The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-11-28

Speaks.)
/ gave you peace for strife
| who still felt, in fortunes
smile or frown,
Too much the burden Of mans
busy life
To wear the scholars gown.
| loved the lords of art,
All godlike sons of thought, all
muses. pure,
And built them here a hallowed
shrine apart,
For rule and rest secure.
Here-let the tumult rage!-
Toll need not be all toll nor
grief all tears;
Here youth may win the tram
quill light of age,
And age forget its years.
Wherefore these royal ones
Whom | received with robe and
anadem
Made room for me on their be-
nlRnanC thrones;
| reign as one of them.
"Dear friends, / know how un-
worthily | have performed the
task that was assigned me, but l
have done it in the spirit of love
of gratitude and love; and I
know | can rely upon your love to
fill up what is wanting in the pic
ture, and to build for the future
as our benefactors, in those bygone
days we are recalling, built for US.
Only we must not think to build on
intellect alone. Our founder did
not. He relied on the things of
God; and the speakers review of
the volumes waiting for perusal
began with the Word of God. We
have just had, for all the world,
lesson in the futility of merely hui
man discipline and learning. We
have just been taught in the most
awful fashion that the more men
know, and the more skill they have
the more dangerous they are, I'M
less they are moved by that pure
love of God which is the only
fountain of wise and helpful love
of men. In January, 1914, Prussia
was the best educated country in
the world. Among her population
she had a smaller percentage of
illiterates than any other country
less than one per cent. Upon
that subject l need say no more.
at was coming twilight" said
my predecessor so years ago, as
he was ending his account of his
pilgrimage through the alcoves-
down below. at was now coming
twilight, a time of day when one
sees and hears some indistinct
things most distinctly. 1t was not
difficult to know that Dante was
sitting in alcove T and singing
there his mystic, unfathomable
song" Well, Dante is still singing
there, and this year, the fiftieth
anniversary of his coming to al
cove F is the six hundredth ami
versary of his departure from this
earth, and once again the earth has
done him homage. The coincidence
may serve to remind us that how
ever times and habits of thought
may veer and change, the nature
of the human soul, and the spirit
ual universe in which it lives, re-
main forever the same. Our guide
among the books was our guide in
many other things, and some more
vital even than books. Not all In
ant are these sublime words with
which the mighty Tucsan poet
closed the first grand division OF
his strain: -,
"The Guide and I unto that hid
den road
Now entered, to return to the
bright world;
And without care of having any
rest
We mounted up, he first and l
the second,
Till I beheld through round
aperture
Some of the beauteous things
which heaven doth bear;
Thence we came forth to rebe-
hold the stars"
During the address Judge Stat
ford was frequently interrupted by
applause and warmly congratulate
ed at its close. At this time Mr.
Brooks spoke of the substantial
gift of Mrs. Isabel Fairbanks Far
we'll towards the endowment fund.
the income of which is being used
to buy juvenile books. He also
spoke of the useful DIRK of Char
les II. Horton as one Of the trIs-
tees, and how we'll he entertained
the children at the afternoon gath
ering. All were then invited to the
art gallery for a social hour. Here
were gathered the librarian, the
speaker of the evening the trus-
tees, including Albert l.. Farwell
and Miss Theodore F. Willard,
both of Boston, all of whom were
most cordially greeted by their
many friends.
The snacious reading rooms
were gaily decorated with flags
and bunting and on the Librarians
desk was the Caledonian contain
ing the account of the dedication
so yaers ago. This was read with
interest by many visitors. Near by
was the guest book and all present
sipned their names in this inter-
esting book.
Cofurdaxy oftarnnon Athanaaum