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diff --git a/old/69531-0.txt b/old/69531-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9ea559a..0000000 --- a/old/69531-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4776 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Advice to young men and boys, by B. B. -Comegys - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Advice to young men and boys - A series of addresses delivered by B. B. Comegys to the pupils of - Girard College - -Author: B. B. Comegys - -Release Date: December 12, 2022 [eBook #69531] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN AND -BOYS *** - - - - - - ADVICE - TO - YOUNG MEN AND BOYS - - - - - [Illustration: _Stephen Girard._] - - - - - ADVICE - TO - YOUNG MEN AND BOYS - - _A SERIES OF ADDRESSES_ - - - DELIVERED BY B. B. COMEGYS - MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF CITY TRUSTS OF PHILADELPHIA - - TO THE PUPILS OF THE GIRARD COLLEGE - - - ILLUSTRATED WITH - Six Photogravure Portraits on Steel - - - PHILADELPHIA - GEBBIE & CO., Publishers - 1890 - - - - - Copyright by - GEBBIE & CO., - 1889. - - - - - PREFACE. - - -In January, 1882, I was appointed by the Judges of the Courts of Common -Pleas of Philadelphia to the Board of Directors of City Trusts, which -has charge of Girard College, having for some years previously, by the -kind partiality of President Allen, been on the staff of speakers in -the Chapel on Sundays. My interest in the Pupils was of course at once -increased, and ever since I have given much time and thought to the -moral instruction of the boys. - -From the many Addresses made to them I have selected the following -as fair specimens of the instruction I have sought to impart. Some -repetitions of thought and language may be accounted for by the lapse -of time between the giving of the Addresses, not forgetting the -well-known Hebrew proverb, “Line upon line――precept upon precept――here -a little――there a little.” - -The word “Orphans” as used in the will of Mr. Girard has been defined -by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to mean boys who are fatherless. - -The book is published in the hope that it may be the means of helping -some boys and young men other than those to whom the Addresses were -made. - - 4205 WALNUT ST., - _November, 1889._ - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - STEPHEN GIRARD AND HIS COLLEGE. (Introductory) PAGE 9 - - HOW TO WIN SUCCESS “ 25 - - LIFE――ITS OPPORTUNITIES AND TEMPTATIONS “ 39 - - ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM WELSH “ 51 - - BAD ASSOCIATES “ 59 - - ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD “ 69 - - THE CASE OF THE UNEDUCATED EMPLOYED “ 79 - - WILLIAM PENN “ 99 - - OUR CONSTITUTION “ 113 - - JAMES LAWRENCE CLAGHORN “ 129 - - THE LEAF TURNED OVER “ 143 - - THANKSGIVING DAY. (November 29, 1888) “ 155 - - ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT ALLEN “ 169 - - A YOUNG MAN’S MESSAGE TO BOYS “ 179 - - A TRUTHFUL CHARACTER “ 188 - - - - - LIST OF PHOTOGRAVURE ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - STEPHEN GIRARD _Frontispiece._ - - B. B. COMEGYS PAGE 25 - - WILLIAM WELSH “ 51 - - JAMES A. GARFIELD “ 69 - - JAMES LAWRENCE CLAGHORN “ 129 - - PROFESSOR W. H. ALLEN “ 169 - - - - - STEPHEN GIRARD AND HIS COLLEGE.[A] - - INTRODUCTORY. - -[A] This introduction is taken by permission from “The Life and -Character of Stephen Girard, by Henry Atlee Ingram, LL. B.” - - -Stephen Girard, who calls himself in his will “mariner and merchant,” -was born near the city of Bordeaux, France, on May 20, 1750. At the age -of twenty-six he settled in Philadelphia, having his counting-house -on Water street, above Market. He was a man of great industry and -frugality, and lived comfortably, as the merchants of that day lived, -in the dwelling of which his counting-house formed a part. He was -married and had one child, but the death of his wife was followed -soon by the death of his child, and he never married again. He lived -to the age of eighty-one and accumulated what was considered at the -time of his death a vast estate, more than seven millions of dollars. -One hundred and forty thousand dollars of this was bequeathed to -members of his family, sixty-five thousand as a principal sum for -the payment of annuities to certain friends and former employés, one -hundred and sixteen thousand to various Philadelphia charities, five -hundred thousand to the city of Philadelphia for the improvement of -its water front on the Delaware, three hundred thousand to the State -of Pennsylvania for the prosecution of internal improvements, and an -indefinite sum in various legacies to his apprentices, to sea-captains -who should bring his vessels in their charge safely to port, and to his -house servants. The remainder of his estate he devised in trust to the -city of Philadelphia for the following purposes: (1) To erect, improve -and maintain a college for poor white orphan boys; (2) to establish a -better police system, and (3) to improve the city of Philadelphia and -diminish taxation. - -The sum of two millions of dollars was set apart by his will for -the construction of the college, and as soon as was practicable the -executors appropriated certain securities for the purpose, the actual -outlay for erection and finishing of the edifice being one million nine -hundred and thirty-three thousand eight hundred and twenty-one dollars -and seventy-eight cents ($1,933,821.78). Excavation was commenced May -6, 1833, the corner-stone being laid with ceremonies on the Fourth -of July following, and the completed buildings were transferred to -the Board of Directors on the 13th of November, 1847. There was thus -occupied in construction a period of fourteen years and six months, the -work being somewhat delayed by reason of suits brought by the heirs of -Girard against the city of Philadelphia to recover the estate. The -design adopted was substantially that furnished by Thomas U. Walters, -an architect elected by the Board of Directors. Some modifications were -rendered advisable by the change of site directed in the second codicil -of Girard’s will, the original purpose having been to occupy the square -bounded by Eleventh, Chestnut, Twelfth and Market streets, in the heart -of the city of Philadelphia. But Girard having, subsequently to the -first draft of his will, purchased for thirty-five thousand dollars the -William Parker farm of forty-five acres, on the Ridge Road, known as -the “Peel Hall Estate,” he directed that the site of his college should -be transferred to that place, and commenced the erection of stores and -dwellings upon the former plot of ground, which dwellings and stores -form part of his residuary estate. - -The college proper closely resembles in design a Greek temple. It is -built of marble, which was chiefly obtained from quarries in Montgomery -and Chester counties, Pennsylvania, and at Egremont, Massachusetts. - -The building is three stories in height, the first and second being -twenty-five feet from floor to floor, and the third thirty feet in the -clear to the eye of the dome, the doors of entrance being in the north -and south fronts and measuring sixteen feet in width and thirty-two -in height. The walls of the cella are four feet in thickness, and are -pierced on each flank by twenty windows. At each end of the building -is a vestibule, extending across the whole width of the cella, the -ceilings of which are supported on each floor by eight columns, whose -shafts are composed of a single stone. Those on the first floor are -Ionic, after the temple on the Ilissus, at Athens; on the second, a -modified Corinthian, after the Tower of Andronicus Cyrrhestes, also at -Athens; and on the third, a similar modification of the Corinthian, -somewhat lighter and more ornate. - -The auxiliary buildings include a chapel of white marble, dormitories, -offices and laundries. A new refectory, containing improved ranges -and steam cooking apparatus, has recently been added, the dining-hall -of which will seat with ease more than one thousand persons. Two -bathing-pools are in the western portion of the grounds, and others -in basements of buildings. The houses are heated by steam and lighted -by gas obtained from the city works. Thirty-five electric lights from -seven towers one hundred and twenty-five feet high illuminate the -grounds and the neighboring streets. A wall sixteen inches in thickness -and ten feet in height, strengthened by spur piers on the inside and -capped with marble coping, surrounds the whole estate, its length -being six thousand eight hundred and forty-three feet, or somewhat -more than one and one-quarter miles. It is pierced on the southern -side, immediately facing the south front of the main building, for the -chief entrance, this last being flanked by two octagonal white marble -lodges, between which stretches an ornamental wrought-iron grille, with -wrought-iron gates, the whole forming an approach in keeping with the -large simplicity of the college itself. - -The site upon which the college is erected corresponds well with -its splendor and importance. It is elevated considerably above the -general level of the surrounding buildings and forms a conspicuous -object, not only from the higher windows and roofs in every part of -Philadelphia, but from the Delaware river many miles below the city and -from eminences far out in the country. From the lofty marble roof the -view is also exceedingly beautiful, embracing the city and its environs -for many miles around and the course, to their confluence, eight miles -below, of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. - -The history of the institution commences shortly after the decease of -Girard, when the Councils of Philadelphia, acting as his trustees, -elected a Board of Directors, which organized on the 18th of February, -1833, with Nicholas Biddle as chairman. A Building Committee was also -appointed by the City Councils on the 21st of the following March, in -whom was vested the immediate supervision of the construction of the -college, an office in which they continued without intermission until -the final completion of the structure. - -On the 19th of July, 1836, the former body, having previously been -authorized by the Councils so to do, proceeded to elect Alexander -Dallas Bache president of the college, and instructed him to visit -various similar institutions in Europe, and purchase the necessary -books and apparatus for the school, both of which he did, making an -exhaustive report upon his return in 1838. It was then attempted to -establish schools without awaiting the completion of the main building, -but competent legal advice being unfavorable to the organization -of the institution prior to that time, the idea was abandoned, and -difficulties having meanwhile arisen between the Councils and the Board -of Directors, the ordinances creating the board and authorizing the -election of the president were repealed. - -In June, 1847, a new board was appointed, to whom the building was -transferred, and on December 15, 1847, the officers of the institution -were elected, the Hon. Joel Jones, President Judge of the District -Court for the City and County of Philadelphia, being chosen as -president. On January 1, 1848, the college was opened with a class of -one hundred orphans, previously admitted, the occasion being signalized -by appropriate ceremonies. On October 1 of the same year one hundred -more were admitted, and on April 1, 1849, an additional one hundred, -since when others have been admitted as vacancies have occurred or to -swell the number as facilities have increased. The college now (1889) -contains thirteen hundred and seventy-five pupils. - -On June 1, 1849, Judge Jones resigned the office of president of the -college, and on the 23d of the following November William H. Allen, LL. -D., Professor of Mental Philosophy and English Literature in Dickinson -College, was elected to fill the vacancy. He was installed January 1, -1850, but resigned December 1, 1862, and Major Richard Somers Smith, of -the United States army, was chosen to fill his place. Major Smith was -inaugurated June 24, 1863, and resigned in September, 1867, Dr. Allen -being immediately re-elected and continuing in office until his death, -on the 29th of August, 1882. - -The present incumbent, Adam H. Fetterolf, Ph.D., LL. D., was elected -December 27, 1882, by the Board of City Trusts. This Board is composed -of fifteen members, three of whom――the Mayor and the Presidents of -Councils――are _ex officio_, and twelve are appointed by the Judges -of the Court of Common Pleas. Its meetings are held on the second -Wednesday of each month. - -It has been determined by the courts of Pennsylvania that any child -having lost its father is properly denominated an orphan, irrespective -of whether the mother be living or not. This construction has been -adopted by the college, the requirements for admission to the -institution being prescribed by Mr. Girard’s will as follows: (1) The -orphan must be a poor white boy, between six and ten years of age, no -application for admission being received before the former age, nor -can he be admitted into the college after passing his tenth birthday, -even though the application has been made previously; (2) the mother -or next friend is required to produce the marriage certificate of the -child’s parents (or, in its absence, some other satisfactory evidence -of such marriage), and also the certificate of the physician setting -forth the time and place of birth; (3) a form of application looking to -the establishment of the child’s identity, physical condition, morals, -previous education and means of support, must be filled in, signed -and vouched for by respectable citizens. Applications are made at the -office, No. 19 South Twelfth street, Philadelphia. - -A preference is given under Girard’s will to (_a_) orphans born in -the city of Philadelphia; (_b_) those born in any other part of -Pennsylvania; (_c_) those born in the city of New York; (_d_) those -born in the city of New Orleans. The preference to the orphans born -in the city of Philadelphia is defined to be strictly limited to the -old city proper, the districts subsequently consolidated into the city -having no rights in this respect over any other portion of the State. - -Orphans are admitted, in the above order, strictly according to -priority of application, the mother or next friend executing an -indenture binding the orphan to the city of Philadelphia, as trustee -under Girard’s will, as an orphan to be educated and provided for by -the college. The seventh item of the will reads as follows: - -“The orphans admitted into the college shall be there fed with -plain but wholesome food, clothed with plain but decent apparel (no -distinctive dress ever to be worn), and lodged in a plain but safe -manner. Due regard shall be paid to their health, and to this end their -persons and clothes shall be kept clean, and they shall have suitable -and rational exercise and recreation. They shall be instructed in the -various branches of a sound education, comprehending reading, writing, -grammar, arithmetic, geography, navigation, surveying, practical -mathematics, astronomy, natural, chemical, and experimental philosophy, -the French and Spanish languages (I do not forbid, but I do not -recommend the Greek and Latin languages), and such other learning and -science as the capacities of the several scholars may merit or warrant. -I would have them taught facts and things, rather than words or signs. -And especially, I desire, that by every proper means a pure attachment -to our republican institutions, and to the sacred rights of conscience, -as guaranteed by our happy constitutions, shall be formed and fostered -in the minds of the scholars.” - -Although the orphans reside permanently in the college, they are, at -stated times, allowed to visit their friends at their houses and -to receive visits from their friends at the college. The household -is under the care of a matron, an assistant matron, prefects and -governesses, who superintend the moral and social training of the -orphans and administer the discipline of the institution when the -scholars are not in the school-rooms. The pupils are divided into -sections, for the purposes of discipline, having distinct officers, -buildings and playgrounds. - -The schools are taught chiefly in the main college building, five -professors and forty eight teachers being employed in the duties of -instruction; and the course comprises a thorough English commercial -education, to which has been latterly added special schools of -technical instruction in the mechanical arts. As a large proportion of -the orphans admitted into the college have had little or no preparatory -education, the instruction commences with the alphabet. - -The order of daily exercises is as follows: the pupils rise at six -o’clock; take breakfast at half-past six. Recreation until half-past -seven; then assemble in the section rooms at that hour and proceed to -the chapel for morning worship at eight. The chapel exercises consist -of singing a hymn, reading a chapter from the Old or New Testament, and -prayer, after the conclusion of which the pupils proceed to the various -school-rooms, where they remain, with a recess of fifteen minutes, -until twelve. From twelve until the dinner-hour, which is half-past -twelve, they are on the play-ground, returning there after finishing -that meal until two o’clock, the afternoon school-hour, when they -resume the school exercises, remaining without intermission until four -o’clock. At four the afternoon service in the chapel is held, after -which they are on the play-ground until six, at which hour supper is -served. The evening study hour lasts from seven to eight, or half-past -eight, varying with the age of the pupils, the same difference being -observed in their bedtimes, which are from half-past seven for the -youngest until a quarter before nine for the older boys. - -On Sunday the pupils assemble in their section rooms at nine o’clock -in the morning and at two in the afternoon for reading and religious -instruction, and at half-past ten o’clock in the morning and at three -in the afternoon they attend divine worship in the chapel. Here the -exercises are similar to those held on week days, with the important -addition of an appropriate discourse adapted to the comprehension -of the pupils. The services in the chapel, whether on Sundays or on -week days, are invariably conducted by the president or other layman, -the will of the founder forbidding the entrance of clergymen of any -denomination whatsoever within the boundaries of the institution. - -The discipline of the college is administered through admonition, -deprivation of recreation, and seclusion; but in extreme cases corporal -punishment may be inflicted by order of the president and in his -presence. If by reason of misconduct a pupil becomes an unfit companion -for the rest, the Will says he shall not be permitted to remain in the -college. - -The annual cost per capita of maintaining, clothing and educating each -pupil, including current repairs to buildings and furniture and the -maintenance of the grounds, is about three hundred dollars. Between the -age of fourteen and eighteen years the scholars may be indentured by -the institution, on behalf of “the city of Philadelphia,” to learn some -“art, trade, or mystery,” until their twenty-first year, consulting, -as far as is judicious, the inclination and preference of the scholar. -The master to whom an apprentice is bound agrees to furnish him with -sufficient meat, drink, apparel, washing and lodging at his own -place of residence (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties to the -indenture and so indorsed upon it); to use his best endeavors to teach -and instruct the apprentice in his “art, trade, or mystery,” and at -the expiration of the apprenticeship to furnish him with at least two -complete suits of clothes, one of which shall be new. Should, however, -a scholar not be apprenticed by the institution, he must leave the -college upon attaining the age of eighteen years. In case of death -his friends have the privilege of removing his body for interment, -otherwise his remains are placed in the college burial lot at Laurel -Hill Cemetery, near Philadelphia. - -Citizens and strangers provided with a permit are allowed to visit the -college on the afternoon of every week day. Permits can be obtained -from the Mayor of Philadelphia, at his office; from a Director; at -the office of the Board of City Trusts, No. 19 South Twelfth street, -Philadelphia, or at the office of the _Public Ledger_ newspaper. -Especial courtesy is shown all foreign visitors, and particularly those -interested in educational matters. - - * * * * * - -In December, 1831, Mr. Girard was attacked by influenza, which was then -epidemic in the city. The violence of the disease greatly prostrated -him, and, pneumonia supervening, it became at once apparent that he -could not live. He had no fear of death. About a month before this -attack he had said: “When Death comes for me he will find me busy, -unless I am asleep in bed. If I thought I was going to die to-morrow I -should plant a tree, nevertheless, to-day.” - -He died in the back room of his Water street mansion on December 26th, -aged eighty-one years (or nearly), and four days after he was buried in -the churchyard at the northwest corner of Sixth and Spruce streets. - -For twenty years the remains reposed undisturbed where they had been -laid in the churchyard of the Holy Trinity Church; when, the Girard -College having been completed, it was resolved that the remains of the -donor should be transferred to the marble sarcophagus provided in its -vestibule. This was done with appropriate ceremonies on September 30, -1851. - -Girard’s great ambition was, first, success; and this attained, the -longing of mankind to leave a shining memory merged his purpose in the -establishment of what was to him that fairest of Utopias――the simple -tradition of a citizen. A citizen whose public duties ended not with -the State, and whose benefactions were not limited to the rescue or -advancement of its interests alone, but whose charities broadened -beyond the limits of duty or the boundaries of an individual life, to -stretch over long reaches of the future, enriching thousands of poor -children in his beloved city yet unborn. His life shows clearly why he -worked, as his death showed clearly the fixed object of his labor in -acquisition. While he was forward with an apparent disregard of self, -to expose his life in behalf of others in the midst of pestilence, -to aid the internal improvements of the country, and to promote its -commercial prosperity by all the means within his power, he yet had -more ambitious designs. He wished to hand himself down to immortality -by the only mode that was practicable for a man in his position, and -he accomplished precisely that which was the grand aim of his life. He -wrote his epitaph in those extensive and magnificent blocks and squares -which adorn the streets of his adopted city, in the public works and -eleemosynary establishments of his adopted State, and erected his own -monument and embodied his own principles in a marble-roofed palace. -Yet, splendid as is the structure which stands above his remains, the -most perfect model of architecture in the New World, it yields in -beauty to the moral monument. The benefactor sleeps among the orphan -poor whom his bounty is constantly educating. - -“Thus, forever present, unseen but felt, he daily stretches forth -his invisible hands to lead some friendless child from ignorance to -usefulness. And when, in the fullness of time, many homes have been -made happy, many orphans have been fed, clothed and educated, and many -men made useful to their country and themselves, each happy home or -rescued child or useful citizen will be a living monument to perpetuate -the name and embalm the memory of the ‘Mariner and Merchant.’” - - - - - BOARD OF DIRECTORS - OF - CITY TRUSTS, - 1889. - - - W. HEYWARD DRAYTON, _President, - Ex-Officio Member of all Standing Committees_. - - LOUIS WAGNER, _Vice-President_. - - ALEXANDER BIDDLE, - JAMES CAMPBELL, - JOSEPH L. CAVEN, - BENJAMIN B. COMEGYS, - JOHN H. CONVERSE, - WILLIAM L. ELKINS, - WILLIAM B. MANN, - JOHN H. MICHENER, - GEORGE H. STUART, - RICHARD VAUX. - - - MEMBERS OF THE BOARD “EX OFFICIO:” - - EDWIN H. FITLER, _Mayor_. - JAMES R. GATES, _President Select Council_. - WILLIAM M. SMITH, _President Common Council_. - - * * * * * - - F. CARROLL BREWSTER, _Solicitor_. - FRANK M. HIGHLEY, _Secretary_. - JOHN S. BOYD, M.D., _Supt. Admission and Indentures_. - - - - - [Illustration: _B. B. Comegys._] - - - - - HOW TO WIN SUCCESS. - - May 27, 1888. - - -I wish to speak to you to-day about some of the plainest duties of -life――of what you must be, of what you must do, if you would be good -men and succeed. - -It would be strange if one who has lived as long as I have should not -have learned something worth knowing and worth telling to those who are -younger and less experienced. I have had much to do with young people -here and elsewhere, and I have seen many failures, much disappointment, -many wrecks of character, and have learned many things; and I speak to -you to-day in the hope that I may say such things as will help some -boy, at least one, to determine, while he is here this morning, to do -the best he can, each for himself, as well as for others. My remarks -are particularly appropriate to those just about to leave the college. - -It is convenient for me to consider the whole subject―― - - 1. As to health. - 2. As to improvement of the mind. - 3. As to business or work of any kind. - 4. As to your duties to other people. - 5. As to your duty to God. - -As to health. You cannot be happy without good health, and -you cannot expect to have good health unless you observe certain -conditions. You must keep your person cleanly by bathing, when that is -within reach, or by other simple methods (such as a common brush) which -are always within your reach. Be as much in the open air as possible. -This is, of course, to those whose work is within doors and sedentary, -such as that of a clerk in any shop or office. Pure, fresh air is -Nature’s own provision for the well-being of all her creatures, and is -the best of all tonics. - -Be careful of your diet; for it is not good to eat food that is too -highly seasoned or too rich. Don’t be afraid of fruit in season and -when it is ripe. But don’t eat much late at night. Late hot suppers are -apt to do great harm. The plain, wholesome food provided here, accounts -for the extraordinarily good health which almost all of you enjoy. - -Have nothing whatever to do with intoxicating drinks. And the only -way to be absolutely safe is not to drink even a little, or once in a -while. Don’t drink at all. - -Be sure you get plenty of sleep. Be in bed not later than eleven -o’clock, and, better still, at ten. A young fellow who goes to work -at seven o’clock in the morning can’t afford to keep late hours. -Young people need more sleep than older ones, and you cannot safely -disregard this hint. Late hours are always more or less injurious, -especially when you are away from home or in the streets. Beware of the -temptations of the streets and at the theatres. - -As to public entertainments or recreations in the evening, go to no -place of seeing or hearing where you would not be willing to take your -mother or sister. If you keep to this rule you are not likely to be -hurt. If you play games, avoid billiard saloons, and gambling houses, -or parties. You cannot be too careful about your recreations; let them -be simple and healthful as to mind and body, and cheap. - -Have no personal habits, such as smoking, or chewing, or spitting, or -swearing, or others that are injurious to yourselves or disagreeable -to other people. All these are either injurious or disagreeable. Have -clean hands and clean clothes, not while you are at work――this is not -always possible――but when going and coming to and from work. - -Always give place to women in the streets, in street-cars, or in -other places. Do not rush into street-cars first to get seats. A true -gentleman will wait until women get in before he goes. Do not sit in -street-cars, while women are standing, unless you are very, very tired. -Here is a temptation before you every day almost in our city. Hardly -anything is more trying than to see sturdy boys sitting in cars while -women are standing and holding on to straps. And yet I see this every -day. What is a boy good for, that will not stand for a few minutes, if -he can give a woman or an old man a seat? - -If you are so favored as to have a few days or two weeks holiday in -summer, go to the country or to the sea-shore, if your means will -allow. The country air or sea air is better for you than almost any -other change. - -Do not be extravagant in dress; but be well dressed――not, however, at -your tailor’s expense. It is the duty of all to be well dressed, but -don’t spend all your money on dress, and especially don’t buy clothing -on credit. It is particularly trying to pay for