The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-03-08

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
NOTES..

Pres. Tucker, at Vesper service
on Sunday, said in part: ~
speak to you this evening about
the moral danger of living in an
interesting world. The world in
which we are living, is of supreme
interest to us. To millions else
where, and to thousands upon
thousands in our own country.
this is world of struggle rather
than of interest, but not to us.
To us the world is full of enter
prise and adventure and inven-
ton, the results of which come be-
fore us in ceaseless combinations
of men and things. The world
is alive with exciting action, both
of work and play; and whatever
the world is thinking and doing,
it is reproducing for us in graphic
form, the interest of which is in
tensified by the fact, that the
things which we see, or of which
we hear, are matters of daily dis
cussion.
Obviously, one moral danger of
living in such a world, is that we
shall become spectators, rather
than actors. A good many people
are doing more interesting things
than we can hope to do. We easily
form the habit of watching them,
ratter | an % attentilg to ouI
own duties. People visit cities as
on lockers. A great many people
who live in cities, live there for
no other reason than that they are
more intent upon seeing, than
upon doing. Over against what
appear to be the complex oppor-
tunities of the city for individual
work, stands the objection which
can fairly be urged, that the city
tends to lessen individuality, be-
cause of this habit of which | am
speaking.
Evidently, also, there is a
moral danger growing out of the
loss of the sense of proportion.
Interest in any thing, is no test
of it's value, even to us. You put
some matter of common duty be.
fore a man, and he puts it aside
with the apparently unanswerable .
excuse, that it does not interest |
him. When a man makes his ex-
cuse, it is only right and fair that
he should ask himself: What does
interest me? Ask yourself this
question. What things in any
newspaper interest you most?
Where are your interests, not
only in your reading, but in your
associations, in your activities,
in your ambitions? Are they any
test of the value of the objects
with which you are concerned?
Marcus Aurelius said: every
man is worth just so much as the
things are worth about which he
busies himself" That saying is
only a half truth. A man may
make the things about which he
busies himself, worth infinitely
more than their face value, hut
even as a half truth, the saying
is worthy of your consideration.
By far the greatest moral danger
of living in an interesting world,
lies in the fact that we may be-
come unable to find satisfaction
in the demands of the inner life.
There is no other source of salts
faction in the demands of the
inner life. There is no other
source of satisfaction, than that
which is to be found in the treat
ment of the inner life. We may :
be interested, but we can never be
by living entirely in the
outward. We pity the man who
by nature, or by circumstances
seems shut up within himself. {
Let us learn also to pity the men, ,
even if it be ourselves, who have :
shut the doors against {
themselves, so that they are no g
longer able to enter into the deep s
places of their own lives. Let v
every man learn how to keep the q
way open from this outer world,
with interest and ex- :
element, appealing also to duty, :
nto the inner chambers of his n
OWN soul. Interest in outward d
Kings may be great quickening p
md stimulating force, but the T
,reat words which reach the ear D
If the world, and the great deeds d
which touch its heart, have come, II
md always will come, from men s.
Who speak and act by the impulse n
II authority of their own souls" a
The college and town were b
,iven the opportunity for a treat, n
arely possible, so far from our
.reat cities, in the hearing of
1Ozarts beautiful Quintette in A h
laj., BeethOven's Quartette in D a,
naj. and SpOhr's Monet in f b.
nal, rendered by ten of the Bos- IL
on Symphony Orchestra, last VI
Wednesday evening. al
Several students are at present IL IL
Onfned in the hospital, two or NJ NJ
hree very ill. fl
Holy Communion was observed is
4 College Church last Sunday, Sc
everal prominent students being IN
into membership. de