Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-10-01

/ big heart beating off the seconds OF your
| cffusive existence Worse still you ma
| he nothing but an abstract methemati-
! clan. or an impractical linguist, or a nea =
sighted biologist or an uncultured engr-
| Ger, or boorish farmer or a bookish
teacher, or narrow-gauge doctor. Worst
OF ALL YOU may be only n constituencies
/ tradesman or an INSCRIPTIONS lawyer, or
| theological preacher, or a fanatical
| reformer, or polished roue, or a veneercd
charlatan, or a staggering politician, ur
n pictistic Christian.
Physical lop-sldedness. intellectual ono
sidedness and moral Observation-Disclosures are
the fashions of the times. Docs that
sound like the wall of a cynic or the
lament of pessimist? Well. it is neither.
1t would be the attitude of an inexcusable
reactionary to take the position that the
former times were better than these lat
ter days 1t is the part of wisdom, how
ever, to recognize tendencies In order, II
possible. to avert ultimate misfortune II
| Is because of my profound desire that
you who are native to Skitzland shall in
vest your initial gifts or primary perfect
tion so that your maturity may be guar
anteed a usury of increased symmetry
that | venture to warn you against the
calamitous consequences certain to follow
the contemptuous neglect Of any of your
| Godgiven capabilities.
| In some respects this is the best day
| humanity has seen since the daybroak
| of time, but failure to recognize n per-
ncous drift may ultimately check the
forward march Of civilization If, indeed
1t does not give 1t n backward turn, Each
generation of men Is responsible to sue
ceedinE ages for the transmission of an
augmented patrmony. II does not follow
because we have advanced beyond our
forebears that posterlty will he the bet
ter on our account. II depends altogether
| on the way In which we regard our cana
bilities whether tomorrow is to he better
than to-day. If we minimize the value
of a single human power We may be well
| assured that those who come after us will
pay the penalty of our disregard That
was very happy answer given by a GER
tain ambitious boy on his way to college.
To an older man in pride of heraldry in
curing who the boys ancestors were,
the youth made prompt reply II haven't
got any ancestors; I'm going to be an an
cestor." Fortunate indeed is that young
person who can point to an honorable
lineage, provided only he improves on his
inheritance of physique and character and
culture He who does not strive earnestly
to move forward from the point where his
parents left off Is miserable coward.
The boy who loafs on his fathers achieve
ments is unworthy OF a good pedigree. He
will be "A poorer ancestor than his com
rade who, without any bequest of fame,
position or circumstance. filings his every
capacity into action to make his presen.
all that ii may he so that the future shall
have no call to offer apology for him.
1t is burning shame that any physical
or spiritual endowment should he mis-
treated by neglect. Skitzland is a disrep-
utabl country because of the repulsive
uEliness Of its older nhabitants, deformed
on account of a maturity defrauded by
youth that ignored the supreme worth of
proportion.
Waxland seems hideous at first glance
because Of the pathos of race of chill
dren born short" but acquaintance
makes it increa singly beautiful because
of the unceasing strife for individual per-
lection and the steady stride toward
universal excellence Skitzland will be-
come the land of faultless beauty when
new born generations resolve to cultivate
their weaker parts without aba ndonment
OF obligation for the development of those
that are stronger
1t Is the glory of our country that Amer
lea and opportunity are synonyms. "All
things are yours" and it Is monstrous
wrong to preach that the poorest and the
humhlest among you should be denied
the privilege of developing every natural
power in bringing 1t as near as may he
to its proper contamination. Honor and
shame from no condition rise; act well
your part there all the honor lies" says
Pope. Because You We're born on a farm
that fact does not mean that you should
be forever prohibited from knowing any
thing save horses and COWS and swine
Certainly that was not the limit of Sen
ator MOrrills ambition for the farmer
boys OF Vermont and the nation. He orig
mated the agricultural college that the
sons and daughters of farm homes In
America might be insured the satisfaction
of the larger culture and the greater skill
that. prior to his day. had been the ex-
elusive rights of those born in the more
populouS centers. Future enerltion.S
will rise up and can Justin s. Morrill,
blessed. No Skitzland neglect was the
ideal of that man of vision. 1t was his
hope that many of our promising youth
from the farms would go back to bless
rural communities with their acquisition
Of culture, and that is our hope to-day.
II | have said nothing about moral one
sidedness 1t Is not because there Is no
need for a danger signal at that point.
In truth there is greater need of warn
ing against specialization in morals than
against physical or intellectual speclalza-
alive to-day praying with himself and
saying God, | thank thee, that am not
as other men are extortioners, unjust.
adulterers, or even as this publican. I
fast twice in the week; | give titles OF
all that l possess" How easy It is for
older men to delude themselves into think
ing that the tithes they give will grant
them exemption from the penalties of the
oppression they infict 1t is easy for
young people to become victimizcd of
their own sophistry and to conclude that
specialized goodness in one direction will
abundantly atone for specialized badness
In many other directions.
The only people born short morally
are the degenerates. Are you willing to
admit that you belong to that class? If
not be careful that you do not seek to
balance up your character by offering
honesty as atonement for profanity and
unclean speech. Do not base your hope OF
eternal salvation on industry If you do
not keep yourself "unspotted fron the
world" Dare not to think yourself de-
cent because you wear a polished exterior
while at the heart center you are rotten
hypocrisy.
The Great Teacher did not condone evil