clothing when it is -nearly or quite worn out. By all means keep out of debt, for your -personal or family expenses, unless you are sure beyond any doubt that -you can very soon repay your dealer the money you owe. The difference -between ease and comfort, and distress, in money matters, is whether -you spend a little more than you make, or a little less than you make. -Don’t forget the “rainy day” that is pretty sure to come, and you must -lay up something for that day. - -Very much of the crime that is committed every day (and you cannot open -a paper without seeing an account of some one who has gone wrong) is -because people will live beyond their means; will spend more than they -earn. They hope for an increase of pay, or that they will make money in -some way or other, and then when that good time does not come, and as -they can’t afford to wait for it, they take something, only borrowing -it as they say, but they take it and spend it, or pay some pressing -debt with it, and then, and then――they are caught, and sent to court, -and tried and sent to――well, you know without my telling you. - -As to the mind. - -You have fine opportunities for education here, but they will soon be -over, and if you leave this college without having a good knowledge -of the practical branches of study pursued here, and which Mr. -Girard especially enjoined should be taught, you will be at a great -disadvantage with other boys who are well educated. I had a letter in -my pocket a few days ago written by a Girard boy, and dated in the -Moyamensing Prison, full of bad spelling and bad grammar; and next to -the horror of knowing he was in prison, I felt ashamed, that a boy so -ignorant of the very commonest branches of English education should -have ever been within the walls of this college. - -I think I have told you before of a man who employs a large number of -men, whose business amounts to perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars -in a year, who is entirely ignorant of accounts, and who a few years -ago was robbed and almost ruined by his book-keeper, and who would now -give half of what he is worth, and that is a good deal, if he could -understand book-keeping; for he is entirely dependent upon other people -to keep his accounts. - -As to books, be careful what you read. How it grieves me to see errand -boys in street-cars, and sometimes as they walk in the streets, reading -such stuff as is found in the dime novels. Not merely a waste of time, -though that is bad enough, but a positive injury to the mind, filling -it with the most improbable stories, and often, also, with that which -is positively vicious. Read something better than this. Do not confine -yourselves to newspapers, and do not read police reports. Attractive -as this class of reading is, it is for the most part hurtful to the -young mind. There is an abundance of cheap and good reading, magazines -and periodicals; and books and books, good, bad, indifferent; and you -will hardly know which to choose unless you ask others who are older -than you, and who know books. Most boys read little but novels; and -there are many thoroughly good novels, humorous, and pathetic, and -historical. Don’t buy books unless you have plenty of money; for you -can get everything you want out of the public libraries; and this was -not so, or at least to this extent, when I was a boy. - -As to work or business. - -Set out with the determination that you will be faithful in everything. -Only last week a Girard boy called on me to help him get employment. -I asked him some questions, and he told me that he had been out of -the college five or six years, and had five or six situations. Do you -think he had been faithful in anything? If he had been, he would not -have lost place after place. When you get a place, and I hope every -one of you will have a place provided for you before you leave here, -be among the first to arrive in the morning, and be among the last to -leave at the end of the day’s work. Do not let any fascination of base -ball or anything else lead you to forget that your first duty is to -your employer. Be quick to answer every call. Don’t say to yourself, -“It is not my place to answer that call, it is the other boy’s place,” -but go yourself, if the other fellow is slow, and let it be seen that -you are ready for any work. And be very prompt to answer. Do whatever -you are told. Say “yes, sir,” “no, sir” with hearty good-will, and say -“good-morning” as if you meant it. In short, do not be slovenly in -anything you have to do; be alive, and remember all the time that no -labor is degrading. - -Be sure to treat your employers with unfailing respect, and your -fellow-clerks or workers, whether superiors, inferiors or equals, with -hearty good-will. - -Do not tell lies directly or indirectly, for even if your employer do -so, he will despise you for doing so. No matter if he is untruthful, -he will respect you if you tell the truth always. Do not indulge in -or listen to impure talk. No real gentleman does this, and you can -be a real gentleman even if you are poor, for you will be educated. -Make yourself indispensable to your employer; this, too, is quite -possible, and it will almost certainly insure success. Be ambitious in -the highest sense. Remember, that if not now, you will hereafter have -others dependent upon you for support or help. It is a splendid thing -for a boy to go out from this college with the determination to support -his mother; and some that I know and you know are doing this, and many -others will do it. - -I pause here to say that, so far, my words have been spoken as to your -duties to the world, to yourselves. I have supposed that you boys would -rather be bosses than journeymen, that you would rather own teams than -drive them for other people, that you would rather be a contractor than -carry the pick and shovel, that you would rather be a bricklayer than -carry the hod, that you would rather be a house-builder than a shoveler -of coal into the house-builder’s cellar. Is it not so? - -Now, I say that if you should do everything I tell you, and avoid -everything I have warned you against, you cannot succeed in the best -sense, you cannot become true men, such men as the city has a right to -expect you to be, unless you seek the blessing of God; for he holds all -things in his hands. “The silver and the gold are mine, and the cattle -upon a thousand hills.” If God be for us, who can be against us? - -In these closing words, then, I would speak to you as to your duty to -God. - -What shall I say about this? I can hardly tell you anything that you do -not already know, so often have you been talked to about this subject. -But nothing is so important for you to be reminded of, though I fear -that to some of you hardly anything is so uninteresting. Naturally the -heart is disinclined to think of God and our duty to him. But we cannot -do without him, though many people think they can, or they act as if -they thought so. Such people are not wise; they are very foolish. - -He made us, he preserves us, he cares for us with infinite love and -care, he has appointed the time for our departure from this life, and -he has prepared a better life than this for those who love him here. We -cannot afford to disregard such a being as this, for all things are in -his hands. If you will think of it, some of the best men and women you -know are believers in God, and are trying to serve him. Do you think -you can do without him? - -Cultivate, then, the companionship, the friendship of those who love -and fear God, both men and women. You are safe with such; you are not -quite so sure of safety in the society of those who openly say they -can do without God. When I speak of those who fear God, I do not mean -merely professors of religion, not merely members of meeting or members -of church, but I mean people who live such lives as people ought to -live, who fear God and keep his commandments. You know there are such, -you have met with them, you will meet many more of them, and you will -meet also those who call themselves Christians, but whose lives show -that they have no true knowledge of God, who are mere formalists, mere -professors. - -Become acquainted with your Bible. I mean, read it, a little of it at -least, every day. You need not read much, it is well sometimes that you -read but a little; but read it with a purpose――that is, to understand -it. The literature of the Bible as you grow older will abundantly repay -your careful and constant reading even before you reach its spiritual -treasuries. In reading a few days ago the argument of Horace Binney, -Esq., in the Girard will case, I was surprised to see how familiar Mr. -Binney was with the Bible, and he was one of the ablest lawyers that -has ever lived in our own or any other country. Yet Mr. Binney thought -it quite worth his while to read and study the Bible. Don’t you think -it is worth your while also? - -Be a regular attendant at some church. I do not say what church it -shall be. That must be left to yourselves to determine, and many -circumstances will arise to aid you in your choice. But let it be -some church, and, when you become more interested in the subject than -you are now, join that church, whatever it may be, and so connect -yourselves with people who believe in and love God. If there be a -Bible class there, connect yourselves with it, and so learn to study -the Scriptures systematically. - -Do not be ashamed to kneel at your bedside every night and every -morning and pray to God. You are not so likely to be ashamed if you -have a room to yourself; but you must not be ashamed to do this even if -there are others in the room with you, as will be the case with many of -you. This is a severe test, I know, but he who bears it faithfully will -already have gained a victory. - -Commit to memory the fifteenth verse of the twelfth chapter of the -Gospel according to St. Luke: “Take heed and beware of covetousness, -for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he -possesseth.” - -On last Monday, Founder’s Day, there were gathered here many men, -a great company, who were trained in this college, and who, after -graduation, went out into the world to seek their fortune. It is always -a most interesting time, not only for them but for the teachers and -officers who have had charge of them. - -Some of them are successful men in the highest and best sense, and have -made themselves a name and a place in the world. Bright young lawyers, -clerks, mechanics, railroad men――men representing almost all kinds of -business and occupations――came here in great numbers to celebrate the -anniversary of the birth of the Founder of this great school. It was -a grand sight. Hardly anything impresses me more. I do not know their -names; for many of them had left before I began to come here; but -from certain expressions that fell from the lips of some of them I am -persuaded that they, at least, are walking in the truth. - -It would be very interesting if we could know their thoughts, and see -with what feelings they look back on their school-life. I wonder if -any of them regret that they did not make a better use of their time -while here. I wonder if any feel that they would like to become boys -again and go to school over again, being sure that, with their present -experience of life, they would set a higher value on the education of -the schools. I wonder if any feel that they would have reached higher -positions and secured a larger influence if they had been more diligent -at school. I wonder if there are any who can trace evil habits of -thought to the companions they had here. I wonder if any are aware of -evil impressions which they made on their classmates and so cast a -stain and a dark shadow on other young lives, stains never obliterated, -shadows never wholly lifted. I wonder if there are any among them who -regret that the opportunity of seeking God and finding God in their -school-days was neglected, and who have never had so favorable an -opportunity since. “If some who come back here on these commemoration -days were to tell you all their thoughts on such subjects, they would -be eloquent with a peculiar eloquence.” - -I wish I could persuade you, especially you larger boys, to give most -earnest attention to the duties which lie before you every day. You -will not misunderstand me, nor be so unjust to me as to suppose that -I would interfere in the least degree with the pleasures which belong -to your time of life. I would not lessen them in the least; on the -contrary, I would encourage you, and help you in all proper recreation, -in all sports and plays. The boy who does not enjoy play is not a happy -boy, and is not very likely to make a happy man, or a useful man. But -it is quite possible, as some of you know, to enjoy in the highest -degree all healthful sports, and at the same time to be industrious -and conscientious in your studies. I am deeply concerned that the boys -in this college shall be boys of the best, the highest type; that they -“shall walk in the truth.” There are, alas, many boys who have gone -through this college, and fully equipped (as well as their teachers -could equip them), have been launched out into life and come to naught. -I do not know their names nor do you, probably, though you do not doubt -the fact. - -Whatever others say, who speak to you here, I want to discharge my duty -to you as faithfully as I can. I know some of the difficulties of life, -for they have been in my path. I know some of the fierce temptations -to which boys and young men are exposed, for I have felt these assaults -in my own person. I know what it is to sin against God, for I am a -sinner; so, with my sympathies quick towards you, I come with these -plain, earnest words, and I urge you to look up to God, and ask him to -help you. He can help you, and he will, if you ask him. - - - - - LIFE――ITS OPPORTUNITIES AND TEMPTATIONS. - - March 12, 1885. - - -I propose to speak to you now of some plain and practical duties which -await you in life; and, as there are many boys here who are anxiously -looking for the time when they will leave the college to make their way -in the world, some of whom will probably have left the college before -I come again, I speak more especially to them. And my first words are -words of congratulation, and for these reasons: - -1. _Because you are young._ And this means very much. You have an -enormous advantage over people that are your seniors. Other things -being equal, you will live longer, and I assume that “life is worth -living.” Then you have the advantage of profiting by the mistakes -committed by those who precede you, and if you are not blind, you can -avail yourselves of the successes they have achieved. - -You have the freshness, the zest of youth. You are full of courage and -endurance. You can grapple with difficult subjects and with a strong -hand. And if you blunder, you have time to recover yourselves and -start anew. In short, life is before you, and you look forward with the -inspiration of hope, and it may be, also, of determination. - -2. I congratulate you also _because you are poor_. You have your own -way to make in the world. You know already that if you achieve success, -it must be because you exert yourselves to the very utmost. Indeed, you -must depend upon yourselves, and this means that you must do everything -in your power that is right to do, to help yourselves. - -You must understand that there is no royal road to _success_, any more -than there is to _learning_, and that there is no time to trifle. -If you were rich men’s sons, these remarks would have no special -pertinence, or importance. - -My congratulations are quite in order also because very many, if not -_most_ of the high places in our country, are held by those who once -were poor lads. - -Should you turn upon me and say, “Why, then, if one is to be -congratulated on his poverty, do fathers toil early and late, denying -themselves needed recreation, not ceasing when they have accumulated -a good estate, almost selling their souls to become millionaires――why -do they so much dread to leave their sons to struggle for a living?” -More than one answer might be given to these questions. Some fathers -have so little faith in God’s providence that they forget his goodness, -which _now_ takes care of their families through the instrumentality -of parents; and who can continue that care through other means, just -as well, when the parents are gone; but high authority says that “they -who will be rich, fall into temptations and snares,” one of which is -that the race for riches unfits the racer for all other pursuits and -amusements, and he can’t stop his course, he can’t change his habits, -he has no other mental resources――he must work or perish. - -Do not, then, let the fact that you are _poor_ discourage you in the -least――it is rather an advantage. - -3. But again I congratulate you, because _your lot is cast in America_. -Do not smile at this. I am not on the point of flying the American -eagle, nor of raising the stars and stripes. It _is_, however, a good -thing to have been born in this country. For in all important respects -it is the most favored of all lands. It is the fashion with certain -people to disparage our government and its institutions; and one must -admit that in some particulars there might be improvement, and will -be some day; but, notwithstanding these defects, it is unquestionably -true that it is the best government on earth. Is there any country -where a poor young man has opportunities as good as he has here, to -get on in life? Is there any obstacle or hindrance whatever, outside -of himself, in the way of his success? If a young man has good health -of mind and body, and a fair English education and good manners, and -will be honest and industrious, is he not much more certain to attain -success, in one way or another, in this country than anywhere else? -You know he is. Why? Because of our equal rights under the law. There -is no caste here, that curse of monarchies. There is no aristocracy in -sentiment or in power, no House of Lords, no established church, no law -of primogeniture. One man is as good as another under the law as long -as he behaves himself. - -If you want further evidence, only look for a moment at the condition -of the seething, surging masses of Europe, and the continual -apprehensions of a general war. Before this year 1885 has run its -course the United States may be almost the only country among the great -powers that is not involved in war. - -And if still further illustration were needed, let me point to that -most extraordinary scene enacted in Washington some weeks ago. - -A great political party, which has held control of this government -nearly a quarter of a century, and which has exercised almost unlimited -power, yields most quietly and gracefully all high places, all dignity, -all honor and patronage, to the will of the people who have chosen a -new administration. And everybody regards it as a matter of course. - -Was such a thing ever known before? And could such a thing occur -anywhere else among the nations? - -Once more, I congratulate you _because you live in Philadelphia_. Ah, -now we come to a most interesting point. Most of you were born here, -and you come to this by inheritance. This is the best of all large -cities. More to be desired as a place to live in than Washington, the -seat of government, the most beautiful of all American cities, or New -York, with its vast commerce and enormous wealth, or Boston, with its -boasted intellectual society. - -They may call us the “_Quaker City_,” or the “_worst paved city_,” or -the “_slow city_,” or the “city of rows of houses exactly alike;” but -these houses are the homes of separate families, and in a very large -degree are occupied by their owners, and you cannot say as much of any -other city in the world. Although there are doubtless many instances -in the oldest part of the city, and among the improvident poor, where -more than one family will be found in the same house, yet these are -the exceptions and not the rule; and so far as I know there is not one -“tenement house” in this great city that was built for the purpose of -accommodating several families at the same time. I need not point you -to New York and Boston, where the great apartment houses, with their -twelve and fourteen stories of flats for rich and well-to-do people -prevail, utterly destroying that most cherished domestic life of which -we have been so proud, and introducing the life of European cities, -with its demoralizing associations and results; nor shall I describe -the awful tenement houses in those two cities, where the poor are -crowded like animals in a cattle-train, suffering as the poor dumb -creatures do, for want of air, and water, and space, and everything -else that makes life desirable. - -Of all cities on the face of the earth, Philadelphia is the most -desirable for the young man who must make his own way in the world.... - -And having shown you how favorable are the conditions which are -about you, the next point is, What will you do when you set out for -yourselves? - -All of you are _expecting_ when you leave school to be employed by -somebody, or engaged in some business. And I suppose you may be looking -to me to give you some hints how to take care of yourselves, or how to -behave in such relations. - -I will try to do so plainly and faithfully. - -I cannot absolutely promise you success. Indeed, it would be necessary -first to define the word. And there are several definitions that might -be given. One of the shortest and best would be in these words, “A life -well spent.” That’s success. And this definition shall be my model. - -Work hard, then, at your lessons. Let your ambition be, not to get -through quickly, not to go over much ground in text-books, but to -master thoroughly everything before you. If you knew how little -thorough instruction there is, you would thank me for this. There are -so many half-educated people from schools and colleges that one cannot -help believing that the terms of graduation are very easy. There have -been, and are now, graduates of colleges who cannot add up a long -column of figures correctly, nor do an example in simple proportion, -nor write a letter of four pages of note paper without mistakes of -grammar and spelling and punctuation, to say nothing of perspicuity and -unity and general good taste. - -It is quite surprising to find how helpless some young men are in the -simple matter of writing letters; an art with which, in these days of -cheap postage and cheap stationery, almost everybody has something -to do. If you doubt this let me ask you to try to-morrow to write a -note of twenty lines on any subject whatever, off-hand, and submit it -for criticism to your teacher. Do you wonder, then, that an employer -calling one of his young men, and directing him to write a letter to -one of his correspondents, saying such and such things, and bring it to -him for his signature, is surprised and grieved to see that the letter -is in such shape that he cannot sign it and let it go out of his office? - -It is very true that letter-writing is not the chief business of life, -not the only thing of importance in a counting-house, but it is an -elegant accomplishment, and most desirable of attainment. - -Let me say some words about shorthand writing. In this day of push and -drive and hurry, when so many things must be done at once, there is -an increasing demand for shorthand writers. In fact, business as now -conducted cannot afford to do without this help. It often occurs that -a principal in a business house cannot take the time to write long -letters. Why should he? It does not pay to have one that is occupied in -governing and controlling great interests, or in the receipt of a large -salary, tied to a desk writing letters, or reports, or statements of -any kind. He must _talk off_ these things; and he must be an educated -man, whose mind is so disciplined to terse and accurate expression -that his dictation may almost be taken to be final. He wants a clerk -who can take down his words with literal accuracy, and who will be -able to correct any errors that may have been spoken, and submit the -complete paper to his chief for his signature. The demand for this -kind of service is increasing every day, and some of you now listening -to me will be so employed. See that you are ready for it when your -opportunity comes. - -If you get to be a clerk in a railroad office, or in an insurance -company, or in a store, or in a bank, devote yourself to your -particular duties, whatever they may be. And don’t be too particular as -to what kind of work it is that falls to your lot. It may be work that -you think belongs to the porter; no matter if it is, do it, and do it -as well as the porter can, or even better. - -Let none of you, therefore, think that anything you are likely to be -called upon to do is beneath you. Do it, and do it in the best manner, -and you may not have to do it for a long time. - -Make yourself indispensable to your employer. You can do that; it -is quite within your power, and it may be that you may get to be an -employer yourself; indeed it is more than probable; but you must work -for it. - -If you get to be a book-keeper in any counting-house or public -institution, remember that you are in a position of trust and -responsibility. When you make errors do not erase the error; draw faint -red or black lines through it and write correct characters over the -error. Do not hide your errors of any kind. Do not misstate anything -in language or figures. Everybody makes errors at some time or other, -but everybody does not admit and apologize for them. The honest man is -he who _does_ admit and apologize, and does so without waiting to be -detected. - -There have been of late some deplorable instances of betrayal of trust -in our city. I may as well call it by its right name, stealing. The -culprits are now suffering in prison the penalty for their crimes. -While I am speaking to you there are men, young and _not_ young, in our -city who are _now_ stealing, and who are falsifying their books in the -vain hope that it may be kept secret; who are dreading the day when -they will be caught; who cannot afford to take a holiday; who cannot -afford to be sick, lest absence for a single day may disclose their -guilt. What a horrible state of mind! They will go to their desks or -their offices to-morrow morning, not knowing but it may be their last -day in that place. - -And the day will come, most surely, when _you_ will be tempted as -these wretched ones have been tempted. In what shape the temptation -may come, or when, no human being knows. The suggestion will be made, -that by the use of a little money you may make a good deal; that the -venture is perfectly safe; some one tells you so, and points to this -one or that one who has tried it and made money. It is only a little -thing; you can’t lose much; you _may_ make enough to pay for the cost -of your summer holiday, or for your cigar bill, or your beer bill; or -you will be able to smoke better cigars or drink better beer, or buy a -gold watch, or a diamond ring, or anything else; _you can’t lose much_. -You have no money of your own, it is true, but what is needed will not -be missed if you take it out of the drawer. Shall you do it? No! Let -nothing induce you to take the first dollar not your own. It is the -_first_ step that counts. - -But suppose you don’t care for this warning, or forget it. Suppose the -time comes when you find that you _have_ taken something that was not -yours, and that it is lost, and that you cannot repay it, what then? -Why, go at once to your employer; tell him the whole story; keep back -nothing; throw yourself upon his mercy, and ask forgiveness. Better now -than later. You will assuredly be caught. There is no possibility of -continuous concealment. Tell it now before you are detected, and, if -you must be disgraced, the sooner the better. - -Am I too earnest about this? Am I saying too much? Oh, boys, young -men, if you knew the frightful danger that you may be in some day, the -subtle temptations that will beset you, the many instances of weakness -about you, the shipwrecks of character, the utter ruin that comes to -sisters and to innocent wives and children by the crimes of brothers, -husbands and fathers, as we who are older know, you would not wonder -that I speak as I do. - -Every case of breach of trust, every defalcation, weakens confidence -in human character. For every such instance of wrong-doing is a stab -at _your_ integrity if you are in a position of trust. Men of the -fairest reputation, men who are trusted implicitly by their employers, -men who are hedged about by the sacredness of domestic ties, on whom -the happiness of helpless wives and innocent children depend, men who -claim to be religious, go astray, step by step, little by little; -they defraud, steal, lie, try to cover up their tracks, cannot do it -long, are caught, tried, convicted, sentenced and imprisoned. Then -the question may be asked about you or me: “How do we know that Mr. -So-and-So is any better than those who have fallen?” Don’t