Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-07-03
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Delivered by President John m.
Thomas June "a, 1909.
SALUTATORY,

dklHg inc HlOIe ioIlldl uuty you nave
ust assigned me, find it in my heart
o say word or two in response to
hese kindly greetings. And first, Sir,
b you. By whomever it may be ten
ered, no dearer honor can come to any
College man than the Presidency of
is Alma Mater. l count myself most
Apply that in receiving this high COM
mission l take it from the hands of
ne who for fifty years has rendered
onorable service to the Corporation
Middlebury College.
President B,afneyd. l shall never
ease to be grateful for the kindly and
ordial manner in which you have
velcomed me. / am here because
GU asked me to come, because you
lmmoned me to take up the burden
GU have sustained so honorably and
long. You were one of the first to
ress this duty upon me, and l know
aat in no manner can show my
tatitude more acceptably to you than
y successful endeavor to promote the
iterests of the College you have
Prved so well.
Doctor Mead, My honored class
late, l thank you for the pledge of
cooperation and goodwill in behalf
the Alumni of Middlebury. shall
eed their help, and 1 shall rely upon
in fullest confidence.
Professor HoWard. My teacher and
by friend, spokesman of united and
armonious Faculty, thank you
ON my heart for your assurance of
pyalty, which in the light of your
cord can not doubt. If any other
ollege stirs affection in deeper meas
re than our own Middlebury, / do
OF know it. With the passion and
atience of that affection we shall
ork together in the coming days,
boulder to shoulder, and the joy and
ward of our life, and full compen-
Etion for its burdens, we shall find in
le advancement of the work to which
put our hands.
MY friends. That may tell you
le spirit in which l undertake my
SIX, l ask your attention to the topic
Religion and Higher Education -;
ter in the hour l shall present the
bndition and needs of Middlebury
ollege, as l understand them.
ELIGION AND THE HIGHER EDUCATION.
Education is the outgrowth of the
Fligious spirit. With body frail and
(bject to a thousand perils, with
howledge and understanding sufi-
ent to but a trif1ing fraction of the
|ysteries that beat in upon his life,
18th the universe of the far stars and
(e mighty sun crushing him with its
Featness, man would yet rise in
ajestic self-assertion to the victory
the spirit over all things and forces
space and time. This heroic
hdeavor after permanence and per-
Pnal worth is Religion.
1t is an essential and primary act
man, the necessary expression of
e higher qualities that constitute his
anhood. A creature of dominion in
battling world, man must seek unto
overs above him. With heart that
III have the victory beating in
anne which returns to dust, he is
reed to faith for the maintenance of
5 very being. He will not be the
rtim and sport of things he seems to
and that will is the guaranty of
ligion, which is therefore part Of the
hbition of our manhood, as native as
niger or love.
Religion is not disinterested. The
wage seeks unto his fetch that he
hy attain power to conquer his
envy, or otherwise advance his inter-
Is. The heather in his blindness
WIS down to wood and stone, because
him the wood and stone are
mbols of the powers that control his
+. Even in its higher manifestations
d noblest form, Religion directs
elf unto the attainment of blessings.
I must seek beauty for beauty's
re alone. DhiloSoDhv must love the