Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-01-21

" oFOASWoh Nalup Calieu the meeting
TO order, A prayer was offered by
Chaplain Thos. P, Hay, pastor of the
First Presbyterian church, after which
the orator of the day, DR.. Andrew
Sledd president Of the University Of
Florida, was presented by the chair.
DR.. Sledd, who is regarded as one
OF the most eloquent, most earnest
and most impressive speakers in the
State, seemed to be at his best upon
this occasion, delivering one Of the
most instructive and interesting lee,
lures or addresses II has ever been
the pleasure of our people to hear.
DR.. Sledd, at the beginning, desired
to impress upon his hearers the. I'm.
portance OF such an occasion as E06s
one, which he felt specially honottd,
on account OF It's significance and tna-
portance, to address. He felt 1t a spe-
cial honor, at any time and at any
place and under any circumstance, to
reverence the name of such a man as
him of whom he was about to make
some brief illusions,
Carlyle says, Happy the people
whose annals are blank in history
books" began the speaker; this is
true II the annals be a clog, but
false II the annals be an inspiration
1--WE approach this as season Of
inspiration. The inspiration of
great mans life is best derived and
enforced, not by the study of single
phases Of his character or the special
circumstances of his career but by the
study OF the fundamental principles
of conduct which are given character,
or special circumstances may illus
trate and enforce.
I'VE need a wider basis Of contact
and sympathy; hence propose a con.
slderation of the great general princi'
pies underlying the character OF one
OF Americas greatest heroes, Robert
Il. Lee.
mo biography is really needed Of
this beloved, upright, Christian man OF
his people, but by way OF parenthesis
l may mention that Robert f. Lee
was native OF Virginia born In West
moreland county on January 10, 1907.
He was graduated from West Point
In 1929, and served under General
Scott in Mexico. We are all familiar
with his noble record In the cause
Of the ConfederaCy in the bloody and
strenuous campaign, from 1861 to So.
After the surrender he went as
president Of Washington College, Wiz
ginia, where he served with valor and
faithfulness from 1866 to 1870, In
which year he died, October 2"
Following this brief allusion to the
life Of Lee, the speaker made several
references TO his life and character
both as a soldier and a citizen, and his
remarks in this direction were at
times most touching. He declared
that a man may be- great man, but
not a great soldier; he might be o
great soldier. but that DID rot neces
sarily mean that he would be great
man. but General Lee had them both
entwined In his bosom and he wa
regarded as both a great man and
great soldier
What is greatness the speaker
asked. 1T is not physical or material
not purely intellectual. Greatness
must involve certain elements OF char
acter which we call virtues. Great
ness is the possession and expression
of the highest virtues, which are 10
telligence, bravery, justice and self
control. Virtue has very wisely
been defined as power OF Will base'
on rational understanding.
Dr. Sledd spoke particularly TO thu
young people in abiding 70 the SOW
ing Of wild oats" He desired TO I'm
nress upon the minds Of the younI
men and women especially tn
> former-that the old theory that the!
must SOW their wild oats was an
surd and mythical, for u was no
| necessary that they should have an
wild oats" among their seed. What
soeyer We soweth. That Shall We Ais
psan" he brought IN AZ this Doin
| very impressIyely A. surely a.
voung man sowed his Wild oats q