you see -that these culprits are enemies of the public confidence, enemies of -society, _your_ enemies and _mine_? - -If the names of those who are now serving out their sentences in -the public prisons for stealing, not petty theft, but stealing and -defrauding in larger sums, could be published in to-morrow morning’s -papers, what a sad record it would be of dishonored names and blighted -lives and ruined homes, and how the memory would recall some whom we -knew in early youth, the pride of their parents, or the idol of fond -wives and lovely children; and we should turn away with sickening -horror from the record! But, if there should appear in the same papers -the names of those who are _now engaged in stealing and defrauding_ -and _falsifying entries_, who are not yet caught, but who may, before -this year is out, be caught and convicted and punished, what a horrible -revelation _that_ would be! - - * * * * * - -I close abruptly, for I cannot keep you longer. - -But do not think that it is for your future in _this_ life only that -I am concerned. Life does not end here, though it may seem to do so. -Our life in this world is a mere _beginning_ of existence. It is the -_future_, the _endless_ life before us, that we should prepare for; and -no preparation is worth the name except that of a pure, an upright and -honorable life, that depends for its support on the love and the fear -of God. You must accept him as your Father, you must honor him and obey -him, and so consecrating your young lives to his service, trust him to -care for you with his infinite love and care. - - - - - [Illustration: _William Welsh._] - - - - - ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM WELSH, - _First President of the Board of City Trusts_. - - February 22, 1878. - - -When I spoke to you last from this desk I tried to persuade you to -adopt the thought so aptly set forth by one of the old Hebrew kings, -Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. I little -thought then that Mr. Welsh, who was one of the most conspicuous -examples of working with all his might, and so much of whose work was -done for you, whom you so often saw standing where I now stand, I -little thought that his work on earth was so nearly done. Last Sunday -he addressed you here. One, two, three services he conducted for the -boys of this college, one in the infirmary, one in the refectory -for the new boys, and one in this chapel. I venture to say from my -knowledge of his method of doing things that these services were all -conducted in the best manner possible to him; that he did not spare -his strength; that there was nothing weak or undecided in his acts or -speech, but that he took hold of his subject with a firm grasp, and -did not let go until the service was finished. It is very natural -that we should desire to know as much as we can about a life that -has come so close to us as the life of Mr. Welsh, and to learn, if -we may, what it was that made him the man that he was. The thousands -of people that gathered in and about St. Luke’s Church on the day of -the funeral, as many of you saw; the very large number of citizens -of the highest distinction who united in the solemn services; the -profound interest manifested everywhere among all classes of society; -the closing of places of business at the hour of these services; the -flags at half-mast, all these circumstances, so unusual, so impressive, -assured us that no common man had gone from among us. What was it that -made him no common man? What was there in his life and character that -lifted him above the ordinarily successful merchant? In other places, -and by those most competent to speak, will the complete picture of -his life be drawn, but what was there in his life which particularly -interests you college boys? It will surprise you probably when I tell -you that his early education――the education of the schools――was very -limited. He was not a college-bred man. At a very early age (as early -as fourteen, I believe) he left school and went into his father’s -store. You know that he could not have had much education at that age. -And he went into the store, not to be a gentleman clerk to sit in the -counting-house and copy letters and invoices, and do the bank business -and lounge about in fine clothing, but he went to do anything that -came to hand, rough and smooth, hard and easy, dirty and clean, for -in those days the duties of a junior clerk differed from those of a -porter only in this, that the young clerk’s work was not so heavy as -the robust porter’s. And even when he grew older and stronger he would -go down into the hold of a vessel and vie with the strong stevedore in -the shifting and placing of cargoes. And the days were long then: there -were no office hours from nine to three o’clock, but merchants and -their clerks dined near the middle of the day, and were back at their -stores, their warehouses, in the afternoon and stayed and worked until -the day was done. So this young clerk worked all day, and went home at -night tired and hungry, to rest, to sleep and to go through the next -day and the next in the same manner. But not only to rest and sleep. -The body was tired enough with the long day’s work, but the mind was -not tired. He early knew the importance of mental discipline, of mental -cultivation. He knew that a half-educated man is no match for one -thoroughly equipped, and so he set himself to the task of making up, -as far as he could, for that deficiency of systematic education which -his early withdrawal from school made him regret so much. What definite -means or methods he resorted to to accomplish this I cannot tell you, -for I have not learned; but the fact that he did very largely overcome -this most serious disadvantage is apparent to all who have ever met -him. He was a cultivated gentleman, thoroughly at ease in circles where -men must be well informed or be very uncomfortable. As the President -of this Board of Trustees, having for his associates gentlemen of the -highest professional and general culture, he was quite equal to any -exigency which ever arose. All this you must know was the result of -education, not that which was imparted to him in the schools, but that -which he acquired himself after his school life. He was careful about -his associates. Then, as now, the streets were alive with boys and -young men of more than questionable character. And the thought which -has come up in many a boy’s mind after his day’s work was done, must -have come up in his mind: “Why should I not stroll about the streets -with companions of my own age and have a good time? Why should I be -so strict while others have more freedom and enjoy themselves so much -more?” I have no doubt that he had his enjoyments, and that he was a -free, hearty boy in them all, but I cannot suppose, for his after life -gave no evidence of it, his general good health, his muscular wiry -frame forbade the thought, I cannot suppose his youthful pleasures -passed beyond that line which separates the good from the bad, the pure -from the impure. Few evils are so great as that of evil companions. - -William Welsh was not afraid of work. I mean by that he was not lazy. -A large part of the failures in life are attributable to the love of -ease. We choose the soft things; we turn away from those which are -hard. We are deterred by the abstruse, the obscure; we are attracted -by the simple, the plain. A really strong character will grapple -with any subject; a weak one shrinks from a struggle. A character -naturally weak may be developed by culture and discipline into one of -real strength, but the process is very slow and very discouraging. A -life that is worth anything at all, that impresses itself on other -lives, on society, must have these struggles, this training. I do not -know minutely the characteristics of Mr. Welsh’s early life in this -particular, but I infer most emphatically that his strong character was -formed by continuous, laborious, exacting self-application. - -I would now speak of that quality which is so valuable (I will not say -so rare), so conspicuously and so immeasurably important, personal -integrity. Mr. Welsh possessed this in the highest degree. He was most -emphatically an honest man. No thought of anything other than this -could ever have entered into the mind of any one who knew him. All -men knew that public or private trusts committed to him were safe. -Mistakes in judgment all are liable to, but of conscious deflection -from the right path in this respect he was incapable. His high position -as President of the Board of City Trusts, which includes, among other -large properties, the great estate left by Mr. Girard to the city of -Philadelphia, proves the confidence this community had in his personal -character. His private fortune was used as if he were a trustee. He -recognized the hand of God in his grand success as a merchant, and he -felt himself accountable to God for a proper expenditure. If he enjoyed -a generous mode of living for himself and his family――a manner of life -required by his position in the community――he more than equalized it by -his gifts to objects of benevolence. He was conscientious and liberal -(rare combination) in his benefactions, for he felt that he held his -personal property in trust. - -Such are a few of the traits in the character of the man whose life -on earth was so suddenly closed on Monday last. Under Providence, by -which I mean the blessing of God, that blessing which is just as much -within your reach as his, these are some of the conditions of his -extraordinary success. His self-culture, the choice of his companions -his persistent industry, his integrity, his religion, made the man what -he was. I cannot here speak of his work in that church which he loved -so much. I do not speak with absolute certainty, but I have reason to -believe that, next to his own family, his affections were placed on -you. He could never look into your faces without having his feelings -stirred to their profoundest depths. He loved you――in the best, the -truest sense, he loved you. He was willing to give any amount of his -time, his thought, his care, to you. The time he spent in the chapel -was a very small part of the time he gave to his work for you. You were -upon his heart constantly. I do not know――no one can know――but if it be -possible for the spirits of just men made perfect to revisit the scenes -of earth――to come back and look upon those they loved so much when in -the flesh――I am sure his spirit is here to-day――this, his first Sabbath -in Heaven――looking into your faces, as he often did when he went in and -out among you, and wishing that all of you may make such use of your -grand opportunity here as will insure your success in the life which -is before you when you leave these college walls, and especially as -will insure your entering into the everlasting life. Such was his life, -full of activity, generosity, self-denial, eminently religious, in -the best sense successful. He was never at rest; his heart was always -open to human sympathy; he denied nothing except to himself. He wanted -everybody to be religious. He died in the harness; no time to take it -off; no wish to take it off. But in the front, on the advance, not in -retreat. He never turned his back on anything that was right. His eye -was not dim; his natural force was not abated. Death came so swiftly -that it seemed only stepping from one room in his Father’s house to -another. We are reminded of the beautiful words in which Mr. Thackeray -describes the death of Colonel Newcome in the hospital of the Charter -House School, after a life spent in fighting the enemies of his country -abroad, and the enemies of the good in society at home. “At the usual -evening hour the chapel bell began to toll and Thomas Newcome’s hands -outside the bed feebly beat time. And just as the last bell struck, -a peculiar sweet smile shone over his face. He lifted up his head a -little and quickly said _Adsum_, and fell back. It was the word they -used at school when names were called, and lo, he, whose heart was -as that of a little child, had answered to his name and stood in the -presence of ‘The Master.’” - - - - - BAD ASSOCIATES. - - November 11, 1888. - - -I wish to speak to you to-day about the danger of evil company, a -danger to which you will necessarily be exposed when you go out from -this college to make your way in life. - -The desire for companionship sometimes leads people, and especially -young people, into bad company. A boy finds himself associated with a -schoolmate, a fellow-apprentice or fellow-clerk, who is attractive in -manners, full of fun, but who is not what he ought to be in character. - -No one is entirely bad; almost all persons old or young have some -points that are not repulsive, and sometimes the very bad are -attractive in some respects. A comparatively innocent boy is thrown -into such company, and, at first, he sees nothing in the conduct of his -new friends which is particularly out of the way. The conversation is -somewhat guarded, the jokes and stories are not specially bad, and, for -a time, nothing occurs to shock his feelings; but, after a while, the -mask is thrown off and the true character is revealed. Then very soon -the mind of the pure, innocent boy receives impressions that corrupt -and defile it. All that is polluting in talk and story and song is -poured out. Books and papers, so vile that it is a breach of law to -sell them, are read and quoted without bringing a blush to the cheek, -and, before his parents are aware of the danger, the mind and heart of -their son are so polluted and depraved that no human power can save him. - -I very well remember a boy older than myself who, early in life, gave -himself up to vile company and vile books and vile habits, and who, -long ago――almost as soon as he reached an early manhood――sunk, under -the weight of his sinful habits, into a dishonored grave, but not until -he had defiled and depraved many a boy who came under his influence. -Better would it have been for his companions if their daily walks and -playgrounds had been infested with venomous serpents, to bite and sting -their bare feet, than to associate with a boy whose heart was full of -all uncleanness. - -It is dangerous to make such friendships. Circumstances may throw us -among them; the providence of God may send us there, but we ought never -to _seek_ such company, except for good purposes. What I mean is that -we ought not to seek such associates, however agreeable they may be in -other respects, and not to remain among them except for their good. - -There are wicked people in every community, of all ages. We cannot -altogether avoid contact with them. We find them among our schoolmates -and in the walks of business. - -Many a young man, many a boy, has been forever ruined by evil -companions. A corrupt literature is bad enough, but evil companions are -more numerous and, if possible, more fatal. Bad books and papers have -slain their thousands; bad companions have slain their ten thousands. I -can recall the names of many who were led away, step by step, down the -broad road that leads to destruction, by companions genial, attractive, -but corrupt. - -There are some companions from whom you cannot separate yourselves. -They are with you continually; at home and abroad, in school or at -play, by day and by night, asleep and awake, they are always with you. -There is no solitude so deep that they cannot find you, no crowd so -great that they will ever lose you. No matter who else is with you, -they will not――cannot――be kept away. I mean _your own thoughts_, your -bosom companions. Shall they be EVIL companions or GOOD? Ah! you know -who, and who only, can answer this question. - -I once went through a monastery in the old city of Florence, in Italy. -It was a retreat for men who were tired of the world, or who felt so -unequal to the strife and conflict of life in the world that they -believed peace could be found only in retirement. The house was of the -order of St. Francis. One of the monks took me into his cell, and I -sat down and talked with him. It was a very small room――one door, one -window, bare walls, a small table, two wooden chairs, a few books, a -crucifix, a washstand, and some pieces of crockery; and that was all. -In this room he lived, never to leave it except to go to the chapel, -just across the corridor, and to walk in the cloisters for exercise; -here he expected to die. It seemed very dreary and lonely to me. But -I thought, if this were a certain and sure way of escaping from evil -thoughts, and the only way, men may well submit to the confinement, the -solitude, the monotony, the dreariness of this way of life. But, alas! -it is not so. No close and narrow cell, no iron doors, no bolts and -bars, can shut out our thoughts, for they are a part of ourselves: they -_are_ ourselves; for, “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” - -Some years ago a country lad left his home to seek his fortune in -the city. His mother was dead and his father broken in health and in -fortune. The boy reached the city full of high hopes, promising his -father that he would do his best to succeed in whatever fell to his -lot to do. He was tall, strong and good-looking. A place was soon -found for him, and until he was better able to support himself he -found a home with some friends. He was a boy of good mind but with a -very imperfect education, and he seemed inclined to make up for this -in part by reading during his leisure hours. The situation found for -him was in a large commercial house, where everything was conducted -in the best manner and on the highest principles. Here he made rapid -progress and was soon able to contribute to the support of those he had -left at home in the country. He became interested in serious things, -united with the Sunday-school, and after a while made a profession of -religion. Everything went well with him for several years, until he -fell in with some boys near his own age, who had been brought up under -very different circumstances. Two or three of these were inclined -towards skepticism in religious things, and their reading was quite -unlike that to which this boy had been accustomed. Some fascination -of manner about them attracted the lad to their society, and he grew -less and less fond of his truest and best friends. He became irregular -in his attendance at the Sunday-school, and when remonstrated with -by his teacher and friends had no candid and manly answer for them. -After a while he ceased going to church entirely, spending his time -at his lodgings reading profane and immoral books or in the society -of his new companions. Then he found his way with these friends (so -he called them, but they were really his greatest enemies) to taverns -and even to worse places, reading a corrupt literature and thinking he -was strengthening his mind and broadening his views. A little further -on and his habits grew worse, and became the subject of observation -and remark. His early friends interposed, talked kindly with him and -received his promise to turn away from his evil associates (who had -well-nigh ruined him) and to lead a better life. He promised well, -and for a time things with him were better. But after a while he fell -away again into his old ways and with his old tempters, and before his -friends were aware of it he disappeared and went abroad. Then letters -were received from him. He was without means; he found it hard to get -employment; he had no references, and the people among whom he found -himself were distrustful of strangers. - -One of his friends to whom he wrote for a letter of recommendation -replied something like this: - -“It is impossible for me to give you a letter of recommendation except -with qualification. If you are seeking employment it is your duty to -make a candid statement of your condition. Make a clean breast of it. -Keep nothing back. Say that you had a good situation; that you were -growing with the growth of your employers; that your salary had been -advanced twice within the year; that one of the partners was your -friend; that he had stood by you in your earlier youth; that he had -extricated you from embarrassment and would have helped you again when -needed, and that in an evil hour you forgot this, and your duty to him -and to the house which sustained you; that you left your place without -your father’s knowledge and well-nigh or quite broke his heart, and -that all this grew out of your love of bad associates and your love of -drink, and that while under this infatuation you went astray with bad -women; and that in very despair of your ability to save yourself, and -ashamed to meet your employers, you sought other scenes in the hope -that in a new field and with new associates you could reform. - -“If you say this or something like this to a Christian man, little as -you affect to think of Christianity, his heart will open to you and you -can then look him frankly in the face, and have no concealments from -him. Any other course than this will only prolong your agony, and in -the end plunge you in deeper shame and disgrace. If you will take this -advice, you may yet make a man of yourself, and no one will be more -rejoiced than myself or more ready to help you. Read the parable of -the prodigal son every day; don’t think so much of your fancied mental -ability; get down off your stilts and be a man, a humble, penitent man, -and make your father’s last days cheerful, instead of blasting his life. - -“You see that I am in earnest and that I feel a deep interest in you, -else I would have thrown your letter to me into the fire.” - -I believe that this young man’s fall was due entirely to the influence -of his foolish, bad companions. And I know that this sad history is the -record of many others; in fact, that the same experience awaits all -who think it a light matter what company they keep, and who drift on -the current with no purpose except to find pleasure, without regard to -their duty to God. When I see, as I so often do, young men standing at -the corners of the streets, or lounging against lamp-posts, and catch a -word as I pass, very often profane or indecent, I know very well that -a work of ruin is going on there, which, if unchecked, will certainly -lead to destruction. And I wonder whether these boys and young men -have parents or sisters, who love them and who yet allow them to pass -unwarned down the road that leads to death. - -But there are other companions, foolish, bad companions, besides those -that appear to us in bodily form. They confront us in the printed page. -You read a book or a pamphlet or paper which is full of dialogue. Such -books are often more attractive than a plain narrative with little -conversation. You enter fully, even if unconsciously, into the spirit -of the story. The characters are real to you. You seem to see the forms -before you; you make a picture of each in your mind, so that if you -were an artist you could paint the portrait of each one. Sometimes the -dialogue is full of profanity, and though you make no sound as you -read, you are really pronouncing each word in your mind. And every time -you say a bad word, in your mind, you defile your heart. You are in -effect listening to bad words not spoken by other people merely, but -spoken by yourself, and before you are aware of it you will be in the -habit of thinking oaths when you are afraid to speak them out. It is -even worse, if possible, when the language is obscene. Now do you ever -think that when you are reading such wretched stuff you are in effect -associating with the characters whose talk you are listening to, and -without rebuke? They are thieves, pirates, burglars, dissolute, the -very worst of society, even murderers. You may not have the courage to -rebuke those who are defiling the very air with their foul talk; you -may be too cowardly even to turn away from such company lest they sneer -at you; but what do you say of a boy who deliberately, and after being -warned, reads by stealth such stuff as I have described? Is there any -one here who would be guilty of such conduct? - -These evils of which I am speaking, and I do so most reluctantly, for -these are not pleasant subjects――are not mere theories. They are sad -realities. It was my ill fortune in my boyhood to know some boys who -were essentially corrupt. Their minds were cages of unclean birds. -They were inexpressibly vile. And it is this fear of the evil that -one sinner may do among young boys that leads me to say what I do on -this most painful subject. Oh, boys, if I can persuade you to turn -away from foolish company, from bad associates, I shall feel that I am -doing indeed a blessed work. For what is the object, the purpose of -all this that is said to you? It is to make men of you and to give -you grace and strength to assert your manhood. It is to build you up -on the foundation of a substantial education, and so prepare you for -the life that is before you here and for that life which is beyond. -But the education of text-books illustrated by the best instructors is -not enough; it is not all you need for the great work of your lives. -You must be ready when you are equipped not only to take care of -yourselves, but to help those who may be dependent upon you, for you -are not to live for yourselves. And you cannot be fully equipped unless -you have the blessing of Almighty God on your work and on your life. - -I want you to be successful men, and no man can be a successful man, -in the highest and best sense, unless he is a religious man. How can -one expect to make his way in life as he ought, without the blessing of -God? And how can one expect the blessing of God who does not ask God -for his blessing? Prayers in the church are not enough; the reading -of the Scriptures in the church is not enough; you must read the -Scriptures for yourselves; you must pray for yourselves and each one -for himself, as well as for others. - - - - - [Illustration: _James A. Garfield._] - - - - - ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD. - - September 25, 1881. - - -I wish to lead your thoughts to one of the strangest things――one of -the most difficult things to understand, which has ever occurred. On -the second day of July last the President of the United States, when -about to step into a railway train which was to carry him North, where -he was to attend a college commencement, at the college where he was -graduated, was shot down by an assassin. - -I say it is one of the strangest things, because the President did not -know the assassin, and had never injured him nor any of his friends. -There was absolutely no motive for the hideous deed. - -I say it is most difficult to understand, because we believe that -Divine Providence overrules all events, holds all power, and we wonder -why He permitted the wretch to do so deplorable a deed. - -President Garfield was no ordinary man. He was emphatically a man of -the people. He was born in a log-cabin which his father had built with -his own hands. It was a very small house, twenty feet by thirty. When -James was two years old, his father died, late in the autumn, and this -boy with three other children were all dependent upon their mother for -a support. How the lone widow passed that winter we do not know; but -when the spring came there was a debt to be paid, and part of the farm -had to go to pay it. About thirty acres of the clearing were left, and -this little farm was worked by the mother and her oldest son. Only -those who have lived on a farm in the country know how hard the work -is. When James was five years old he was sent to school, a mile and a -half away, and as this was a very long walk for so young a boy, his -sister often carried the little boy on her back. - -After a while the boy tried to learn the carpenter’s trade, and in -this effort he spent two years or so, going to school at intervals and -studying at spare hours at home. So he mastered grammar, arithmetic and -geography. After that he became a sort of general help and book-keeper -for a manufacturer in the neighborhood at $14 per month “and found,” -and this was to him a very great advance. But not being well treated -there, he soon left and took to chopping wood――at one time cutting -about twenty-five cords for some $7. Then having read some tales of -the sea, sailors’ stories, such as you have often read, he wanted to -be a sailor; but when he applied for a place on the great lake, he -looked so like a landsman from the country that no captain would engage -him. So he went to the canal, and found employment in leading or -driving horses or mules on the tow-path. But he was soon promoted to -be a deck-hand and steersman, and often falling into the water (once -almost being drowned) and meeting some other mishaps, he concluded that -“following the water” was not his forte, and he abandoned it. By this -time he had saved some money, and his brother Thomas lent him some -more, and with another young man and a cousin he went to a neighboring -town to the academy. These young fellows rented a room, borrowed some -simple cooking utensils, a table and some chairs, made beds and filled -them with straw, and set up house-keeping, and