Year: 1866

fear, too much appreciated by our whole
country but praise, even but partially
deserved, tends to stimulate to extra
exertion, both physically and morally,
particularly the young and lhope and
pray that every one who is now within
the sound of my voice may experience,
as have, the truth of these remarks,
and derive that pride and satisfaction
which are sure to attend all those who
conscientiously strive to do right and
benefit their tellow-men. All of you,
my young friends, should aim at high
mark in this respect, and undoubtedly
many of you, members of both sexes,
will arrive at distinction in society.


"But neither my regard for truth
nor past experience will Justify me in
promising any one of you that great
success which has ever attended me;
scarcely one in any age attains to it;
and feel most sensibly that it is only
by the guidance and blessings of my
Heavenly Father from early life to my
present advanced age that [ have been
enabled to accomplish so much for the
purpose of laying the foundation for
the physical comforts of the needy, and
the promotion of knowledge and NOR
ality for the present and future gener-
ations.


GAS you advance in life you will
find that years will appear short in
comparison to those occupied by your
studies at the present time. This is
my second visit to my native land for
thirty years, and the period appears
brief to me :; time and generations pass
most rapidly. Ten years ago last week,
on beautiful autumnal day, l ad-
dressed, from the front of this Insti-
tute, the scholars Of the Danvers
schools, numbering, think, over seven
teen hundred, and l then said to them,
I would bid you remember that but
few years will elapse before you will
occupy the same position toward your
own children which your parents now
hold toward you. The training you
are now receiving, therefore, is pre-
cious talent, for the use or abuse of
which each one will be on future day
be called upon to give an account
This language, my young friends, l
wish equally to apply to you now, as
then applied it to them. Where are now
that assemblage of nearly two thousand
scholars? In this short space of time
1 doubt whether fifty of them occupy
the place of scholars here to-day.


Many of them have become hus-
bands and wives, and nearly all
have entered upon the duties, the cares,
and anxieties of more mature life. You
have taken the places which they occu-
pied in 1S56, and by the great centennial
celebration of the birth of our glorious
Union, in 1875, they, your fathers,
mothers, brothers, and sisters, will
have taken another step forward on the
stage of life, and you will take the
places they now fill.


''Be prepared for that important
change while your present high privi-
leges of learning remain open to you.
On the 9th of October, 1856, l did not
anticipate the pleasure of being here at
this time, but God has graciously per-
mitted me, living beyond the allotted
limit OF threescOre years and ten, to re-
turn and enter upon the realization of
hopes and plans which l have enter
tanned for many years.


"And to endeavor to show my graf
care by taking further and wider action
in extending to the inhabitants of my
native town, of my native State, and
my native country, not only for the
present generations but to those who
will appear and act upon the stage of
existence in future ages, the means of
mental culture and moral improve
ment.


cat my advanced age 1 cannot ex-
pect again to meet you, collectively,
and it is to me saddening thought,
for though since addressed your pred
ecessors at the time 1 have mentioned
[ have met many assemblies of children,
and to some | have spoken, founded on
long experience, words of simple ad-
vice and caution yet in none on either
side of the Atlantic can feel so deep an
interest as in the children of the schools
of South Danvers. They seem init
mately associated with thoughts of my
childhood and early youth they take
the same lessons, they occupy the same
Fairgrounds, and their feet tread the
same paths over which I once trudged
to school.


"With such feelings, therefore, 1
earnestly exhort you, my dear young
friends, to strive by your present ad-
vantages to prepare yourselves for a
life of usefulness in the responsible po-
sitions which you are to fill to honor,
and, if necessary, protect and support
your parents to never depart from the
path of honor and integrity and, above
all, remember yonr Creator in the days
of your youth, and when you are old
He will not forsake you.' Farewell