The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-09-24
APPEALS TO DEEDS
BY COLLEGE MEN
President Thomas Of Middlebury College
Compared Chances in Peace to
Those in War.


feet on Great Britain, concluding with
the assertion that there may be as great
works in peace as in war.
President Thomas said in part:
"But we were told long ago that he
who ruleth his spirit is better than he
that taketh city, To subdue the brute
within us, to develop manhood pure
in heart, keen in mind, and strong IN
soul, there is more than to stand behind
great guns. To do constructive work
| for ones country is as noble as to defend
the flag. The men who make the coun-
| try worth saving, for the beauty OF its
common life and the nobility of its
ideals, stand in equal honor with those
who rally to its colors in its hour OF
need Ii is indeed more difficult to find
ones work of service for the world,
something large and hard, and to get
ready for it by earnest, trying labor
through many patient years, than 1t Is
to serve ones country when recruiting
office is in every city, and the soldiers
march in every street Just because it
ia harder, it is also more noble, and It
builds the larger man. For the soldier
after all is a barbarian, and he practices
primitive virtues.
"Men welded the war club milleniums
of years before they founded hospitals
and schools, before they learned by pen
and brush TO paint the glories of the
mountains and the sea, before they
searched the depths of the human spirit
and learned the likeness OF man and
| God II is the later arts Of humanity,
| the arts of the mind and the inspired
soul. which call for the utmost mettle
and do most glorify the artist. The
world we tread has known the footsteps
of Plato and Homer of st. Francis OF
| Assist and ST. Theresa of Spain, and
ii calls for manhood infinitely superior
to that of the mere fighter. The Cali
leean lived 1000 years ago, and what is
the blind courage OF the soldier to his
touch Of little children and the example
of his crossf
"Some day, in some quiet laboratory,
some patient student will discover a ser
UNI that will work its way to the in
| finitesimal organisms which no micro
scope has vet discerned, but which are
believed to be the cause of infantile pa
Iralysis. In the laboratories of research
which have been so generously estab-
lished in recent years there is room Tor
a thousand workers who can spend y
glorious life in ferreting out the causes
of human misery and discovering means
of relief. Thousands more will carry the
benediction to every community in the
world, and by thorough knowledge and
trained hand win minister health to
their fellows and win the rewards OF
thigh service for themselves. Others will
organize industries and change whole
countrysides from half-tilled wastes to
scenes of prosperity and happiness.
Others will enlist in civic and judicial
reform and in social service, and by clear
thinking and resolute doing will purge
the earth of myriad of deep-seated
corruptions and abuses, and thus hasten
the day of equal justice and opportunity
for all. The world is full OF opportunity,
full of need, and the only question is,
not whether one may find chance and
a call, but whether we have mind enough
and mettle enough to do the work which
beekons for his hand.
"There are two things which stir my
wonder and surprise with relation TO che
life and work OF the human race: First,
how much has been accomplished since
humanity emerged from savagery, in'cir-
ilization and art, in literature and sci
ence, in government and industry. We
have come long way, and we have
erected many noble monuments along the
road. Yet | have equal wonder that 80
much remains to do. We are yet only
half men. We know so little, and we
practice SO much less, of the things
(which might make life glad and good.
Vices which were exposed in all their
hideousness centuries ago still claim
their victims by the myriad. knowledge
that has glowed on the pages OF phllos-
ophers and scientists for a thousand
wears is still unappled. We have only
half made earnest with democracy and
our clumsy institutions and foolish econ
lomic practices still deny to large pro-
portion of the race the right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
No station, and scarcely an individual,
has vet dared the experiment OF becom-
ing thoroughly and earnestly Christian.
The world is full TO running over with
problems and, every problem is an OPP
portunity for many men.
"A human life is just the chance dur
ing a brief period OF time to find some
place as worker and fighter for the
better days to be. II is not worth the
living on any other terms. Unless a
man can find some work in which he
elories as his own, unless he can enlist
under some flag that stands for larger
freedom of life, he will find no reward
for his labor. | confess / have had mo-
ments when ] have envied the young
men called to the colors in the great
European war. That were an easy and
a glorious solution Of the problem OF
Ilfe-to rally to the standard and ito
hold the line against all odds. But that
is not permitted US. We are called to
something harder and higher, in this
place of lowly quiet TO quit ourselves
like men and TO ft ourselves 10 render
the unobtrisive service which in God a
good time shall help to build a fairer
world. challenge you in this college TO
show in the duty appointed TO you here
the same spirit Of fight which you would
lexhibit II your country were in peril and
III your flag were in the trenches. | ask
YOU TO make yourselves brothers Of the
900 men Of oxford. in the verve and
I;,ts,sfsx- xro.y Fut into your work wheth-