went to the academy. - -Young Garfield spent three years at this academy, doing odd jobs of -carpenter work when he could, and so eking out a living. Then he -went to an eclectic institute, and paid his way in part by doing -the janitor’s work of sweeping the floor and making the fires. Here -he prepared himself to enter the junior class in a higher college, -and, after some delay, he entered that class in Williams College, -Massachusetts. - -While pursuing his college course at Williams he filled his vacations -by teaching in district schools in the neighborhood until his -graduation, in 1856, at twenty-five years of age――quite advanced, you -see, in years for a college graduate. - -Then he went back as a teacher to his eclectic institute, became a -professor of Greek and Latin, and then at twenty-eight years of age -became a Senator in the Ohio Legislature. When the war broke out -in 1861, while still a member of the State Senate, the Government -commissioned him as colonel of a regiment, and he did good service in -the State of Kentucky in driving out the rebels. In a few months he was -promoted to be brigadier-general. So he went on distinguishing himself -wherever he was placed, and, having been assigned for duty to the -Army of the Cumberland, fighting his last battle at Chickamauga, his -gallantry was so conspicuous and so successful that within a fortnight -he was made a major-general. - -While in the army he was elected representative to Congress, and on -December 5, 1863, he took his seat in the House, the youngest member of -Congress. - -Some time after this, the war still going on, he wished to rejoin the -army, but President Lincoln would not permit it, on the ground that his -military knowledge would be invaluable to the government. After serving -seventeen years in the House of Representatives, at times Chairman of -most important committees, he was elected to the Senate, but before he -took his seat he was nominated for the Presidency, and last November -was elected by a large majority to that high office. - -On the 4th of March last he was inaugurated, and four months -afterwards (July 2d) he fell by the hand of an assassin. - -You know how during this long, dry, hot summer he has been lying in -Washington until the last two weeks, hanging between life and death; -and you know how tenderly and lovingly he has been nursed; how gently -he was removed to the sea, in the hope that a change of air and scene -would do what the best surgical and medical skill had failed to do; -and you know how last Monday night, while you were sleeping soundly in -your beds, the bells of our city and all over the land were tolling the -tidings of his death. - -He was a good man――in many respects as well qualified to fill the -Presidential chair as any man who has ever sat in it. So I say it is -most difficult to understand why he was taken away. - -Like all of you he lost his father by death at an early age; as is the -case with all of you his mother was poor. He struggled hard for an -education, and he acquired it, who knows at what a cost! He was never -satisfied with present attainments; he was always on the advance. At -an early age he gave himself to the Lord, joining the church; and -as that branch of the church does not believe in the necessity of -ordination for the ministry he preached the Gospel as a layman, as the -great Faraday preached in London and as Christian laymen preach the -same truths to you, and it was my purpose, formed when he was elected -in November last, to persuade him, some time when he might be passing -through Philadelphia, to come to this chapel and address you boys. -This, alas, now can never be. - -President Garfield loved his mother. No more touching incident was ever -witnessed than that which hundreds of people saw on inauguration day, -when, after taking the oath of his high office, he turned immediately -to his dear old mother and kissed her. - -Our great sorrow is not felt by us alone. All nations mourn with us. -The Queen of Great Britain with her own hand sends messages of the -sweetest, the most touching sympathy. She, too, is a widow and her -children are fatherless. She sends flowers for Mrs. Garfield and puts -her court in mourning, a compliment never extended before except in the -case of death in a royal family. Other European and Asiatic and African -governments send their sympathy――they all feel it――they all deplore -it. Emblems of mourning are displayed in every street in our city, and -every heart is sad. The people mourn. - -Boys, you may not be Presidents――probably not one here will ever be at -the head of this nation; nor is this of any moment; but remember it -was not only as President of the United States that General Garfield -was wise and good――it was in every place where he was put; whether -in school, in college, in teaching, in the army, in Congress, in the -President’s chair, in his family and on his sick and dying bed, -languishing and suffering, wasting and burning with fever, exhausted by -wounds cruel and undeserved, he was always the same brave, true, real -man. - -Some of you know with what profound and tender interest people gathered -in places of prayer that Tuesday morning to ask that the journey from -Washington to Long Branch might be safe and prosperous, and how the -hope was expressed, almost to assurance, that the Saviour would meet -his disciple by the sea. The prayer was granted. The Lord did meet his -disciple, not, as was so much desired, with gifts of healing; nothing -short of a miracle could do that, but by a more complete preparation -of the people for the final issue. It came at last. And while many of -us were sleeping quietly, telegraphic messages were flashing the sad -intelligence everywhere that, at last, he was at rest. - -Now that we know that he is taken away, we stand in awe and amazement. -We cannot yet understand it. - -Shall we gather a few lessons from his life? Some of the most apparent -may be mentioned very briefly. - -The simplicity of his character is most interesting. Conscious as he -must have been of the possession of no ordinary mental force, he was -never obtrusive nor self-assertive. What seemed to be his duty he did, -with purpose and completeness. And his associates often placed him in -positions of high trust and responsibility. - -He was an accomplished scholar. Even while engrossed in Congressional -duties, to a degree which left him little or no time for recreation, -he did not fail to keep himself fresh in classic literature. It is -said that a friend returning from Europe, and desiring to bring him -some little present, could think of nothing more acceptable than a few -volumes of the Latin poets. - -When his life comes to be written by impartial hands, it will be -found that along with his great simplicity and his high culture there -will be most prominent his devotion to principle. This was his great -characteristic. I have no time, and this is not the place, to speak of -his adherence, under strong adverse influences, to his sound views on -the great currency question which has occupied so much the attention of -Congress. - -In a not very remote sense his death is to be attributed to his -devotion to principle. That great and most discreditable contest at -Albany might have been settled weeks before it was, although in a very -different manner, if the President could have yielded his convictions. -He did not yield, and he was slain. - -The funeral services in the capitol are over and the men whom Mrs. -Garfield chose as the bearers of her husband’s coffin were not members -of the cabinet, nor senators, nor judges of the Supreme Court, any of -whom would have been honored by such a service, but they were plain -men, of names unknown to us, members of his own little church. - -They are gone. They have taken his worn and wasted and mutilated form, -all that remains in this world of the strong, pure life that was not -yet fifty years old, to the beautiful city by the lake, and there -within sight and almost within sound of the waves of the great inland -sea, they will to-morrow lay him to rest until the morning of the -resurrection. - - * * * * * - -What use shall we make of this deplorable calamity? Shall our faith -in the prevalence of prayer be weakened? God forbid that we should so -distort his teachings. “Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest -against God?” - -Our prayers are answered, not as we wished, and almost insisted, but -in softening the hearts of the people and drawing them as they have -never before been drawn towards the Great Ruler of the universe, and -in uniting the people, and also in promoting a better feeling between -the different sections of our country than has been known for half a -century. And if, in addition to this, the people would only learn to -abate that passion for office which has been so fatal to peace, and -would be content to allow fitness for office to be the only rule of -appointment, then a true civil service would be a heritage for the -securing of which even the sacrifice of a President would seem not too -great a price. - - “And the archers shot at King Josiah, and the king said to his - servants, Have me away for I am sore wounded. His servants - therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the - second chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem, - and he died and was buried. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned - for Josiah.” 2 Chron. xxxv. 23, 24. - - - - - THE CASE OF THE UNEDUCATED EMPLOYED. - - March 25, 1888. - - -A distinguished lawyer of our city delivered an address before one of -the societies in the venerable University of Harvard on this subject: -“The Case of the Educated Unemployed.” With an intimate knowledge -of his subject, and with rare felicity of thought and expression, -he set before his audience, most of whom were either in the learned -professions or preparing to enter them, the overcrowded condition of -those professions, especially that of the law, a preparation for which -is supposed to imply a more or less thorough academic or collegiate -education. - -I have a different task; for I would show the importance of education -to the workers with the hand, whether in the mills, the shops, or -among the various trades and occupations. By education I do not mean -that of the colleges, or of the common schools merely, but also that -which is acquired sometimes without the advantage of any schools. And -I particularly desire to show that an uneducated worker, whatever be -his work, is at an immense disadvantage with one who is engaged in the -same kind of work, and who is more or less educated. - -A mechanic may be well trained; may have more than his share of brains; -may be highly successful in his business; indeed, may have acquired -a large property, and have very high credit, and may hardly know how -to write his name. A man may have scores or hundreds of men in his -employment, and be conducting business on a very large scale, indeed, -and yet be so ignorant of accounts that he is entirely at the mercy of -his book-keeper, and may be so defrauded as to be on the very brink -of ruin and not know it until it is almost too late. In the course -of a long business life more than one such case has come under my -observation. A man may be partially educated, able to cast up accounts, -able to keep books by double entry (and no other kind of book-keeping -is worthy of the name), and yet not be able to write a simple agreement -in good English, nor understand clearly the meaning of such a paper -when written by another. - -Very many of the business failures that occur are due to the fact that -the person or firm did not know how to keep accounts. This is not -confined to people of small business. How often after a failure are we -told “that the man was very much surprised at his condition; he thought -he was all right; he could not account for his failure, and that in -a short time he would have his books in such a shape that he would -be able to make a statement to his creditors and ask their advice. -It would require ten days or so, however, before he could tell how -he stood.” Why, if the man had been an educated business man, and an -honest man, he would have known in twenty-four hours how he stood. - -The great majority of people who are employed are not educated. They -do not know how to do in the best manner, that which they have to do. -Perhaps a good definition of education, as the word is applied to a -working man, may be that he knows how to do that which he has to do, in -the very best way. - -Education may be of three kinds, viz.: - -That of the _schools_. - -_Self-education._ - -That of _trade_ or _business_. - -_That of the schools._ And this is the best of all; for the whole -of one’s time is given to it; and if you are so inclined you may go -through the whole course, as provided in this school. And all this with -text-books, instruments and other appliances, absolutely free of cost. -A boy, therefore, who passes through the entire course of study here, -has superior opportunities of acquiring a most substantial education. - -Certainly the education of the schools is the best; and let me urge you -with all seriousness to make the best use of your opportunities. You -can never learn as easily as now. You are young. You are not burdened -with cares. Do not relax your efforts in the least; do not yield to -weariness; do not think you know enough already; do not be impatient -lest others of your own age, who have already left school to go to -work, get ahead of you in trade or in any kind of business; if they -have the start of you, they may not be able to keep it; and depend -upon it, in the long run you will overtake and pass them, other things -being equal, if you have a better school education than they have. When -you are told that young men who are well educated are thereby unfitted -or unwilling to take the lowest places in trade or business, do not -believe it. I know the contrary. The better the school education you -have, and the more you know, the more valuable you will be to your -employer. - -Another kind of education is called, but most inaccurately, -_self-education_. All that I mean by it is, that education which one -acquires without teachers. As so defined, it may be divided into two -parts, viz.: the incidental and the direct. - -Let me speak first of the _incidental_. - -I mean by this that education that comes to us from society. - -You cannot live alone, and you ought not to if you could. You seek -companions, or other persons will seek you. Let your associates be -those whose friendship will be an instruction to you, rather than -simply a means of social enjoyment. There are young people of both -sexes who, without being vicious, are utterly weak and foolish, idle -and listless, drifting along a current, the end of which they do not -care to think of. They are living for this life only, with no thought -of the future, no ambition, mere butterflies, who float in the sunshine -when the sun is shining, but who, in a dark and cloudy day, are bored -and miserable, and utterly useless. Sometimes they are pleasant enough -to chat with for a few minutes, but to be shut up to such companionship -as this, would be intolerable. Society has a large element of this -description, and you are likely to see it in your daily life. - -But this is not the worst phase of life among the young people with -whom you may be thrown. There are worse elements than this. There are -those who are depraved to a degree quite beyond their age; who have -given themselves up to work all uncleanness with greediness; who put -no restraint on their inclinations; in whose eyes nothing is pure or -sacred; who have no respect for that which is wholesome or decent; -who are the devil’s own children, and who are not ashamed of their -parentage. And to such baleful, deadly influences and associations will -you be exposed, my young friends, and you may not be apprised of their -true character until it is too late. - -But there are _direct_ means of education, so called. - -The first of these which I mention is the use of books. This is -unquestionably the best means. I am supposing that you have some taste -for reading; if you have not, it is hardly worth while for me to speak, -or for you to listen. I know some people who rarely read a book, and I -pity them. They seem to think that all that is necessary to read is the -daily newspaper. I do not say that such persons are necessarily very -ignorant, for very much may be learned from the daily paper. But the -newspaper does not pretend to supply all that you need, to fit you for -a life of business, either as a dealer in merchandise, a professional -man or a mechanic. No; you must read books, not only for entertainment -and recreation, but for information and culture, which you can obtain -nowhere else. If there is no public library within your reach, seek out -some kind-hearted man or woman who has books, and who will be willing -to lend them to one who is in search of knowledge. I well remember a -gentleman in my early life who did this kind office for me before I was -able to buy books, and there are such now who will do the same for you. - -If you have little knowledge of books, you ought to ask the advice -of some practical friend to point out such as you may most safely -and properly read. For if left to your own judgment or taste, you -will probably waste valuable time, or be discouraged by an attempt to -read something not immediately necessary or appropriate. But do not -attempt to follow an elaborate plan of reading, such as you will find -detailed in some books, for you are very likely to be discouraged -by the greatness of the task. Such lists, I fancy, are made out by -scholars who have read almost everything, and to whom reading is no -task whatever, and who have plenty of time. Do not attempt to read -too many books, nor too much at a time, and do not be disappointed or -discouraged if you are not able to remember or put to good account all -that you read. You cannot always know what particular kind of food -has afforded you the most nourishment. You may rest assured, however, -that as every morsel of food that you take and are able to digest does -something to build up and develop your system, or repair its waste, so -every book or paper that you read, that is wholesome, does something, -you may not know how much, to strengthen or develop your mind. - -There are books that you read for entertainment or recreation, and -that are written for that purpose only. You may read such; indeed, you -ought to read them, for you need, as everybody else needs, recreation -and amusement, and there is much of the purest and best of this that -you can get from books. But you must not make the mistake of supposing -that most, or even a very large proportion, of your reading can be of -this character. You would not think of making your daily meals of the -articles of food that you enjoy as the sweets of your meals. You would -not think of living on sponge-cake and ice-cream for a regular diet. -You might as well do so, as to read only the light and humorous matter -that was never intended for the mental diet of a working man. No. If -you would attain the real object of reading and study, you must read -and study books and papers that tax the full powers of your mind to -understand them. This will soon strengthen the quality of your mind, -even as the exercise of your muscles in work or play will develop a -strength of body that the idle or lazy youth knows nothing of. - -If you would know how to make yourself master of any book that you -read, form the habit, if the book is your own, of making notes with -a pencil in the margin of the pages; but if the book is not your -property, or in any case, take a sheet of paper and write at the end -of every chapter questions on the matter discussed, and the answer to -such questions will probably bring out the author’s meaning so fully -that you will have _absorbed_ the book and made it your own; for, as an -eminent American author has said, “thought is the property of whoever -can entertain it.” - -I said just now that the daily newspaper does not pretend to supply all -that you need to fit you for a life of business, either as a dealer -in goods, or as a mechanic or clerk. But the daily paper is a most -important means of education――so important that no one can afford to -ignore it. Now-a-days one cannot be well informed who does not read -the newspaper. The whole world is brought before us every morning and -evening, and, if we do not read the news as it comes, we shall not -know what we ought to know. It is not necessary to read everything in -a daily paper; there are some things that it will be better for you -not to read. You need not read all the editorials, brilliant as some -of them are, for sometimes they discuss subjects that are not at all -interesting nor useful to you. The newspaper from which I make the most -clippings is one which is the fullest of advertisements, but which -sometimes has nothing whatever in it that I read. But when it does -discuss a subject of interest, it is apt to leave nothing further to be -said. - -But to read with the most advantage one ought to have within easy reach -a dictionary, an atlas and, if possible, an encyclopedia. Then you can -read with profit, and the mere outlines which the newspaper gives can -be filled up by reference to books which give more or less complete -histories. - -The political articles which appear in the height of a campaign are -hardly worth reading, unless you think of entering politics as a -money-making business, which I sincerely hope none of you think of -doing. And I am sure that the full accounts of crime, and especially -the details of police reports and criminal trials, you will do well to -pass by and not read. I really believe that a familiarity with these -details prepares the way, in many instances, for the commission of -crime, just as the reading of accounts of suicide sometimes leads to -the act itself. - -Some of the best minds in our country, and in the world, are now -employed in writing for the periodicals and magazines. No one can be -well informed without reading something of the vast amount of matter -which is thus poured out before him. I have not named the newspapers -nor the magazines which you may read with the most profit; but your -teachers can advise you what to read. Rather is it important for you to -know what _not_ to read. Many of the most popular and the most useful -books that have been published within the last quarter of a century -have appeared first in the pages of a weekly or monthly paper. The best -thoughts of the best thinkers sometimes first see the light in such -pages. - -Besides the newspaper and the literary magazine, there are scientific -periodicals, which are of essential value to a worker who wishes -to be well informed in any of the mechanical arts. The _Scientific -American_ is, perhaps, the best of this class, both in the beauty of -its illustrations and in the high quality of its contributions. The -_Popular Science Monthly_ is a periodical of a wider range and more -diversified character. These periodicals, if you are not able to -subscribe for them as individuals or in clubs, you may find in the -public library. But let me urge you to turn away from “dime novels.” -Not because they are cheap, but because they are often unwholesome -and immoral. The vile, fiery, poisonous whiskey which so many wretched -creatures drink until the coatings of the stomach are destroyed, and -the brain is on fire, is no more fatal to the health and life, than -is the immoral literature I speak of, to the mind and soul of him who -reads. There is an abundance of good literature that is cheap――do not -read the bad. - -Having now spoken of the education you may get in the schools, and that -which you may acquire for yourselves, if you have the pluck to strive -for it, either in the society which you cultivate, or more directly -from books, whether read as an entertainment and recreation, or, -better still, by careful study; or through the daily newspaper, or the -periodical, whether literary or scientific; or, what is best of all, -that which is decidedly religious; I turn now to the education which -you will acquire when you work day by day at your trade or business. - -Let me beg of you to consider the great value of truthfulness in all -your training. Hardly anything will help you more to reach up towards -the top. And when you are at the head of an establishment of your -own or somebody else’s (and I take it for granted you will be at the -head some day), whether it be a workshop or factory of any kind, or -a store, no matter what, a fixed habit of keeping your word, of not -promising unless you are certain of keeping your promise, will almost -insure your success if you are a good workman. How many good mechanics -have utterly failed of success because they have not cared to keep -their promises? A firm of high reputation agrees to supply certain -articles of furniture at a time fixed by them. The time comes but the -articles do not come. A call of inquiry is made and new promises are -made only to be broken. Excuses are offered and more promises given; -then incomplete articles are sent; then more delays, until, when -patience is nearly exhausted, the work is finished. Then comes the bill -and there is a mistake in it. The whole transaction is a series of -disappointments and misunderstandings. Will you ever incline to go to -that place again? - -It is usual for miners of coal to place their sons, as they become ten -or twelve years of age, at the foot of the great breakers to watch -the coal as it comes rattling and broken down the great wire screens, -and catch the pieces of slate and throw them to one side and allow -only the pure coal to pass down into the huge bins, from which it is -dropped into the cars and taken to market. To an uneducated eye there -is hardly any perceptible difference between the coal and the slate. -But these little fellows soon become so quick in the education of the -eye, that they can tell in an instant the difference. When the boy -grows older he graduates to the place of a mule driver, and has his car -and mule, which he drives day by day from the mouth of the mine to the -breaker. Then when he begins to be of age he fixes his little oil lamp -in the front of his cap, and goes down into the mines with his pick -and becomes a miner of coal. It seems a dreary life to spend most of -one’s time under the ground, shut out from the sunshine and from the -pure air. And most of these men having no education, and never having -been urged to seek one, are content to spend all their days in this -manner. But occasionally there is one who feels that he is capable of -better things than this. And I know one at least, who began his work -at the foot of a coal breaker and worked his way up through all these -stages, as I have told you, and who determined to do something better -for himself. So he gave much of his leisure (and everybody has some -leisure) to study; nor was he discouraged by the difficulties in his -way. He persevered. He rose to be a boss among the men; then having -saved some money, instead of wasting it at the tavern, he bought his -teams, and then bought an interest in a coal mine, and became a miner -of his own coal, and had his men under him, and has grown to be a rich -man, and is not ashamed of his small beginnings nor of his hard work. -This is only one instance of success in rising from a low position to a -high one. - -The same thing is going on all around us and we see it every day. It -would hardly be proper to give you names, but I could tell you of many -within my own knowledge who, from positions of extremely hard labor and -plain living, have risen to be the head men in shops and other places -which they entered at the lowest places. Such changes are continually -occurring. And there is no reason whatever, except your indifference, -to prevent many of you from becoming, if God gives you health, the -head men, in the places where you begin work as subordinates or in -very low positions. And I tell you what you know already, that there -is plenty of room for advancement. It is the lowest places that are -full to overflowing. Who ever heard of a strike among the _chiefs_ of -any industry? No, indeed. They have made themselves indispensable to -their employers and they don’t need to strike. And there is hardly a -youth who cannot by strict attention to business, and conscientious -devotion to the interests of his employer, make himself so invaluable -that he need not join any trades union for protection. Do the vast -army of clerks in the various corporations, or in the great commercial -houses, or in the public service, or in the army and navy――do these -people ever band themselves in any associations like the trades unions? -They know better than that; they accomplish their purposes in better -ways. If the working classes, so called, were better educated, they -would not suffer themselves to be led by the nose by people who will -not themselves work, who will not touch even with their little fingers -the burdens which are crushing the life out of the deluded