The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-12-08
Mrs. Elizabeth Embree Rogers

who have not laid the foundations Of
their greatness in early years.
Clarkson made the great renuncia-
tions Of his life, and outlined his
whole career, by prize essay when
he was an undergraduate. Wesley
, and Whitfield fixed their characters
while still in school. Wellington and
Lincoln won their victories by secret
study and reflection before they were
twenty-five. We all prefer TO study
the portrait Of Tennyson at 80 rather
than the Merlin.like face Of Tenny-
son the aged. We learn most by
viewing not the iron duke" who con-
quered Napoleon, but the Wellington
at Eton College who had It in him
to become the iron duke.
And a surprising number of the
great deeds Of history have been per.
formed by those who were nally
| young. Alexander accomplished his
conquest of the world before he was
80. Newton discovered the law Of
gravitation at "a. Bryant wrote his
Thanatopois at 10.
So when we speak Of Father Fee
and Father Rogers we must not sup
pose that they were always white
haired patriarchs. When Mr.. and
Mrs. Rogers came to Berea he was
90 and she 10, and Brother Fee was
then only AZ, and Mrs. Fee 81. Let
these youthful spirits speak to the
students who are here today and say
in the words Of Paul, "Let no man
despise your youth"
And let us think of this girl-yife,
as Rogers called her, in the real work
Of sacrifice and faith. Sacrifice and
faith are complementary virtues
you cannot have one without the
other. II meant more to her than to
her husband to leave the quiet, con-
ventonal pastorate, with its abund-
ant comforts and its sure support, for
this adventure for Gods Kingdom,
this enterprise that seemed sure to
fail, and which did fail, and fail
fagain as the world counts failure.
God gave to each Of the great men
Of Berea the one blessing which any
man would choose above all others,
beautiful, devoted, wonderful wife.
We know the story Of Fees court
ship. He attended a church meeting
where converts were being received
and heard Matilda Hamilton give her
experience. by Gods help" said
young Fee, ~ will win that girl for
my wife" And the soul that he had
seen revealed in that converts meet.
ing never disappointed him. And we
know President Fairchild's romance.
He was married at 26, but he had
chosen his wife at Is, and he and
Maria Babbitt were lovers for 81
years.
Young Rogers was teacher at
Oberlin, and Elizabeth Embree was
among his pupils, and In this reveal
ing intimacy they discovered each
others kindred life purposes.
Young Rogers and his younger
wife first boarded at the home Of
VIM. Stapp, in the house recently re-
moved from Jackson street, but
which then stood mile west Of the
campus. Daily the baby was brought
to a nearer house and left with a
neighbor while Mrs. Rogers conducted
the Foundation Department Of the
new school. They were at once taken
into the hearts Of the people and in
/, vited to visit both the high and the
humble, often spending one night in
the house of a wealthy slave-owner
and the next in q one-room cabin.
Later an abandoned Lighthouse was
found on Elizabeth Branch back Of
the present sit Of Knapp Hall and
here they set up housekeeping for
themselves. Mrs. Rogers said it was
the happiest day Of her life when the
cracks were chinked. the walls white
washed. the plank floor covered In part
with a rug, and she entered this man
sion as a home of her own In Ken
lucky. Later came the Rogers House
which we know, now greatly enlarged.
opnn.ita Tho Chapol