of idealSiu. He.
however. who would move an age out
from it's eolc-sHtsfied pursuit of crcl-
ture comfOrth must do something more
than scod.
The scholar stands for that which
every honest man, however Immersed
in the days work honors. The King
I0m Of the Spirit is till Judged higher
than The Kingdom Of Mammon. If that
lllgtr spirit is Somc day to reach that
ideal which the Master of us all de-
sci'iheG when He badc us by the use of
wealth prepare for eternal friendships.
it will in no small way be due to the
Scif-SacriiicP. To scholars along with
every ct hcr DISTINGUISHED lover OF truth
and humanity it will bc given to have
lart in that great Transformation in
which we are learning that it profits q
man nothing though he gains the whole
world ana loses his own soul.