ones whom -they are leading to folly. It is a true education that is needed, a -true conscience that must be cultivated, to enable men to do their own -thinking, and to determine for themselves what are their best interests. - -I urge you all to seek that higher and better education which will make -you true men. You have now the great advantage of the education of the -school. I have tried very simply, but not the less earnestly, to show -you how you can fit yourselves for high places. It is for you to say -whether you will avail yourselves of these plain hints. No earthly -power can force you to do that which you will not do. You may lead a -horse to a brimming fountain of water, but if he is not thirsty, no -coaxing nor threatening nor beating can make him drink. I may show you, -to demonstration, the abundant fountain of learning, but I can’t make -you drink, or even stoop to taste the stream, if you are not thirsty. -I can’t make you study, however great the advantage to you, or however -much they who are interested in you desire that you should. - -Every year this question which I have been pressing upon you becomes -more and more important. The great colleges of the country are -graduating their thousands of students, many of whom will compete -with you for the high places in the mechanic arts. So are the public -schools of the country sending out hundreds of thousands, many of them -having the same aim. Technical schools, teaching the mechanic arts, are -multiplying. Great changes have been made recently in our own city in -this respect. The Spring Garden Institute is doing a noble work in this -way. Our own college is moving in the same direction, and soon it will -be sending out its hundreds every year to compete for places in the -shops, with this great advantage, that you Girard boys have a school -education――the best that you are able to receive, and you must not let -any others go ahead of you. - -Look at the poor, ignorant people from abroad who sweep our -streets――look at the stevedores who load and unload the ships――look at -the men who carry the hod of mortar or bricks up the high and steep -ladders――look at the drivers and the conductors on our street cars, -the most hard worked people among us――and are you not sure that most -of these people are _un_educated? No one wants to be at the bottom all -the time. We may have been there at the first; but those who have made -the most progress are generally those who have had the best education. -I know that education is not a sure guarantee of success; many other -things enter into the consideration of the question; but I am saying -that, other things being equal, _he who knows the most will do the -best_. There are, alas, many instances of the sons of the rich, who -have been well educated, who have everything provided for them, who -have no stimulus, no spur; who have no regular occupation, and need not -have any; many of whom sink into idleness and dissipation, and their -fine education goes for nothing. But you are not of this class. You -will have to make your way in the world by your own exertions. - -I shall fail of my duty if I do not say some words about such boys -as sometimes stand at the corners of the streets in large or small -companies and amuse themselves by smoking and chewing tobacco, telling -bad stories and making remarks upon those who pass by. I am sure much -of this arises from thoughtlessness; but I wish to point out the -exceeding impropriety of this behavior. I have known ladies to cross -the street and, at much inconvenience, go quite out of their way rather -than pass within hearing of these boys and young men. What right has -any one to make the streets disagreeable to any passenger, to block -up the way or make loose or rude remarks, or defile the pavement over -which I walk? - -All this most serious waste of time is probably because no one has -particularly called attention to it. The time may come when you will -recall the words of advice which you hear to-day, and you may regret -when it is too late that you turned a deaf ear to what was said. - -I have now tried, in as much detail as the time will permit, to show -the importance of that education which will enable you to rise in -your trade or business, whatever it may be, to the upper places; and -I have tried to show that a true ambition leads one to strive to be -_chief_ rather than a _subordinate_, to be a _foreman_ rather than a -_journeyman_. - -But, after all, everything will depend upon yourselves and upon God. -There is no royal road to education; the very meaning of the word shows -this; the mind must be drawn out, worked over, developed, rounded, -hammered, somewhat as a blacksmith puts a piece of rough iron in the -coals, keeps it there until it is red-hot, then draws it out, lays it -upon his anvil and hammers it, turning it over and over, striking it -first on this side and then on that, rounding it off; then when it -cools thrusting it among the coals again, then hammering away again -until he has brought the rough piece of iron to the size and shape -he wishes, when he allows it to cool and harden. If you are willing -to work your mind into the shape you want it, you will surely bring -yourself to the front among active, ingenious and successful men. But -this means hard work, and work all the time. - -Now if you mean to avail yourselves of any of the hints which I have -given you, if you really mean to succeed, if you are not content to be -workers low down in the scale of industry, if you mean to rise rather -than to be obscure, if you intend to be well-to-do men, instead of -living from hand to mouth, you must grapple with the subject with all -your might and keep at it all the time. And you must keep out of the -streets at night, away from the taverns and from the low theatres, and -from gambling dens, and from other places which I will not name; and, -in short, you must be true Americans, for there is no truer type of -manhood in all the world than a real American; and nowhere else in all -the world has a poor boy so good an opportunity to be and do all this, -as in our own good city of Philadelphia. - - - - - WILLIAM PENN. - - October 22, 1882. - - -In the early autumn of the year 1682, a vessel with her bow pointing -towards the west was making her way slowly across the Atlantic -ocean. She was a small craft, rigged as a ship, and crowded with -emigrants. The discomforts of a long and tiresome voyage, the very -small accommodations, the horror of sea-sickness, were in this vessel -aggravated by the breaking out of that most awful of all scourges, -the small-pox. In a very short time, out of a population of one -hundred, thirty passengers died. No record is left of the incidents -of that voyage except this; but it is easy to imagine that all the -circumstances were as deplorable as they could well be. - -After a weary time of head winds and calms, in about seven weeks, this -ship, the “Welcome,” came within the capes of the Delaware bay. - -The most distinguished person on that little ship was William Penn. -He had left his home in England, embarking with his trusty friends in -a vessel only one-tenth the size of the ships of our American Line, -to come to Pennsylvania. He had bought the whole province from the -government of England for the sum of £16,000 sterling, which, measured -by our money, is about $80,000, and this money was due to him for -services rendered and money loaned to the government by his father, an -admiral in the English navy. - -About the 24th of October the vessel reached the town of Newcastle, -where Penn landed and was cordially received by the people of that -little village. Afterwards they came farther up the river to Uplands, -now the town or city of Chester. Then, leaving the vessel here, they -came in a barge (Penn and some of his principal men) to the mouth of -Dock creek, the foot of what is now known as Dock street, where they -landed, near a little tavern called the Blue Anchor. - -There was already a settlement on the shore of the Delaware river, and -the people, mostly Swedes, had built a little church somewhat farther -down the stream. The entire land between the Delaware and Schuylkill -rivers, and for a mile north and south, was owned by three brothers, -Swedes, named Swen. Penn bought this tract from them, and at once -proceeded to lay out his new city. When he bought the whole province -from the crown he desired to call it New-Wales, because it was so -hilly, but the king insisted on calling it Penn’s Sylvania, in memory -of the admiral, William’s father. But when the new city came to be -named, Penn having no one to dispute his wish, called it by that word, -of whose meaning we think so little, Philadelphia――brotherly love. Two -months after this he met the Indians, it is said, under a great elm -tree in the upper part of the city, in what we now call Kensington, -and concluded that treaty which has been said to be the only treaty -that was ever made without an oath, and that was never broken. Shortly -after this Penn proceeded to lay out the city, and, as a distinguished -English author has said, he must have taken the ancient Babylon for his -model, for this was the first modern city that was laid out with the -streets crossing each other at right angles. - -The charter which Penn received from Charles the Second, King of -England (the original of which is in the capital at Harrisburg, on -three large sheets of parchment), makes him proprietary and governor, -also holding his authority under the crown. He at once therefore set -about making a code of laws as special statutes, which with the common -law of England should be the laws of the province. One of these special -laws was this: “Every one, rich or poor, was to learn a useful trade or -occupation; the poor to live on it: the rich to resort to it if they -should become poor.” And I do not know what better law he could have -enacted. - -When the news of Penn’s arrival and cordial reception reached England -and the continent of Europe, the effect was to arouse a spirit of -emigration. Although Penn’s first thought and purpose was to found -a colony, where he and others who held the religious views of the -Society of Friends might worship without hindrance (which liberty -was denied them in England), the people from other countries in -Europe came here in great numbers for other purposes. The population -therefore multiplied rapidly, and the people were generally such as had -determined to brave the privations of a new country, to make themselves -a home where life could be lived under better conditions than in the -old countries, under the harsh government of tyrannical kings. This -emigration was stimulated also by the very liberal terms which the -governor offered to new-comers; for to actual settlers he offered the -land at about ten dollars for a hundred acres, subject, however, to -a quit-rent of a quarter of a dollar an acre per annum forever; and -this may be the origin of that ground-rent instrument which is almost -peculiar to Pennsylvania, and which is such a favorite investment for -our rich men. - -After a stay of two years Penn returned to England, where he had left -his wife and children; the care of the government having been left with -a council, of which Thomas Lloyd was president, who kept the great seal. - -Not long after his return to England the king, Charles the Second, -died, and having no son he was succeeded by his brother, James Duke of -York, as James the Second. Although Penn was on the most cordial terms -with the new king, as he had been with Charles, this did not secure him -from the repeated annoyances and persecutions of those who detested his -religion. So severe was the treatment to which he was subjected, and -such was his personal danger from unprincipled men, that he escaped to -France. But not being able nor willing to bear this exile, he returned -to England, was tried for his offence against the law of the church and -was acquitted. After this he came to America again, intending to spend -the rest of his life here, but he remained only two years. - -The rest of his life was spent in England, but it was a life broken by -persecutions and trials at law and other annoyances, the expenses of -which, added to the losses by the unfaithfulness of his stewards, were -so great as seriously to involve him in financial embarrassments; and -he was even compelled to mortgage his great estate in Pennsylvania to -relieve himself; but the interest annually payable on such encumbrance -was so heavy that he felt the necessity of relieving himself of the -property entirely, and he offered to sell it to the crown. While the -matter was under consideration, his health began to decline; however, -the terms were agreed upon, but while the papers were in the course of -preparation he died peacefully at Rushcombe, in Buckinghamshire, July -30, 1718, and was buried five days after in the burial ground belonging -to Jordan’s meeting house. - -Such is the briefest outline of the life of the founder of this -commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and of this city of Philadelphia. - -Let us see now what there was in this life which we may find it -interesting to recall and dwell upon; what there was in it which may be -useful for us to consider in its application to ourselves. - -William Penn was born in the city of London on the 14th of October, -1644, in the parish of St. Catharine’s, near the Tower. His father -was an admiral and his grandfather was a captain in the English navy. -Then, as now, it was the custom of English families of good condition -to send their boys away from home to school. This boy, an only son, was -therefore sent to school near the town of Wanstead, in Essex, called -Chigwell. Here he remained until he was thirteen years old, with no -incident particularly worthy of notice, except that he was, at the age -of twelve, brought under deep religious impressions, which, however, -like many other boys, he soon threw aside. He seems to have been apt to -learn, and was fond of the childish sports belonging to his age. For -two years after leaving school, he was under private instruction at -home, until he was fifteen years old, when he entered the University -of Oxford. Here he devoted himself most diligently to his studies -and became a successful student. But this did not prevent him from -entering most heartily into the sports which were common to young -men of his quality. He was very fond of boating, fishing, shooting, -and other pleasures, and he was extremely handsome; but he avoided -dissipation of all kinds, thus proving that the keenest enjoyment of -healthful sports is quite consistent with a pure life. If the college -students of this day would believe and act upon this principle, it -would be better for them and better for the world. - -With this hearty enjoyment of sports, and this diligent application to -study, he had a very tender sympathy and love for domestic animals. -Towards those that were the most helpless, he evinced a kindliness that -was almost womanly. - -But he had a strong will, and it was impossible to turn him aside -from a course of duty, when he was satisfied that it was real duty. -During his school and college life there were many seasons of religious -interest in his experience, and he was at last brought (under the -preaching of a member of the Society of Friends named Thomas Loe) to -declare himself a member of that society. He therefore refused to -attend the services of the Church of England. The custom of wearing -surplices by Oxford students, which had been abolished in Cromwell’s -time, had been restored by Charles; but Penn, when he came out as a -religious man, threw off his surplice and refused to wear it. This -act was bad enough in the eyes of the authorities; but his zeal went -further than this, and, in common with some others of the same way of -thinking, he so far forgot himself as to attack other students and tear -off their surplices. This very grave offence could not be overlooked, -and, admiral’s son though he was, he was expelled from the University -of Oxford. This was a great blow to his father, who was building -the fondest hopes on the advancement of his son at college and his -career as a courtier. No persuasion, however, could induce the son to -reconsider his conduct, and his father at last flogged him and drove -him from the house. Some time after this, through the intercession of -the mother, the young man was brought back to his home; and his father, -in the hope that a change of scene and circumstances would work a -change in the lad’s feelings, sent him to Paris, and to travel on the -continent. - -While in Paris he studied the French language, and read some books in -theology, and went as far as Turin, in Italy, from whence, however, he -was recalled to take charge of a part of his father’s affairs. He then -studied law for a year, which no doubt was of some help to him in the -founding of his commonwealth. Then his father sent him to take care of -his estates in Ireland, at that time under the vice-royalty of the Duke -of Ormond. He entered the army here, and did good service too; and was, -apparently, so much pleased with his new life that he suffered the only -portrait of him that was ever painted, to be taken when he was wearing -armor and in uniform. This picture, or a copy of it, may now be seen at -the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in Spruce street, above Eighth. - -About this time he came again under the influence of the preacher Loe, -and was recalled by his father, who remonstrated with him on his new -mode of life, but with no success whatever. He would not give up his -new religion. His father tried to compromise the matter with him, and -he even went so far as to propose to his son, that if he would remove -his hat in the presence of the king and the Duke of York and his -father, as his superiors, their differences might be healed; but the -son, believing that the removal of his hat would be dishonorable to -God, absolutely refused. - -His life for some time after this was stormy enough. He came out boldly -and in defiance of law as a preacher of the Society of Friends; and was -repeatedly imprisoned, sometimes in the Tower of London and sometimes -in the loathsome prison of Newgate, from which places he was released -by the intercession of the Duke of York and his father and other -friends. - -Those were very rough times, not likely, let us hope, to be repeated. -Society was very corrupt at the highest sources, and religion was more -violent and aggressive in its measures then than now. The world has -grown wiser and better――there is more toleration, more of the Spirit -of the Master now than then, and in our favored land every soul can -worship God as he may choose to do. - -William Penn was a _statesman_. He founded this great commonwealth of -Pennsylvania. He established a code of laws that were in advance of -his time. He stipulated that the law of primogeniture, that law which -gives the lands of the father to the _oldest_ son, with little or no -provision for younger sons, that law which is the corner-stone of the -crown of England, should have no place in this new commonwealth. The -property of a parent dying without a will should be _equally divided -among his children_. Penn was a statesman in the broadest sense of the -term. His laws were for the greatest good of the greatest number. He -treated the Indians as if they were human beings, and not as if they -were brute beasts. Indeed, he never treated the brutes as the Indians -have been treated even in our day by harsh and unscrupulous agents of -the government. Whether he was exactly just in his dealings with Lord -Baltimore, the settler of Maryland, I do not know. Perhaps he was not. -We know this misunderstanding gave him great trouble, and was indeed -the prime cause of his return to England. - -Penn was a _rich man_. The inheritance left him by his father was -handsome, and he could have lived most comfortably upon it. But when -he received from the crown the charter which made him the owner of -Pennsylvania, he was the largest landholder, except sovereigns, known -in history. He did not use his wealth for personal indulgence, or for -luxurious living for himself or his family. He believed that he held -his property as a trustee, and that he had no right to waste it. He -might have lived the life of an ordinary English nobleman (for it is -said his father was offered a peerage), but such a life had no charms -for him. - -Penn was a _conscientious man_. I mean by this that he followed his -inner convictions, without regard to consequences. What he wanted to -know was, whether a given thing was _right_ and according to his way -of determining what the right was; and he did it if it were a duty, -without flinching. No personal inconvenience, no consideration for the -views or wishes of other people, was allowed to stand in the way of his -duty, as he understood it. It was the custom of that time for gentlemen -to wear swords, as some gentlemen now carry canes, and with no purpose -except as an ornament or part of the dress. Some time after he joined -the Society of Friends, and while still wearing his sword, he said to -his friend George Fox, “Is it consistent with our principles and our -testimonies against war for me to wear my sword?” When Fox replied, -“Wear thy sword as usual, so long as thy conscience will permit it.” -This friendly rebuke led him to lay aside his sword never to resume it. - -William Penn was a _religious man_. He was called by the Holy Spirit -at the early age of twelve years, as I have already said. He resisted -that call and many others, until under faithful preaching he could -resist no longer, when he yielded himself to the divine call and became -an open professor of the principles of the Society of Friends. This -was a very different thing, so far as personal comfort was concerned, -from professing religion in the ordinary forms; for this was to join -a hated sect, and bear all the contempt and persecution that belonged -to a profession of religion in the early days of Christianity, when -men, women and children perilled their lives in the service of the -great Master. But Penn cared not for the cost; he was ready to go to -prison, and to death if necessary, for his opinions. He _did_ go to -prison over and over again, and bore right manfully all that was put -upon him. He was not idle, however, in the prison. He preached to -his fellow-prisoners; he wrote pamphlets; he did everything in his -power to make known to others the good tidings of salvation that had -come to him. He wrote a great many letters, and they were all full -of the spirit of religion. He wrote treatises on religious truth, -that might have been written by a systematic theologian; but among -the most practical things he wrote was the address to his children, -that it would be well if all people would read, and which, with a few -exceptions, is as appropriate for the people of to-day as it was for -those who lived two hundred years ago. - -If Penn had not been a religious man, his life had not been worth -recording. He would have lived the life that was lived by almost all -men of his class at that time, a life of unrestrained worldliness and -luxury. The Almighty, who had great purposes in store for the New -World, to be wrought out by the instrumentality of man, could have -chosen another man, but he chose Penn. - -Such is the story of the life of a man who was one of the world’s -heroes. His name will never die. There is a large literature on the -subject of his life, some of which you will find in your own library, -if you choose to look further into it. This is all that I feel it -proper to say to you to-day about it. - -Boys, it is a great thing to have been born in Pennsylvania, as all -of you were. And this could hardly be said of any other congregation -in this city to-day. This is a great commonwealth. As to its size, it -is (leaving out Wales) nearly as large as the whole of England. As to -great rivers and mountains and mines and metals, as to forests and -fields, we are far in advance of anything of the kind in England. No -valleys on earth are more beautiful or more productive than the valleys -of our own Pennsylvania. - -It is a great thing, boys, to have been born in the city of -Philadelphia, as most of you were. It was founded by a great and good -man. There are, in the civilized world, but three cities that are -larger than ours. There is no city, except London, that has so many -dwelling-houses, and there is none anywhere in all the world where the -poor man who works for his living can live so happily and so well. - -In this State, in this city, your lot is cast. You will soon many of -you take your place among the citizens, and have your share in choosing -the men who make and execute the laws. Some of you _will be_ the men -who make and execute the laws. William Penn founded this commonwealth, -not only to provide a peaceable home for the persecuted members of his -own society, but to afford an asylum for the good and oppressed of -every nation; and he founded an empire where the pure and peaceable -principles of Christianity might be carried out in practice. When you -come to take your part in the duties of public life, see to it that you -forget not his wise and noble purpose. - - - - - OUR CONSTITUTION. - - October, 1887. - - -I am about to do what I have never done――what has probably never been -done by any other person in this chapel. I propose to give you a -political speech, but not a partisan speech; indeed, I hardly think you -will be able to guess, from anything I say, to which of the two great -political parties I belong. - -I do not go to the Bible for a text――though there are many passages in -the holy Scriptures which would answer my purpose very well――but I take -for my text the following passage from the will of Mr. Girard: - -“AND ESPECIALLY I DESIRE THAT BY EVERY PROPER MEANS, A PURE ATTACHMENT -TO OUR REPUBLICAN INSTITUTIONS, AND TO THE SACRED RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE -AS GUARANTEED BY OUR HAPPY CONSTITUTIONS, SHALL BE FORMED AND FOSTERED -IN THE MINDS OF THE SCHOLARS.” - -A few weeks ago our city was filled to overflowing with strangers. -They came from all parts of the land, and some from distant parts of -the world. Our railways and steamboats were crowded to their utmost -capacity. Our streets were thronged; our hotels and many private -dwellings were full. It was said that there were half a million of -strangers here. The President of the United States, the members -of the Cabinet, many members of the national Senate and House of -Representatives, the general of the army and many other generals, the -highest navy officers, judges of the Supreme Court of the United States -and of the State courts, the governors of most of the States――each -with his staff――soldiers and sailors of the United States, and many -regiments of State troops (the Girard College cadets among them)――a -military and naval display of twenty-five thousand men――representatives -of foreign states, an exhibition of the industrial and mechanic arts, -in a procession miles in extent, such as was never seen in all the -world before; receptions and banquets, public and private; a general -suspension of most kinds of business――all this occurred in the streets -of our city, only a few weeks ago. What did it mean? - -It was the One Hundredth Anniversary of the adoption of the -Constitution of the United States, and it was considered to be an -event of such importance that it was well worth while to pause in our -daily work; to give holiday to our schools; to still the busy hum -of industry; to stop the wheels of commerce; to close our places of -business. - -One hundred years ago the Constitution of the United States of America -was adopted in this city. - -What had been our government before this time? Up to July, 1776, there -had been thirteen colonies, all under the government of Great Britain. -In the lapse of time, the people of these colonies, owing allegiance to -the king of England, and subjected to certain taxes which they had no -voice in considering and imposing, because they had no representation -in the Parliament which laid the taxes, became discontented and -rebellious, and in a convention which sat in our own city of -Philadelphia, on the 4th of July, 1776, they united in a DECLARATION OF -INDEPENDENCE of Great Britain, and announced the thirteen colonies as -Free, Sovereign and Independent States. - -This, however, was only a DECLARATION; and it took seven long years of -exhausting and terrible war (which would have been longer still but for -the timely aid of the French nation) to secure that independence and -have it acknowledged by the governments of Europe. - -Before the DECLARATION, each of the colonies had a State government and -a written constitution for the regulation of its internal affairs. Now -these colonies had become States, with the necessity upon them (not at -first admitted by all) of a general compact or agreement, by which the -States, while maintaining their independence in many things, should -become a confederated or general government. - -More than a year passed before the Constitution, which the Convention -agreed upon, was adopted by a sufficient number of the States to make -it binding on all the thirteen; and I am glad to know and to say that -my own little State of Delaware was the first to adopt it. - -Now, WHAT IS THE CONSTITUTION? How does it differ from the _laws_ which -the Congress enacts every winter in Washington? - -First, let me speak of other nations. There are two kinds of government -in the world――monarchical and republican. And there are two kinds of -monarchies――absolute and limited. An absolute monarch, whether he be -called emperor or king, rules by his personal will――HIS WILL IS THE -LAW. One of the most perfect illustrations of absolute or personal -government is seen on board any ship, where the will of the chief -officer, whether admiral or captain, or whatever his rank, is, and must -be, the law. From his orders, his decisions, there is no appeal until -the ship reaches the shore, when he himself comes under the law. This -is a very ancient form of government, now known in very few countries -calling themselves civilized. - -The other kind of monarchy is limited by a constitution, _un_written, -as in Great Britain, or _written_, as in some other nations of Europe. -In these countries the sovereigns are under a constitution; in some -instances with hardly as much power as our President. They are not a -law unto themselves, but are under the common law. - -The other kind of government is republican, democratic or representative. -It is, as was happily said on the field of Gettysburg, long after the -battle, by President Lincoln, “a government _of_ the people, _by_ the -people, _for_ the people.” These few plain words are well worth -remembering――“of,” “by,” “for” the people. These are the traits which -distinguish our government from all kinds of monarchies, whether -absolute or limited, hereditary or elective. - -After the war between Germany and France, in 1870, the German kingdoms -of Prussia, Hanover, Saxony, Wurtemberg, Bavaria, with certain small -principalities, each with its hereditary sovereign, were consolidated -or confederated as the German empire, and the king of Prussia, the -present Frederick William, was crowned emperor of Germany. - -France, however, after that war, having had enough of kings and -emperors, adopted the republican form of government. So that now there -are three republics in Europe, viz.: France, Switzerland, and a little -territory on the east coast of Italy, San Marino. - -So that almost all of Europe, all of Asia, and all of Africa (except -Liberia), and the islands of Australia, and the northern part of North -America (except Alaska), are under the government of monarchs; while -the three countries of Europe already mentioned, and our own country, -and Mexico, and the Central American States, and all South America -except Brazil (and some small parts of the coast of South America under -British rule), are republics.