Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-09-25

utmost mette and do most glorlfy the |
artist. The world we tread has known |
the footsteps of Plato and Homer, of /
st Francis of Assist and st. Theresa of |
of Spain, and it calls for a manhood in
finitey superior to that of the mere
fighter The Galilean lived 1000 years
ago, and what is the blind courage of !
the soldier to his touch of little children !
and the example of his cross?
Some day, in some quiet laboratory, !
some patient student will discover a
serum that will work its way to the in
fintesmal organisms which no micro
scope has yet discerned, but which are
believed to be the cause of infantile
paralysis. In the laboratories of
research which have been so generously
established in recent years there is
room for a thousand workers who can
spend glorious life in ferretng out
the causes of human misery and dis
covering means of relief. Thousands
more will carry the benediction to
every community in the world, and by
thorough knowledge and trained hand
will minister health to their fellows and
win the rewards of high service for
themselves. Others will organize in
dustries and change whole country sides
from half titled wastes to scenes of
prosperity and har piness. Others will
enlist in civic and judicial reform and in
cnaial cartripa op1 bt-c 1oo, bivl md
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
call, but whether he have mind enough
and mettle enough to do the work which
beckons for his hand.
There are two things which stir my
wonder and surprise with relation to
the life and work of the human race:
first how much has been accomplished
since humanity emerged from savagery.
in civilization and art, in literatule and
science, in government and industry.
We have come long way, and we have
erected many noble monuments along
the road Yet have equal wonder that
so 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. Knowl-
edge that has glowed on the pages of
philosophers and scer lists for thous-
and years is still unapplied We have
only half made earnest with democracy
and our clumsy institutions and foolish
economic practices still deny to large
proportion of the race the right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
No nation, and scarcely an individual,
has yet dared the experiment of becom-
ing thoroughly and earnestly Christian.
The world is full to running over with
problems, and every problem is an
opportunity for many men.
A human life is just the chance during
brief period of time to find some place
as a worker and fighter for the bet ter
days to be. 1t is not worth the living on
any other terms Unless a man can find
some work in which he glories as his
own, unless he can enlist under some
flag that stands tor larger freedom of
life, he will find no reward for his labor
! confess have had moments when
have envied the young men called to
the colors in the great European war.
That were an easy and glorious solu-
ton of the problem of life-to rally to
the standard and to hold the line against
ali 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 fit our
selves to render the unobtrusive service
which in God S good time shall help to
build fairer world. ! challenge you in
this college to show in the duty appoint
ed to you here the same spirit of fight
which you would exhibit if your country
were in peril and if your flag were in
the trenches. ask you to make your
selves brothers of the 1000 men of
Oxford, in the verve and intensity you
put into your work, whether in class
room or on athletic field or in any other
sphere of our life together as a college.
A man can die better than facing fear
tul odds, for the ashes of his fathers
and the temples of his gods. Not if
that is his call! But if the good God
permits his to live for his country, not
to die for it. but to live for his country,
not for himself, he may die yet more
gloriouslv, hero in character and in
noble service for the good of his fellow