Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-02
QhGEs ALL TO ENTER
KINGDOM OF LIGHT
Described as "Invisiblc Common
wealth, Which Outlivcs the
Storms OF Ages"
ARE THOUGHTS
PRESIDENT Butler, of Columbia Uni
81 vereity Tells Graduates There Is
& Something Uplifting in Ever! N"-
q cation, II We Look for II.

4 ITO the graduating classes Of Columbia
egfEntversity by President Nicholas Muir
Tray Butler on June .
Att Is our good fortune that there
s5are III America men who DO not permit
Sthe pressure of public service or OF pri
%sSate business wholly to separate them
from the intellectual life. Abou, n
Sduarter OF century ago group of
such men made a visit TO "a farm near
yPhnntom Lake. in Wisconsin. TIL" at
IA traction of the lake proved so allurirC
& and the occasion so enjoyable that thN
$yisit was repeated year after year. AT
sEeach OF these annual reunions some one
sFof the company read a paper for I'll"
y sinspiration and TO the delight of his
Il associates. Some twenty years ago AN
sSeloquent and scholarly leader OF tho
gsAmerican bar, who was weighted
Is heavily with professional responsible
Is ties. and who constantly rendered rota-
Esble public service. took as the subject
4 for one of these Phantom Club papers
1.-THE Kingdom of Light The little
Known essay which he then read is Il
4 priceless contribution TO American lit
Y erature. Like the almost equally un-
8 known essay OF John ]. Ingalls, on The
$SBlue Grass IL makes a sincere pow
Serful and gracious expression OF what
4 is best and most natural in the thought
ssof the unspoiled American.
The Kingdom OF Light as tho
writer Of thnt paper described it. is az
! invisible commonwealth which outlives
the storms of ages 1t Is n state who's
ornaments are thoughts. whose weapons
d are ideas. and whose trophies are the
pages OF the worlds great masters
3 Toward this Kingdom the steps OF HI,
associates were directed with suhtl5
guiding thought and with sinSularly
beautiful expression.
i To-day company OF youn4, men
\ and young women, numbered by hun
dreds and almost by thousands is abcu,
Ito march out from this great fortress
ssof the mind and soul TO undertake tho
!. invasion and the conquest OF life. |.
) beg OF you in that march TO turn your
footsteps constantly and untir!ncly to-
Z ward the Kingdom of Light Tho
world abounds III great cities. in b-out:
( plains. In rich mines. in ample oppcr-
tunities for what We call personal nnI
professional success. but all these arc
as dead sea fruit, II We have not founu
our way each one Of US, into the King
dom Of Light 1t Is douhly hard jus;
now to seek the protection and the Sc.
4 clusion OF that Kingdom. The world is
Sroaring round about us; the noise and
our ears and blinds our eyes II needs /
j patience. 1t needs courage. II needs r-a,
i character. at such n time e"cn 10 re.
member that there is Kingdom OF
Light and that wish to possess il. .
EFFORT WILL. BRING IS
49, TO KINGDOM OF LIGHT
~ Every possible excuse is always
ready 20 offer itself for leaving in
done those things that ought 70 hs
done. Lack OF time. pressure O. pruc-
S teal life. the needs OF the moment. all
eire urged as rcasons why we cannot
a.nake our way 10 the Kingdom Of
light and enjoy il IS we should like
to Go. After granting AL that may be
Justly claimed for lack Of time. after
granting all that may he urged on be-
half of the practical needs Of the mo-
ment. II remains true that The man who
allows his mental and spiritual nature
TO sAgnate ana TO decay docs not do
so from lack OF time or from the !
pressure of other things, but from lack
of inclination. To enter into the /
Kingdom of Light to live with rrcai
thoughts to enjoy the beauty OF let
y ters and OF art. 70 absorb the expert. /
: enee and to share the ambitions and |
tho hopes OF mai,H nd. t.s,!i this is
L primarily matter Of character and OF |
In tho way OF it's accomplishment are
too often sternly present. but they !
are far from insurmountaOle Effort |
persistent directed effort, will brink !
us quickly 10 the Kingdom OF Light
and keep us within its kindly govern /,
<ance.
''The philosophers rule the world !
4 and they always have ruled IL since |
philosophy began. The man Of action |
may not know what those ruling ideas |.
4 and purposes are. Nevertheless, they !
are there. and they arc ruling. They |
may be the product Of good philos- !
Fophy, or they may be the product of |
q bad philosophy. but OF some philos-
ophy they are certainly the product. !
! Ideas direct conduct. lie who has en- !
4 tered into the Kingdom OF Light !
& moves easily and in friendly converst. !
among Ideas. He chooses those that !
: he would have guide him In his daily
business. AT nightfan. perhaps, he
retireB within the quiet boundaries OF
this kingdom to refresh himself anew
by pondering. by weighing again those
thoughts that console and those
thoughts that elevate
There Is no such thing as a com
mon. humdrum or a sterile life unless
we make II SO ourselves The rainbow
s and the rose says my author. will
give their colors 10 al alike. Tho
sense Of beauty that is born in every
soul pleads for permission 10 remain
z there If we will but look for #,
. there is something cnnobling and nm
3 lifting In every vocation to which a
man can put his hand. Every activity
4 OF life has Its material aspect and Its
i spiritual aspect. !, has its result
s visible accomplishment, and II also ho.
+ its result In invisible mind building
will building and intellectual enjoy
E ment.
WILL REMAIN SEATED
UPON THEIR HIGH HILLS
Just now VIC have been spcak!n.
much OF little town on the River
Avon, town which, compared with
\ London. with Manchester. with Liver
I. pool 10 negligible in SIZE. but wc have
"A boon speaking Of Stratford because tho
IA