[B] - -[B] One of our most distinguished citizens said some years ago that he -believed the tendency of things was towards the English language, the -Christian religion, and republican government for the human race. - -Now let us come back to our own government and see what is, and whether -it is better than any form of monarchy; and if so, why. - -What is the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES? The first clause in it -is the best answer I can give: - -“WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, in order to form a more perfect -union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the -common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings -of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this -Constitution for the United States of America.” - -Then follow the articles and sections setting forth the principles -on which it was proposed to build up a nation in this western world. -The thirteen States each had its constitution and its laws, but _this -instrument_ was intended to serve as the foundation of the general -government. Until these States had formed their constitutions, there -was no republican government in the world except Switzerland and San -Marino, and these lived only on the sufferance of their powerful -monarchical neighbors. All South America was under Spanish rule, and -Mexico was a monarchy. - -The great principle of a republic is that people _have a right to -choose_ their own rulers, and ought to do it. The divine right of -hereditary monarchy we deny. It is often said that the English -government is as free as ours; but it is not quite true, and will -not be true until every citizen is permitted to vote for his rulers. -Whether so much liberty is perfectly safe for all people is well open -to question; but it is a FACT here, and if people would only behave -themselves properly there would be no danger whatever in it. And if -there IS danger here, it comes not from native-born citizens trained -under our free institutions. The sun does not shine on a broader, -fairer land than this; and under that divine Providence, without -whose gracious aid we could not have achieved and cannot maintain our -Constitution, we have nothing whatever to fear for the present or to -dread in the future, but the evil men among us――the Anarchists and -Socialists, the scum and off-scouring of Europe――who, with no fear of -God before their eyes, so far forget the high aims of this government -and their own obligations to it as to seek to overthrow its very -foundations. - -The highest and best types of monarchical governments are in Europe, -and it is with such that we seek comparison when we insist that ours is -better. - -Monarchies are hereditary. They descend from father to the oldest -son and to the oldest son of the oldest son where there are sons. -England has rejoiced in two female sovereigns at least, Elizabeth, and -Victoria, the present sovereign; but they came to the throne because -there was no son in either case to inherit. The heir-apparent, whatever -his character or want of character, MUST reign when the sovereign dies, -because, as they say, he rules by divine right. We insist on electing -our President for a term of years, and if we like him we give him -another term; if we do not like him, we drop him and try another. I -wish the term of office of the President were longer, and that he could -serve only one term. Perhaps it will come to that; and I think he would -be a more independent, a better official under this condition. - -What is the difference between the Constitution and the laws? - -The Constitution is the great charter under which, and within which, -the laws are made. No law that Congress may pass is worth the paper it -is printed on if it is contrary to the Constitution. Such laws have -been passed ignorantly, and have died. - -A very simple illustration is at hand. The constitution of this College -is Mr. Girard’s will. This is our charter. The laws which the Directors -make must be within the provisions of the will or they will not stand. -For instance, the will directs that none but _orphans_ can be admitted -here; and the courts have decided that a child without a father is -an orphan. The directors, therefore, cannot admit the child who has -a father living. The will says that only _boys_ can be admitted; -therefore no law that the Directors can make will admit a girl. Nor -can the Directors make a law which will admit a colored boy; nor a boy -under six nor over ten years of age; nor a boy born anywhere except in -certain States of our country――Pennsylvania, New York and Louisiana. It -would be UNCONSTITUTIONAL. I think now you see the difference between -the Constitution and the laws. - -Now, again, is our government better than a monarchy? and why? - -Because the men of the present time make it, and are not bound by the -traditions of far-off times. There are improvements in the science of -government as in all other human inventions, as the centuries come -and go. Man is progressive; he would not be worth caring for if he -were not. If the present age has not produced a higher and better -development in all essentials, it is our own fault, and is not because -men were perfect in the past or cannot be better in the present or in -the future. Therefore when our Constitution is believed not to meet the -requirements of the present day there is a way to amend it, although -that way is so hedged up that it cannot possibly be altered without -ample time for consideration. As a matter of fact, the Constitution has -been altered or amended fifteen times since its adoption; and it will -be changed or amended as often as the needs of the people require it. - -We believe our form of government to be better than any monarchy -because _the people choose their own law-makers_. The Congress is -composed of two houses or chambers: the members of the Senate, chosen -by the legislatures of the States, two from each State, to serve for -six years; the members of the House of Representatives (chosen by the -citizens), who sit for two years only, unless re-elected. The Senate is -supposed to be the more conservative body, not easily moved by popular -clamor; while the Representatives, chosen directly and recently by the -voters, are supposed to know the immediate wants of the people. The -thought of two houses grew probably from the two houses of the British -parliament. - -We cannot have an _hereditary legislature_ like the House of Lords in -the British parliament, whose members sit, as the sovereign rules, by -divine right, as they say, and with the same result in some instances: -for the sovereign may be a mere figure-head, or only the nominal ruler, -while the cabinet is the real government, and the House of Lords long -ago sunk far below the House of Commons in real influence. There is no -better reason for this than the fact that the people have nothing to do -with the House of Lords and the sovereign, except to depose and scatter -them when they choose to rise in their power and assert themselves. - -We can have no _orders of nobility_ under our Constitution. There can -be no privileged class. All men are equal under the law. I do not mean -that all persons are equal in all respects. Divine Providence has -made us unequal. Some are endowed naturally with the highest mental -and physical gifts and distinctions; some are strong and others weak. -This has always been so and always will be so. Some have inherited or -acquired riches, while others have to labor diligently to make a bare -living. Some have inherited their high culture and gentle manners and -noble instincts, which, in a general sense, we sometimes call culture; -and others have to acquire all this for themselves――and it is not very -easy to get it. So there is no such thing as absolute equality, and -cannot be; but before the law, in the enjoyment of our rights and in -the undisturbed possession of what we have, we are all equal, as we -could not be under a monarchy. Here there is no legal bar to success; -all places are open to all. - -There can be no law of _primogeniture_ under our Constitution. By this -law, which still prevails in England, the eldest son inherits the -titles and estates of the father, while the younger sons and all the -daughters must be provided for in other ways. Some of the sons are put -in the church, in the army or the navy, or in the professions, such as -law and medicine; but it is very rare indeed that any son of a noble -house is willing to engage in any kind of business or trade, for they -are not so well thought of if they become tradesmen. - -There can be no _state church_, no _establishment_, under our -Constitution. In England the Episcopal Church, and in Scotland the -Presbyterian Church, are established by law; and until within the -last seventeen years the Church of England was by law established in -Ireland; and it is now established in Wales; and in other countries -of Europe the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church and the -Greek Church are established by law. In countries where there is a -national church, it derives more or less of its support from taxing the -people, many of whom do not belong to it; but in this land there is no -established church; and there never can be, let us hope and believe. - -Under our form of government we need no _standing army_. We owe this -partly to the fact that we are so isolated geographically that we do -not need to keep an army. I heard the general of our army say, a short -time ago, that the regular army of the United States is a fiction――only -25,000 men. (You saw as many troops a few weeks ago in one day as are -in all our army.) “The real army,” he added, “is composed of every -able-bodied citizen; for all are ready to volunteer in the face of a -common enemy.” Our territory is immensely large already, and it will -probably be larger, but it will not again be enlarged as the result -of war. When we look at the nations of Europe, and see the immense -numbers of men in their standing armies, we can’t help thanking God -that we are separated from them by the wide Atlantic, and that we -have a republican government, and have no temptation to seek other -territory, and are not likely to be attacked for any cause. In the -armies of Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Austria, Italy, Turkey, are -more than ten millions of men withdrawn from the cultivation of the -soil and from the pursuits of commerce and manufactures. In Italy alone -the standing army is said to be 750,000 men! The withdrawal of so many -men from peaceful occupations makes it necessary to employ women to do -work which in our country women are never asked to do. I have seen a -woman drawing a boat on a canal, and a man sitting on the deck of that -boat smoking his pipe and steering the boat. I have seen a woman with -a huge load of fresh hay upon her head and a man walking by her side -and carrying his scythe. I have seen women yoked with dogs to carts, -carrying the loads that here would be put in a cart and drawn by a -horse. I have seen women carrying the hod for masons on their _heads_, -filled with stone and mortar. I have seen women carrying huge baskets -of manure on their backs to the field, and young girls breaking stone -on the highway. Did you ever hear of such things here? See what a -difference! The men in the army eat up the substance which the women -produce from the soil. - -But nowhere else in the world is the _dignity of labor_ recognized as -here. They do not know the meaning of the words. For in most other -countries it is considered undignified, if not ungenteel, to be engaged -in labor of any kind. A man who is not able to live without work is -hardly considered a gentleman. To work with the hands is degrading; -is what ought to be done by common people only, and by people who are -not fit to associate with gentlemen and ladies. It is not so in this -country. Here, a man who is well educated and well behaved, and upright -and honorable in his dealings with men, who cultivates his mind by -reading and observation, and is careful of the usages of good society, -is fit company for any one. He may rise to any place within the gift of -his fellow-citizens, and adorn it. This is not so elsewhere. And think -of a young girl hardly out of her teens, with no special preparation -for such a distinction, but educated and accomplished, becoming the -wife of the President of the United States, and proving herself -entirely worthy of that high position! Could any other country match -this? - -Now what is the effect of all this freedom of thought and action on the -people? Well, it is not to be denied that there are some disadvantages. -There is danger that we may over-estimate the individual in his -personal rights, and not give due weight to the people as a community. -There is danger of selfishness, especially among young people. There -is not as much respect and reverence for age, and for those above us, -and for the other sex, as there ought to be. Young people are very -rude at times, when they should always be polite to their superiors -in age or position. At a little city in Bavaria the boys coming out -of school one day all lifted their hats to me, a stranger! That would -be an astounding thing in a Philadelphia street! In riding in the -neighborhood of the city here, if I speak civilly to a boy by the -roadside, I am just as likely as not to get an impudent answer. - -But in spite of these defects, which we hope will never be seen -in a Girard College boy, the true effect of training under our -republican institutions is to make men. There is a wider, freer, -fuller development of what is in man than is known elsewhere. Man is -much more likely to become self-reliant, self-dependent, vigorous, -skillful, here――not knowing how high he may rise, and consciously or -unconsciously preparing himself for anything to which he may be called. -And for woman, too, where else does she meet the respect that belongs -to her? Where else in the world do women find occupation in government -offices, on school boards, at the head of charitable and educational -institutions? With few exceptions, such as Girton College, where are -there in any other country such colleges as Vassar or Wellesley, and -as the Woman’s Medical College, almost under the walls of our own? - -I have already kept you too long. But a few words and I am done. I am -moved by the injunction of Mr. Girard in his will not only to say these -things, but by this grave consideration also. Every boy who hears me -to-day, within fifteen years, if he lives, unless he is cut off by -crime from the privilege, will be a voter. You will go to the polls to -cast your votes for those who are to have the conduct of the government -in all its parts. I want to make you feel, if I can, the high destiny -that awaits you. You are distinctive in this respect――you are all -American boys. This can be said of no other assembly as large as this -in all this broad land. You have it in your power, and I want to help -you to it, and God will if you ask him――you have it in your power to -become American gentlemen. And I believe that an _American gentleman_ -is the very highest type of man. - - God, give us men. A time like this demands - Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands: - Men whom the lust of office does not kill; - Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; - Men who possess opinions and a will; - Men who have honor, men who will not lie; - Men who can stand before a demagogue - And scorn his treacherous flatteries without winking; - Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog - In public duty and in private thinking. - - - - - [Illustration: _James Lawrence Claghorn._] - - - - - JAMES LAWRENCE CLAGHORN. - - -When a man has lived a long, busy, useful and successful life it seems -proper that something more than the ordinary obituary notices in the -daily papers is due to his memory. This thought moves me to speak to -you to-day of a gentleman who died on August 25, 1884, while a Director -of the Girard College, and of whom it seems appropriate that something -may be said to you in this chapel. - -Mr. James L. Claghorn was a distinguished citizen of Philadelphia. He -was born here on the 5th of July, 1817. His father, John W. Claghorn, -was a merchant of excellent standing, who in the latter years of his -life gave much time and thought to benevolent institutions. At the age -of fourteen years James left school to go into business. You boys know -how very incomplete an education at school must be which ends when the -boy is fourteen years old. But you don’t know until your own experience -proves it how hard it is for a half-educated boy to compete for the -high places in life or in business with boys of equal natural ability, -who have had the full advantage of a liberal school education. At -fourteen, then, James Claghorn turned his back on school and went to -work in earnest. For it was an auction store that he entered, and the -work there was usually harder work than in other kinds of stores. The -hours of labor were longer――earlier and later――and the holidays more -rare than in ordinary commercial houses. - -There is no record of the early years of his business life; but it is -not difficult to imagine the hardships to which a young lad of that -time would be subjected. We can’t suppose that any indulgence was -allowed him because his father was one of the partners in the firm; -neither he nor his father would have permitted such distinction. - -The boy must have been _industrious_; for in such a house there was no -place for an idle lounger. He was not afraid of work, for he was always -at it; he did not spare himself, else some other boy would have done -his share and got ahead of him; he must have been _faithful_, not one -who works only when his master’s eye is on him――not shirking any hard -work――not forgetting to-day what he was told yesterday――not thinking -too much of his rights or his own particular work, but doing anything -that came to hand――looking always to the interest of the firm, and -trusting the future for a recognition of his faithfulness. - -And he must have been _patient_. Many rough words, many hasty and -passionate words are spoken to young boys, and must have been spoken to -this boy, and may have hurt him; but there is good reason to believe -from the character he built up that he knew how to hold his tongue and -not answer back. Not every boy has learned that useful lesson; and -hence the many outbreaks of passion and the frequent discharge of boys -who will “answer back” when they are reproved. - -And I think also that he must have been of a bright and cheery -disposition and well mannered. Some young fellows who have to make -their way in the world seem not to know the importance of a good -address; in other words, politeness, good breeding. Nothing impresses -one so favorably at first meeting a stranger as good manners. A -frank, hearty greeting, a bright, cheerful face, a manly bearing, a -willingness to consider others, a desire to please for the sake of -giving pleasure, are of great importance. On the contrary, sullenness, -sluggishness, indifference, selfishness are all repulsive, and though -allowance will be made at first for the existence of such qualities, -yet they will hardly be tolerated long in a young person, and they -will certainly unfit him for a successful career. I did not know Mr. -Claghorn when he was a young lad; but I can hardly suppose that the -kindly, genial, hearty man in middle and later life could have been a -morose, sullen, sluggish, ill-mannered boy. - -I have said that Mr. Claghorn left school while still a boy; but we -must not infer that he supposed his education was complete with the -end of his school life, for it is very evident that he must have -given very much of his leisure to self-improvement. We do not know -how his evenings were spent when not in the counting-house; but he -must have given a good deal of time to reading; and it is not likely -that the books which he read were such as are to be found now at any -book-stand, and in the hands of so many boys as they go to and fro on -their errands――books which are simply read without instruction, and -which sometimes treat of subjects which are unreal, extravagant, coarse -and brutalizing. Doubtless he was fond of fiction. All boys of fair -education and refined taste are more or less fond of fiction; but we -can hardly suppose that he gave too much of his time to such reading, -else he could not have become the strong business man that he was. At -a very early age he became fond of art, and gathered about him as his -means would permit engravings and pictures such as would cultivate his -taste in that direction. When he could spare the money he would buy -an engraving, if the subject or the author interested him; so that he -became, in the latter part of his life, the owner of one of the largest -collections of engravings in the whole country. Indeed, he became a -noted patron of art, and especially was he desirous of encouraging -_native_ art, so that at one period he had more than two hundred -paintings, the work of American artists; for at that time he was more -desirous of encouraging native artists, especially if they were poor, -than he was in making collections of the great masters. Many a picture -he bought to help the artist, rather than for his own gratification -as a collector. Further on in life he became deeply interested in -the Academy of the Fine Arts, which was then in Chestnut street -above Tenth. Subsequently he became its President, and very largely -through his influence and his personal means that fine building at the -southwest corner of Broad and Cherry street, which all of you ought -to visit as opportunity is afforded, was erected as a depository of -art. The splendid building of the Academy of Music at Broad and Locust -street, is also largely indebted to Mr. Claghorn for its erection. - -But I am anticipating, and we must now go back to Mr. Claghorn in -his counting-house. No longer a boy――an apprentice――he has grown to -manhood, and has become a member of the firm, taking his father’s -place. Now his labors are greatly increased; the hours of business, -which were long before, are longer now; he begins very early in -the morning, before sunrise in the winter season, and is sometimes -detained late in the evening, the long day being entirely devoted to -business; and no one knows, except one who has gone through that sort -of experience, how much labor is involved in such a life; but not only -his labors――his responsibilities are greatly increased. He becomes the -financial man in the firm; he is the head of the counting-house; he -has charge of the books and the accounts. For many years no entry was -made in the huge ledgers except in his own handwriting. The credit of -the house of Myers & Claghorn becomes deservedly high. A time of great -financial excitement and distress comes on. This house, while others -are going down on the right and left like ships in a storm, stands -erect with unimpaired credit, and with opportunities of helping other -and weaker houses which so much needed help. The name of his firm was a -synonym of all that is strong and admirable in business management. - -So he passed the best years of his whole life in earnest attention to -business, snatching all the leisure he could for the gratification -of his passion, it may be called, for art, until the time came when, -having acquired what was at that time supposed to be an abundant -competency, he determined to retire from business. Now he appears to -contemplate a long rest in a visit to other countries, and was making -arrangements looking to a long holiday of great enjoyment, when the -country became involved in the Great Rebellion. None of you, except -as you read it in history, know what a convulsion passed over the -country when the first gun was fired upon the flag at Fort Sumter. -Mr. Claghorn, full of love for his country and unwilling to do what -seemed to him almost like a desertion in her time of trial, gave up -his contemplated foreign tour, and applied himself most diligently and -earnestly to the duties of a true, loyal citizen in the support of the -government. He was one of the earliest members of the Union League, -and was largely interested in collecting money for the raising and -equipping of regiments to be sent to the front. Three or four years of -his life were spent in this laudable work, and in company with those -of like mind he was largely instrumental in accomplishing great good. -The war, however, came to an end――was fought out to its final and -inevitable issue. - -Now the desire to visit foreign countries returned with increased -interest. His business affairs, although they had not been as -profitable as they would have been if he had looked closer to them -and had given less thought to public matters during the war, were so -satisfactory that he could afford to put them in other hands for a -while, and in company with his wife he embarked for Europe. It was -to be a long holiday such as he had never known before. He intended -to make an extended tour――he was not to be hurried. He went through -England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, -Egypt, Palestine, Turkey, Greece, Austria, Russia, Germany, Holland -and Belgium. In this way he saw and enjoyed all the most famous -picture-galleries of the old world; and his long study of art in its -various phases and schools gave him special advantages for the highest -enjoyment of the great collections, public and private, of the old -masters as well as of those of modern times. - -The interest of his extended tour was not, however, limited to -galleries and collections of paintings and statuary. He was an observer -of men and things. His practical American mind observed and digested -everything that came within his reach. The government of the great -cities――the condition of the masses of the people gathered in them――the -common people outside of the cities, their customs and costumes; their -way of living――in short, everything that was unlike what we see at -home――he observed and remembered to enjoy in the retrospect of after -years. - -It was hardly to be expected that Mr. Claghorn, having lived the busy -life that he had lived before he went abroad, should have been content -on his return to sit down in the enjoyment of his well-earned leisure; -and accordingly, shortly after his return, he became the President of -the Commercial National Bank, one of the oldest financial institutions -in our city. For several years previously he had been a Director in -the Philadelphia National Bank (as his father had before him), so -that he had had proper training for the duties of his new position. -He became also a Manager in the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society, the -oldest and the largest saving fund in our city. With most commendable -diligence and industry he at once set about building up the bank so as -to make it profitable to its stockholders. Not forgetting, however, -the attractions of art, he covered the walls of his bank parlor with -beautiful specimens of the choicest engravings, so that even the daily -routine of business life might be enlivened by glimpses into the -attractive world of art. - -In the year 1869, when the Board of City Trusts was created by act of -Legislature (to which board is committed the vast estate left by Mr. -Girard, as well as of the other trusts of the city of Philadelphia), -Mr. Claghorn was appointed one of the original board of twelve, and -from that date until his death he gave much time and thought to the -duties thus devolved upon him. He became chairman of the finance -committee, which place he held until the end of his life. Although he -was not so well known to the boys of the college as some other members -of this board, because his duties did not require very frequent visits -to the college, he nevertheless gave himself to the duties of the -committee of which he was chairman with great interest and fidelity; -and the time which he gave to this great work is not to be measured by -visits to the college, but by the time spent in the city office and in -his own place of business, where his committee met him on their stated -meetings. As I have reason to know, he had a deep personal interest in -all the affairs of this college, and of the other trusts committed to -our charge. - -Although the condition of his health in the latter part of his life -made close attention to business very trying to him, so far as I -know he never permitted his health to interfere with his business -engagements. - -In this brief and fragmentary way I have tried to set before you -some features of the life of one of our most distinguished citizens. -In the limits of a single discourse as brief as this must be it is -not possible to make this more than an outline sketch. In the little -time that remains let me refer again for the purpose of emphasis to -some traits in the character of Mr. Claghorn which will justly bear -reconsideration. - -A very large proportion of the merchants of any city fail in business. -The proportion is much larger than is generally known, and larger than -young people are willing to believe. - -In an experience of more than forty years of business life, during -which I have had much to do with merchants, I have known so many -failures, have seen so many wrecks of commercial houses, that I am -compelled to regard a merchant who has maintained high credit for a -long term of years and finally retired from business with a handsome -estate as one who is entitled to the respect and confidence of his -fellow-citizens. Some men grow rich as junior partners in successful -business, the good management having been due to the ability and tact -of their seniors; but this can hardly be said in the present case. The -merchant whose life we are considering was an active and influential -partner. - -Let me say, however, that true success in business is not to be -measured by the amount of money one accumulates. A man may be rich -in the riches acquired by his own activity and shrewdness who is in -no high sense a successful business man. These things are necessary: -He should be a just man, an upright, honorable man, a man of breadth -and solidity of character, who gathers about him some of the ablest -and best of his fellow-citizens in labors for the good of others and -the welfare of society. In such sense was Mr. Claghorn a successful -business man. - -His early love of art in its various forms, the substantial aid and -encouragement he gave to young students in their beginnings, his deep -sympathy with persons who in literature and art were striving for a -living, his generous hospitality to artists, and his public spirit――all -these had their influence in the growth and development of his -character, and made his name to be loved and honored by many who shared -in his generous sympathies. - -Mr. Claghorn’s love of country, which we call patriotism, was signally -disclosed at the outbreak of the war in 1861. When we remember his -long and busy life as a merchant――broken by few or no vacations such -as most other men enjoyed――when we remember that his self-culture had -been of such a nature as to prepare him most admirably well for a -tour in foreign countries, especially such countries as had produced -the ablest, the most distinguished artists――we can have some idea of -what it cost him to forego the much needed rest――to deny himself the -well-earned pleasure of a visit to the picture galleries of Europe, -where are gathered the treasures of the highest art in all the world. -Many men in like circumstances would have felt that one man, whose age -and sedentary habits unfitted him for active service in the field, -would hardly be missed from among the loyal citizens of the North――but -he did not think so; and therefore he put aside all his personal plans, -and in the city where he was born he remained and devoted himself -as one of her true, loyal citizens in raising money and men for the -defence of the government. There could be no truer heroism than this, -and right bravely and successfully he carried his purpose to the end. - -“I am permitted,” said the clergyman who spoke at his funeral, and with -his words I close these remarks, “I am permitted to address to you -in the presence of the solemnity of death some few reflections that -occur to me in memory of one whom we shall know no more in life. A -few Saturday evenings ago I was walking along by a lake at a seashore -home when a great and wondrous beauty spread itself beneath my eye. -It was one of those inimitable pictures that rarely come to one. In -the foreground there lay a lake with no ripple on its surface. It was -a calm and sleeping thing. A shining glory was in the western sky. The -sun had gone, but where he disappeared were indications of beauty――one -of the most beautiful afterglows I have ever seen. It was not one of -the ordinary things, and as I looked at it there came many reflections. -Here is one of them. It seems quite applicable this morning. That which -caused the quiet glory of the lake, that which caused the radiation of -beauty, had gone. Its day’s work was done. That quiet lake and streaked -sky were the type of a picture of a busy, useful, successful life that -had been accomplished. It was a complete thing. The day was done. The -activity had passed away. It was finished just as this life. What had -made it beautiful had gone, but he flung back monuments of beauty -that made the scene as beautiful as good words and noble deeds make -the memory of man. There were six of these rays. Young men, brethren -of this community, you will do well to remember that anywhere and -everywhere, without patience and industry, nothing great can be done. -The life departed was a busy one――one of busy usefulness. The cry that -came from him was, ‘I must work; I must be busy.’ Live as this man -did, that your life may be one that can be held up as an example and a -light to young men of the coming generations. One ray of beauty was -his sterling truthfulness. It is a splendid thing to be trusted by your -fellows. Another ray was his prudent foresight. It was characteristic -of him, and it is a splendid thing to have. Another ray that welled out -of him was his striking humanity. There was one continual trait in his -character. I would call it manhoodness. There was another feature――his -deep humility.” - -Such were some of the traits of character of a man who lived a long -life in the city where he was born. If no distinctive monument has been -erected to his memory, there are the “Union League,” “The Academy of -the Fine Arts,” and “The Academy of Music,” with which his name will -always be associated; and, what is better still, there are many hearts -that throb with grateful memories of an unselfish man, who in time -of sore need stretched out his hand to help, and that hand was never -empty. And you will remember, you Girard boys, that this man who did so -much for his native city and for his fellow-citizens was not nearly so -well educated at the age of fourteen when he left school as many of you -are now. See what he did; see what some of you may do! - - - - - THE LEAF TURNED OVER. - - January 1, 1888. - - -Some weeks ago I gave you two lectures on “Turning Over a New Leaf.” -One of the directors of this college to whom I sent a printed copy said -I ought to follow those with another on this subject: “The Leaf Turned -Over.” I at once accepted this suggestion and shall now try to follow -his advice. - -Most thoughtful people as they approach the end of a year are apt to -ask themselves some plain questions――as to their manner of life, their -habits of thought, their amusements, their studies, their business, -their home, their families, their companions, their plans for the -future, their duty to their fellow-men, their duty to God; in short, -whether the year about to close has been a happy one; whether they have -been successful or otherwise in what they have attempted to do. - -The merchant, manufacturer or man of business of any kind who keeps -books, and whose accounts are properly kept, looks with great interest -at his account book at such a time, to see whether his business has -been profitable or otherwise, whether he has lost or made money, -whether his capital is larger or smaller than it was at the beginning -of the year, whether he is solvent or insolvent, whether he is able to -pay his debts or is bankrupt. - -And to very many persons engaged in business for themselves, this is -a time of great anxiety, for one can hardly tell exactly whether he -is getting on favorably until his account books are posted and the -balances are struck. If one’s capital is small and the result of the -year’s business is a loss, that means a reduction of capital, and -raises the question whether this can go on for some years without -failure and bankruptcy. Many and many a business man looks with great -anxiety to the month of December, and especially to the end of it, -to learn whether he shall be able to go on in his business, however -humble. And, alas! there are many whose books of account are so badly -kept, and whose balances are so rarely struck, or who keep no account -books at all, that they never know how they stand, but are always under -the apprehension that any day they may fail to meet their obligations -and so fail and become bankrupt. They were insolvent long before, but -they did not know it; and they have gone on from bad to worse until -they are ruined. Others, again, are afraid to look closely into their -account books――afraid to have the balances struck, lest they should -be convinced that their affairs are in a hopeless condition. Unhappy -cowards they are, for if insolvent the sooner they know it the better, -that they may make the best settlement they can with their creditors, -if the business is worth following at all, and begin again, “turning -over a new leaf.” - -I do not suppose that many of you boys have ever thought much on these -subjects; for you are not in business as principals or as clerks, you -have no merchandise or produce or money to handle, you have no account -books for yourselves or for other people to keep, to post, to balance, -and you may think you have no interest in these remarks; but I hope to -be able to show you that these things are not matters of indifference -to you. - -The year 1887, which closed last night, was just as much _your_ year as -it was that of any man, even the busiest man of affairs. When it came, -365 days ago, it found you (most of you) at school here: it left all of -you here. And the question naturally arises, what have you done with -this time, all these days and nights? Every page in the account books -of certain kinds of business represents a day of business, and either -the figures on both the debit and the credit side are added up and -carried forward, or the balance of the two sides of the page is struck -and carried over leaf to the next page. - -So every day of the past year represents a page in the history of your -lives: for every life, even the plainest and most humble, has its own -peculiar history. Your lives here are uneventful; no very startling -things occur to break the monotony of school life, but each day has -its own duties and makes its own record. Three hundred and sixty-five -pages of the book of the history of every young life here were duly -filled by the records of all the things done or neglected, of the words -spoken or unspoken, of the thoughts indulged or stifled; these pages -with their records, sad or joyful, glad or shameful, were turned over, -and are now numbered with the things that are past and gone. When an -accountant or book-keeper discovers, after the books of the year are -closed and the balances struck, that errors had crept in which have -disturbed the accuracy of his work, he cannot go back with a knife and -erase the errors and write in the correct figures; neither can he blot -them out, nor rub them out as you do examples from a slate or from -the blackboard; he must correct his mistakes; he must counteract his -blunders by new entries on a new page. - -It is somewhat so with us, with you. Last night at midnight the last -page of the leaves of the book of the old year was filled with its -record, whatever it was, and this morning “the leaf is turned over.” -What do we see? What does every one of you see? A fair, white page. -And each one of you holds a pen in his hand and the inkstand is within -reach; you dip your pen in the ink, you bend over the page, the -thoughts come thick and fast, much faster indeed than any pen, even -that of the quickest shorthand writer can put them on the page. There -are stenographers who can take the language of the most rapid speakers, -but no stenographer has ever yet appeared who can put his own thoughts -on paper as rapidly as they come into his mind. But while there is but -one mind in all the universe that can have knowledge of what is passing -in your mind and retain it all――THE INFINITE MIND; and while no one -page of any book, however large, even if it be what book-makers call -elephant folio, can possibly hold the record of what any boy here says -and thinks in a single day, you may, and you do, all of you, write -words good or bad on the page before you. - -Let me take one of these boys not far from the desk, a boy of sixteen -or seventeen years of age, who is now waiting, pen in hand, to write -the thoughts now passing in his mind. What are these thoughts? No one -knows but himself. Shall I tell you what I think he ought to write? It -is something like this: - -“I have been here many years. When I came I was young and ignorant. I -found myself among many boys of my own age, hardly any of whom I ever -saw before, who cared no more for me than I cared for them. I felt -very strange; the first few days and nights I was very unhappy, for I -missed very much my mother and the others whom I had left at home. But -very soon these feelings passed away. I was put to school at once, and -in the school-room and the play-ground I soon forgot the things and -the people about my other home. Years passed. I was promoted from one -school to another, from one section to another; I grew rapidly in size; -my classmates were no longer little boys; we were all looking up and -looking forward to the school promotions, and I became a big boy. The -lessons were hard, and I studied hard, for I began to understand at -last why I was sent here, and to ask myself the question, what might -reasonably be expected of me? Sometimes when quite alone this question -would force itself upon me, what use am I making of my fine advantages, -or am I making the best use of them? And what manner of man shall I -be? For I know full well that all well-educated boys do not succeed in -life――do not become successful men in the highest and best sense. How -do I know that I shall do well? Is my conduct here such as to justify -the authorities in commending me as a thoroughly manly, trustworthy -boy? Have I succeeded while going through the course of school studies -in building up a character that is worthy of me, worthy of this great -school? Can those who know me best place the most confidence in me? If -I am looking forward to a place in a machine shop, or in a store, or -in a lawyer’s office, or to the study of medicine, or to a place in a -railroad office or a bank, am I really trying to fit myself for such a -place, or am I simply drifting along from day to day, doing only what I -am compelled to do and cultivating no true ambition to rise above the -dull average of my companions? And then, as I look at the difficulties -in the way of every young fellow who has his way to make in the world, -has it not occurred to me to look beyond the present and the persons -and things that surround me now, and look to a higher and better Helper -than is to be found in this world? Have I not at times heard words of -good counsel in this chapel, from the lips of those who come to give me -and my companions wholesome advice? What attention have I given to such -advice? I have been told, and I do not doubt it, that the great God -stoops from heaven and speaks to my soul, and offers his Divine help, -and even holds out his hand, though I cannot see it, and will take my -hand in his, and help me over all hard places, and will never let me -go, if I cling to him, and will assure me success in everything that is -right and good. I have heard all this over and over again; I know it is -true, but I have not accepted it as if I believed it; I have not acted -accordingly; in fact, I have treated the whole matter as if it were -unreal, or as if it referred to somebody else rather than to me. - -“And now I have come probably to my last year in this school. Before -another New Year’s day some other boy will have my desk in the -school-room, my bed in the dormitory, my place at the table, my seat -in the chapel. These long years, oh! how long they have seemed, have -nearly all passed; I shall soon go away; if some place is not found -for me I must find one for myself――oh! what will become of me? Since -last New Year’s day two boys who were educated here have been sent -convicted criminals to the Eastern Penitentiary. What are they thinking -about on this New Year’s morning? They sat on these seats, they sang -our hymns, they heard the same good words of advice which I have heard, -they had all the good opportunities which all of us have; what led them -astray? Did they believe that the good God stooped from heaven to say -good words to them, holding out his strong hand to help them? I wonder -if they thought they were strong enough to take care of themselves? -I wonder if they thought they could get along without his help? Do I -think I can?” - -Some such thoughts as these may be passing in the mind of the boy now -looking at me and sitting not far from the desk, the boy whom I had -in my mind as I began to speak. He is holding his pen full of ink. He -has written nothing yet; he has been listening with some curiosity to -hear what the speaker will say, what he can possibly know of a boy’s -thoughts. - -I can tell that boy what _I_ would write if I were at his age, in this -college, and surrounded by these circumstances, listening to these -serious, earnest words. I would take my pen and write on the first page -of this year’s book, this Sunday morning, this New Year’s day, these -words: “_The leaf is turned over!_ God help me to lead a better life. -God forgive all the past, all my wrong doings, all my neglect, all -my forgetfulness. God keep me in right ways. God keep me from wicked -thoughts which defile the soul; keep me from wicked words which defile -the souls of others.” - -“But this is a prayer,” you say; “do you want me to begin my journal by -writing a prayer?” - -Yes; but this is not all. Write again. - -1. _I will not willingly break any of the rules which are adopted for -the government of our school._ - -Some of the rules may _seem_ hard to obey, and even unreasonable, but -they were made for my good by those who are wiser than I am. I _can_ -obey them; I _will_. - -2. _I will work harder over my lessons than ever before, and I will -recite them more accurately._ - -This means hard work, but it is my duty; I shall be the better for it; -it will not be long, for I am going soon; I _can_, I _will_. - -3. _I will watch my thoughts and my talk more carefully than I have -ever done before._ - -If I have hurt others by evil talk I will do so no more. It is a common -fault; many of us boys have fallen into the habit of it; but for one, I -will do so no more; I _can_ stop it, I _will_. - -4. _I will be more careful in my daily life here, to set a good example -in all things, than I have ever been before._ - -The younger boys look to the older boys and imitate them closely. They -watch us, our words, our ways, our behavior in all things. If any young -fellows have been misled by me, it shall be so no more. I will behave -so that no one shall be the worse for doing as I do. This is quite -within my control; I _can_, I _will_. - -5. _I will look to God to help me to do these things._ - -For I have tried to do something like this before and failed; it must -be because I depended on my own strength. Now I will look away from -myself and depend upon “God, without whom nothing is strong, nothing -is holy.” He _can_ help me; he surely will, if I throw myself on his -mercy, and by daily prayer and reading the Scriptures, even if only for -a moment or two each day, I shall see light and find peace. - -These are the things that I would write, my boy, if I were just as you -are. - -Shall I stop now? May I not go a little farther and say some words to -others here? - -Teachers, prefects, governesses: these boys are all under your charge, -and every day. The same good Providence that brought them here for -education and support, brought you here also to teach them and care -for them. Your work is exacting, laborious, unremitting. Some of these -young boys are trying to your patience, your temper, your forbearance, -almost beyond endurance. Sometimes you are discouraged by what seems -to be the almost hopeless nature of your work, the untidiness, the -rough manners, the ill temper, the stupidity of some of these young -boys. But remember that all this is inevitable; that from the nature of -the case it must be so; and remember, too, that to reduce such material -to good order, to train and educate these young lives so that they -shall be well educated, well informed, well mannered, polite, gentle, -considerate, so they may be fairly well assured of a successful future, -is a great and noble work, worthy of the ambition of the highest -intelligence. This is exactly what the great founder had in his mind -when he established this college and provided so munificently for its -endowment. This is what his trustees most earnestly desire, and the -hope of which rewards them for the many hours they give every week to -the care of this great estate. We depend upon you to carry out the plan -of instruction here, not only in the schools, but in the section rooms -and on the play-grounds. Be to these older boys their big brothers, -their best friends. Be kind to them always, even when compelled to -reprove them for their many faults. - -And to those of you who have the care of the younger boys, let me -say: remember, they have no mothers here; they are very young to send -from home; they are homesick at times; they hardly know how to behave -themselves; they shock your sense of delicacy; they worry and vex you -almost to distraction; but bear with them, help them, encourage them, -love them, for if _you_ do not, who will? And what will become of them? -And remember what a glorious work it is to lift such a young life out -of its rudeness, its ignorance, its untidiness, and make a real man of -it. Oh! friends, suffer these words of exhortation, for they come from -one who has a deep sympathy with you in your arduous, self-denying work. - - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it from - whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was - found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, - stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book - was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged - out of those things which were written in the books, according - to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; - and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; - and they were judged every man according to his works――Rev. xx. - 11–13. - - - - - THANKSGIVING DAY. - - November 29, 1888. - - -The President of the United States, in a proclamation which you have -just heard, has set apart this 29th day of November for a day of -thanksgiving and prayer, for the great mercies which the Almighty has -given to the people of our country, and for a continuance of these -mercies. His example has been followed by the governors of Pennsylvania -and many, if not all, of the States, and we may therefore believe that -all over the land, from Maine to Alaska, and from the great lakes to -the Gulf of Mexico, the people in large numbers are now gathered or -gathering in their places of worship, in obedience to this proper -recommendation. The directors of this college, in full sympathy with -the thoughts of our rulers, have closed your schools to-day, released -you from the duty of study, gathered you in this chapel, and asked you -to unite with the people generally in giving thanks to God for the -past, and imploring his mercies for the future. For you are a part of -the people, and although not yet able, from your minority, to take an -active part in the government, are yet being rapidly prepared for this -great right of citizenship. It is the high privilege of an American -boy, to know that when he becomes a man he will have just as clear a -right as any other man, to exercise all the functions of a freeman, -in choosing the men who are to be intrusted with the responsibilities -of government. What are some of the things that give us cause for -thankfulness to Almighty God? Very briefly such as these: - -1. _This is a Christian country._ Although there is not, and cannot -be, any part or branch of the church established by law, there is -assured liberty for every citizen to worship God by himself, or with -others in congregations, as he or they may choose, in such forms of -worship as may be preferred, with none to molest or make afraid. Here -is absolute freedom of worship. And even if it be that the name of God -is not in our Constitution, nevertheless no president or governor or -public officer can be inducted or inaugurated in high office except by -taking oath on the book of God, and as in his presence, that he will -faithfully discharge the duties of his office. If there were nothing -else, this public acknowledgment of the being of Almighty God and our -accountability to him gives us an unquestioned right to call ourselves -a Christian people. - -2. _This is a free government_, free in the sense that the people -choose their own rulers, whether of towns, cities, States, or the -nation. There is no hereditary rule here, and cannot be. We not -only _choose_ our own rulers, but when we are dissatisfied with them -for whatever cause, we dismiss them. And the minority accept the -decision when it is ascertained, without doubt, without a question of -its righteousness; they only want to know whether the majority have -actually chosen this or that candidate, and they accept frankly, if not -cheerfully. We have had a splendid illustration of this within this -present month. The great party that has administered the government -for four years past, on the verdict of the majority, are preparing to -retire and will retire on the fourth of March next, and give up the -government to the other great party, its victorious rival. Nowhere -else in the world can such a revolution be accomplished on so grand -a scale, by so many people, with so little friction. This government -then is better than _any monarchy_, no matter how carefully guarded -by constitutional restrictions and safeguards. The best monarchical -governments are in Europe: the best of all in England; but the -governments of Europe have many and great concessions to make to the -people, before they can stand side by side with the United States in -strong, healthy, considerate management of the people. It has been said -that the best machinery is that which has the least friction, and as -the time passes, we may hope that our machinery of government will be -so smooth that the people will hardly know that they are governed at -all; in fact, they will be their own governors. This time is coming as -sure as Christmas, though not so close at hand, and you boys can hasten -it by your own upright, manly bearing when you come to be men. Never -forget that this is a government of the majority, and you must see to -it that the majority be true men. - -3. _We are separated by wide oceans from the rest of the world._ The -Atlantic separates us from Europe on the east; the Gulf of Mexico from -South America on the south, and the great Pacific ocean washes our -western shores. We are a continent to ourselves, with the exception of -Mexico, a sister republic on the south, with whom we are not likely to -quarrel again, and the Dominion of Canada on the north, which, if never -to become a part of ourselves, will at least at some day, and probably -not a very distant day, become independent of the mother country as we -did, though not at the great cost at which we obtained our freedom. -Our distance from Europe relieves us entirely from the consideration -of subjects which occupy most of the time of their statesmen, and -which very often thrill the rest of the world in the apprehension of -a general war in Europe. We are under no necessity of annexing other -territory. We are not afraid of what is called “the balance of power;” -we have no army that is worthy of the name, because we don’t need one, -and we can make one if we should need it; and we have no navy to speak -of, though I think we ought to have for the protection of our commerce, -when our commerce shall be further encouraged. We have no entanglements -with other nations; the great father of his country in his Farewell -Address warned the people against this danger. - -4. _Our country is very large._ You school-boys can tell me as well as -I can tell you what degrees of latitude and longitude we reach, and how -many millions of square miles we count. Europeans say we brag too much -about the great extent of our country; but I do not refer to it now for -boasting, but as a matter of thankfulness to God for giving it to us. -It means that our territory, reaching from the Arctic to the tropics, -gives us every variety of climate and almost every variety of product -that the earth produces; and I am sure that the time will come when, -under a higher agricultural cultivation than we have yet reached, our -soil will produce everything that grows anywhere else in the world. The -corn harvest now being gathered in our country will reach _two thousand -millions of bushels_. The mind staggers under such ponderous figures -and quantities. Our wheat fields are hardly less productive; our -potatoes and rice and oats and barley and grass, the products of our -cattle and sheep, and, in short, everything that our soil above ground -yields; and the enormous yield of our coal mines, our oil wells, our -natural gas, our metals, our railroads, spanning the entire continent -and binding the people together with bands of steel――all these, and -many others, which time will not permit me even to mention, give some -faint idea of what a splendid country it is that the Almighty God has -given to the American people. And do we not well therefore, when we -come together on a day like this, to make our acknowledgments to Him? - -5. _The general education of the people_ is another reason for -thankfulness to God. The system is not yet universal, but it will be at -no distant day. You boys will live to see the day when every man, woman -and child born in the United States (except those who are too young or -feeble-minded) will be able to read and write and cipher. It is sure to -come. Then, under the blessing of God, when people learn to do their -own reading and thinking, we shall not fear anarchists and atheists and -the many other fools who, under one name or another, are now trying to -make this people discontented with their lot. There is no need for such -people here, and no place for them; they have made a mistake in coming -to this free land, as some of them found to their cost on the gallows -at Chicago. - -6. _We have no war in our country, no famine, and with the exception of -poor Jacksonville, Florida, no pestilence._ Famine we have never known, -and with such an extent of country we have little need to dread such a -scourge as that. No one need suffer for food in our country, and this -is the only country in the world of which this can be said; for labor -of some kind can always be found, and food is so cheap, plain kinds of -food, that none but the utterly dissipated and worthless need starve; -and in fact none do starve; for if they are so wretchedly improvident, -the guardians of the poor will save them from suffering not only, but -actually provide them with a home, that for real comfort is not known -elsewhere in the world. - -Some of us have seen war in its most dreadful proportions, but even -then the alleviations furnished by the Christian Commission greatly -relieved some of its most horrid features; and we are not likely to see -war again, for there will be hereafter nothing to quarrel and fight -about. Our political differences will never again lead to the taking up -of arms in deadly strife. - -Such are some of the occasions of thankfulness which led the President -of the United States to ask the people, by public proclamation, to turn -aside for one day from their business, their farms, their workshops, -their counting-houses, to close the schools, and assemble in their -places of worship and thank God, the giver of every good and perfect -gift. - -But I don’t think the President of the United States knew what special -reasons the Girard College boys have to keep a thanksgiving day. And I -shall try in what I have yet to say to point out some of them. - -1. This foundation is under the control of the Board of City -Trusts. When Mr. Girard left the bulk of his great estate for this -noble purpose, he gave it to the “mayor, aldermen and citizens of -Philadelphia,” as his trustees. The city of Philadelphia could act -only through its legislative body, the select and common councils, -bodies elected by the people, and consequently more or less under the -influence of one or the other of the great political parties. Nearly -twenty years ago, owing largely to Mr. William Welsh, who became -the first President of the Board of City Trusts, the legislature of -Pennsylvania took from the control of councils all the charitable -trusts of the city and committed them to this board. If any political -influences were ever unworthily exerted in the former board it ceased -when the judges of the city of Philadelphia and the judges of the -Supreme Court named the first directors of the City Trusts. These -directors are all your friends; they give much thought, much labor, -much anxiety to your well-being, desiring to do the best things that -are possible to be done for your welfare, and to do them in the best -way. Many of them have been successful in finding desirable situations -for such of your number as were prepared to accept such places. I am -glad to say that I have three college boys associated with me in my -business; Mr. Stuart had two; Mr. Michener has two; General Wagner -has two, and Mr. Rawle has had one, and probably other members of the -board have also, so you see our interest in you is not limited to the -time which we spend here and in the office on South Twelfth street, -but we are ever on the lookout for things which we hope may be to your -advantage. - -2. This splendid estate, which you enjoy; these beautiful buildings, -which were erected for your use; these grounds, which are so well kept -and which are so attractive to you and to the thousands of visitors -that come here; these school-rooms, which we determine shall lack -nothing that is desirable to make them what they ought to be; the -text-books which you use in school, the best that can be found; the -teachers, the most accomplished and skilful that can be procured; the -prefects and governesses chosen from among many applicants, and because -they are supposed to be the best, all your care-takers; all who have -to do with you here are chosen because they are supposed to be well -qualified to discharge their duties most successfully. The arrangements -for your lodging in the dormitories, the furniture and food of your -tables, the well-equipped infirmary for the sick, are such as, in the -judgment of the trustees, the great founder himself would approve if he -could be consulted. Truly, this gives occasion for special thanksgiving -on this Thanksgiving Day. - -3. _You all have a birthright._ - -What that meant in the earliest times we do not fully know; but it -meant at least to be the head or father of the family, a sort of -domestic priesthood, the chief of the tribe, or the head of a great -nation. In our own times, in Great Britain the first-born son has by -right of birth the headship of the family, inheriting the principal -part of the property, and he is the representative of the estate. They -call it there the _law of primogeniture_, or the law of the first-born. -In our country there is no birthright in families, and we have no law -to make the eldest born in any respect more favored than the other and -younger children. - -But you Girard boys have a birthright which means a great deal. The -founder of this great school left the bulk of his large estate to -the city of Philadelphia, for the purpose of adopting and educating -a certain class of boys, very particularly described, to which you -belong. The provision he made for you was most liberal. Everything that -his trustees consider necessary for your careful support and thorough -education is to be provided. Nothing is to be wanting which money -wisely expended can supply. _This is your birthright._ No earthly power -can take it from you without your consent. No commercial distress, no -financial panic, no change of political rulers, no combination of party -politics can interfere with the purpose of the founder. Nothing but the -loss of health or life, or your own misconduct, can deprive you of this -great birthright. Do you boys fully appreciate this? - -Now, is it to be supposed that there is a boy here who is willing to -_sell_ this birthright as Esau did? - -Is there a boy here who is corrupt in heart, so profane and foul in -speech, so vicious in character, so wicked in behavior, as to be an -unfit companion for his schoolmates, and who cannot be permitted to -remain among them? Is there a boy here who, for the gratification -of a vicious appetite, will _sell_ that privilege of support and -education so abundantly provided here? So guarded is this trust, so -sacred almost, that no human being can take it away from you: will -you deliberately _throw it away_? The wretched Esau, in the old -Jewish history, under the pressure of hunger and faintness, sold his -birthright with all its invaluable privileges; will you, with no such -temptation as tried him, with no temptation but the perverseness of -your own will and your love of self-indulgence, will you _sell your -birthright_? Bitterly did Esau regret his folly; earnestly did he try -to recover what he had lost, but it was too late; he never did recover -his lost birthright, though he sought it carefully and with tears. And -he had no one to warn him beforehand as I am warning you. - -Boys, if you pass through this college course not making the best use -of your time, or if you allow yourselves to fall into such evil habits -as will make it necessary to send you away from the college――and this -after all the kind words that have been spoken to you and the faithful -warnings that have been given you――you will lose that which can never -be restored to you, which can never be made up to you in any other way -elsewhere. You will prove yourselves more foolish, more wicked than -Esau, for you will lose more than he did, and you will do it against -kinder remonstrances than he had. - -4. There is another feature of the management here which gives especial -satisfaction. When a boy leaves the college to go to a place which has -been chosen for him, or which he has found by his own exertions, he -is looked after until he reaches the age of twenty-one, by an officer -especially appointed, and as we believe well adapted to that service. -And many a boy who has found himself in unfavorable circumstances and -under hard task-masters, with people who have no sympathy with his -youth and inexperience, many such have been visited and encouraged, -helped and so assisted towards true success. - -5. But what is there to make each particular boy thankful to-day? Why -you are all in good health; and if you would know how much that means -go to the infirmary and see the sick boys there, who are not able to -be in the chapel to-day, not able to be in the play-grounds, who are -looking out of the windows with wistful eyes, very much desiring to be -with you and enjoying your plays but cannot. God bless them. - -You are all comfortably clothed; those of you who are less robust have -warmer clothing, and all of you are shielded and guarded as well as the -trustees know how to care for you, so that you may be trained to be -strong men. - -You are all having a holiday; no school to-day; no shop-work to-day; -no paying marks to-day; no punishments of any kind to-day. Why? It is -Thanksgiving Day and everything that is disagreeable is put out of -sight and ought to be put out of mind. - -You are all to have a good dinner. Even now, while we are here in the -chapel and while some of you are growing impatient at my speech, think -of the good dinner that is now cooking for you. Think of the roast -turkey, the cranberry sauce, the piping-hot potatoes, the gravy, the -dressing, the mince pies, the apples afterwards, and all the other good -things which make your mouths water, and make my mouth water even to -mention the names. Then after dinner you go to your homes, and you have -a good time there. - -The last thing I mention which you ought to be thankful for is having a -short speech. - - - - - [Illustration: _Professor W. H. Allen._] - - - - - ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT ALLEN. - - September 24, 1882. - - “_Remember how He spake unto you._” - - -These are the words of an angel. They were spoken in the early morning -while it was yet dark, to frightened and sorrowful women, who had -gone to the sepulchre of Christ with spices and ointments to embalm -his body. These women fully expected to find the body of their Lord; -for as they went they said, “Who shall roll us away the stone from -the sepulchre?” When they reached the place, they found the stone was -rolled away and the grave was empty. And one of them ran back to the -disciples to tell them that the grave was open and the body gone. Those -that remained went into the sepulchre and saw two men in glittering -garments, who, seeing that the women were perplexed and afraid, -standing with bowed heads and startled looks, said, with a shade of -reproof in their tone, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is -not here, he is risen.” And, perhaps, seeing that the women could -hardly believe this, it was added, “Remember how he spake unto you when -he was yet in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of man must be delivered into -the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise -again.’” - -The words that are quoted as having been spoken by Jesus to his -disciples were spoken in Galilee six months or more before this, and as -they were not clearly understood at the time, it is not so very strange -that they should have been forgotten. - -It had been well if these sorrowing women, as well as the other -disciples of the Lord, had remembered other words, and all the words -that the Lord spake to them, not only while in Galilee, but in all -other places. The world would be better to-day if those gracious words -had been more carefully laid to heart. - -I hope the words of my text will bear, without too much accommodation, -the use which I shall make of them. - -Almost three-quarters of a century ago, a boy was born in the family of -a New England farmer. It was in the then territory of Maine, and near -the little city of Augusta. The family were plain, poor people, and -the child grew up, as many other farmers’ children grew up, accustomed -to plain living and such work as children could properly be set to -do. In the winter he went to school, as well as at other times when -the farm work was not pressing. It would be very interesting to know, -if we _could_ know, whether there was anything peculiar in the early -disposition and habits of this boy, or whether he grew up with nothing -to distinguish him from his playmates. If we could only know what -children would grow up to be distinguished men, we should, I think, be -very careful to observe and record any little traits and peculiarities -of their early childhood. The boy of whom I am speaking, and whom you -know to be William Henry Allen, seems to have been prepared at the -academy for college, which he entered at the advanced age of twenty-one -years. Four years after, he was graduated, and at once he set out to -teach the classics in a little town in the interior of the State of New -York. While engaged in that seminary, he was called to a professorship -in Dickinson College, at Carlisle, in our own State of Pennsylvania. -In Dickinson College he held successively the chairs of chemistry -and the natural sciences, and that of English literature, until his -resignation, in 1850, to accept the presidency of Girard College. - -From this time until his death, except during an interval of five -years, his life was spent here. For twenty-seven years he gave himself -to the work of organizing and directing the internal affairs of this -college, with an interest and efficiency which, until within the last -year, never flagged. It is not possible at this day for any of us to -appreciate the difficulties he had to encounter in the early days of -the college, but we do know that he did the work well. - -See how he was prepared for the work he did. He was a lover of study. -When only eight years old he had learned the English grammar so well -that his teacher said he could not teach him anything further in that -study. There was an old family Bible that was very highly prized by all -the family, and his father told him that if he would read that Bible -through by the time he was ten years old, it should be his property. -The boy did so, and claimed and received his reward. That book is now -in the possession of his daughter (Mrs. Sheldon). This early reading -of the Bible will, perhaps, account for President Allen’s unusual -familiarity with the Scriptures, as evinced in the richness of his -prayers in this school chapel. - -The school to which he went in his early youth was three miles from -his father’s house; and in all kinds of weather, through the heats of -summer and the deep snows of winter, he plodded his way. - -I have said that his parents were not rich; and this young man pushed -his way through college by teaching, thus earning the money necessary -for his support. This may account for the fact that he entered college -at the age when most young men are leaving it, viz., twenty-one years. -It did not seem to him that it was a great misfortune to be poor; but -it was an additional inducement to call forth all his powers to insure -success. He knew that he must depend upon himself if he would succeed -in life. And so he was not satisfied with qualifying himself for one -chair in a college, but, as at Dickinson, he held two or three chairs. -He could teach the classics or mathematics or general literature, -or chemistry or natural sciences. Not many men had qualities so -diversified, or knew so well how to put them to good account. You know -very well that this liberal culture was not acquired without hard work. -And this hard work he must have done in early life, before cares and -duties crowded him, as they will absorb all of us the older we grow. - -“Remember how He spake unto you.” I would give these words a two-fold -meaning――remember _what_ he said and _how_ he said it. - -Twenty-seven years is a long time in the life of any man, even if he -has lived more than three-score years and ten. In all these years -President Allen was going in and out before the college boys, saying -good and kind words to them. - -How often he spoke to you in the chapel! It was _your church_, and the -only church that you could attend, except on holidays. His purpose was -that this chapel service should be worthy of you, and worthy of the -day. So important did he consider it, that when his turn came to speak -to you here, he prepared himself carefully. He always wrote his little -discourses, and the best thoughts of his mind and heart he put into -them. He thought that nothing that he or any other speaker could bring -was too good for you. - -And then the tones of his voice, the manner of his instruction; how -gentle, kind, conciliating. He remembered the injunction of Scripture, -“The servant of the Lord must not strive.” You will never know in this -life how much he bore from you, how long he bore with your waywardness, -your thoughtlessness; how much he loved you. He always called you “his -boys.” No matter though some of you are almost men, he always called -you “his boys,” much as the apostle John in his later years called his -disciples his “little children.” For President Allen felt that in a -certain sense he was a father to you all. - -For some time past you knew that his health was declining. You saw his -bowed form and his feeble, hesitating steps. In the chapel his voice -was tremulous and feeble. The boys on the back benches could not always -understand his words distinctly. But you knew that he was in earnest in -all that he did say. And for many months he was not able to speak at -all in the chapel. On the last Founder’s Day he was seated in a chair, -with some of his family about him, looking at the battalion boys as -they were drilled, but the fatigue was too great for him. And as the -summer advanced into August, and the people in his native State were -gathering their harvests, he, too, was gathered, as a shock of corn -fully ripe. - -When Tom Brown heard of the death of his old master, Arnold of Rugby, -he was fishing in Scotland. It was read to him from a newspaper. He -at once dropped everything and started for the old school. He was -overwhelmed with distress. “When he reached the station he went at once -to the school. At the gates he made a dead pause; there was not a soul -in the quadrangle, all was lonely and silent and sad; so with another -effort he strode through the quadrangle, and into the school-house -offices. He found the little matron in her room, in deep mourning; -shook her hand, tried to talk, and moved nervously about. She was -evidently thinking of the same subject as he, but he couldn’t begin -talking. Then he went to find the old verger, who was sitting in his -little den, as of old. - -“‘Where is he buried, Thomas?’ - -“‘Under the altar in the chapel, sir,’ answered Thomas. ‘You’d like to -have the key, I dare say.’ - -“‘Thank you, Thomas; yes, I should, very much.’ - -“‘Then,’ said Thomas, ‘perhaps you’d like to go by yourself, sir?’” - -“So he walked to the chapel door and unlocked it, fancying himself the -only mourner in all the broad land, and feeding on his own selfish -sorrow. - -“He passed through the vestibule and then paused a moment to glance -over the empty benches. His heart was still proud and high, and he -walked up to the seat which he had last occupied as a sixth-form boy, -and sat down there to collect his thoughts. The memories of eight -years were all dancing through his brain, while his heart was throbbing -with a dull sense of a great loss that could never be made up to him. -The rays of the evening sun came solemnly through the painted windows -over his head and fell in gorgeous colors on the opposite wall, and the -perfect stillness soothed his spirit. And he turned to the pulpit and -looked at it; and then leaning forward, with his head on his hands, -groaned aloud. ‘If he could have only seen the doctor for one five -minutes, have told him all that was in his heart, what he owed him, -how he loved and reverenced him, and would, by God’s help, follow his -steps in life and death, he could have borne it all without a murmur. -But that he should have gone away forever, without knowing it all, -was too much to bear.’ ‘But am I sure that he does not know it all?’ -The thought made him start. ‘May he not even now be near me in this -chapel?’” - -And with some such feelings as these I suppose many a boy will -come back to the college and stand in this chapel, and recall the -impressions he has received from President Allen here. But his voice -will never be heard here again. Nothing remains but to “remember how he -spake unto you.” - -I am sure you will never forget the day he lay in his coffin in the -chapel, and you all looked on his face for the last time. What could -be more impressive than the funeral? The crowded house, the waiting -people, the bowed heads, the solemn strains of the organ, the sweet -voices of children singing their beautiful hymns, the open coffin, the -appropriate address given by one of his own college boys, the thousand -and more boys standing in open ranks for the procession to pass through -to the college gates, the burial at Laurel Hill cemetery, where many -of his pupils already lie, and where many more will follow him in the -coming years――all these thoughts make that funeral day one long to be -remembered. - -Let us accept this as the will of Providence. There is nothing to -regret for him; but for us, the void left by his withdrawal. He is -leading a better life now than ever before. He has just begun to live, -and the best words I can say to you are, “remember how he spake unto -you.” - - * * * * * - - “But when the warrior dieth, - His comrades in the war - With arms reversed and muffled drums - Follow the funeral car. - They show the banners taken, - They tell his battles won, - And after him lead his masterless steed, - While peals the minute gun. - - “Amid the noblest of the land - Men lay the _sage_ to rest, - And give the _bard_ an honored place, - With costly marble drest, - In the great Minster transept - Where lights like glories fall, - And the choir sings and the organ rings - Along the emblazoned wall.” - - - - - A YOUNG MAN’S MESSAGE TO BOYS. - - December 7, 1884. - - -When I came here in April last I brought with me some friends, among -whom was my son. And I said to him that some day I should wish _him_ to -speak to you. He had so recently been a college boy himself, graduating -at the University of Pennsylvania, and he was so fond of the games -and plays of boys, and withal was so deeply interested in boys and -young men, that I thought he might be able to say something that would -interest you, and perhaps do you good. - -At a recent meeting of the proper committee his name was added to the -list of persons who may be invited to speak to you. The last time I was -at the college President Fetterolf asked me when my son could come to -address you, and I replied that he was sick. - -That sickness was far more serious than any of us supposed; there was -no favorable change, and at the end of twelve days he passed away. - -My suggestion that he might be invited to speak here led him to -prepare a short address, which was found among his papers, and has, -within a few days, been handed to me. It was written with lead pencil, -apparently hastily; and certainly lacking the final revision, which in -copying for delivery he would have given it. - -I have thought it would be well for me to read to you this address; but -I did not feel that I had any right to revise it, or to make any change -in it whatever; so I give it precisely as he wrote it, adding only a -word here and there which was omitted in the hurried writing. - - He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that - ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.――Proverbs xvi. - 32. - -I want you to look with me at the latter part of each of these -sentences, and see if we can’t understand a little better what Solomon -meant by such words “_the mighty_” and “_he that taketh a city_.” - -Do you remember the wonderful dream that came to Solomon just after -he had been made king over Israel? How God came to him while he was -sleeping and said to him, “Ask what I shall give thee,” and how -Solomon, without any hesitation, asked for wisdom. And God gave him -wisdom, so that he became famous far and wide, and people from nations -far off came to see him and learn of him. - -If I were to ask you now who was the wisest man that ever lived, you -would say “Solomon.” Often you have heard one person say of another, -“he is as wise as Solomon.” I cannot stop here to tell you of the way -in which Solomon showed this wonderful gift. But his knowledge was -not that of books, because there were not a great many books then for -him to read. It was the knowledge which showed him how to do _right_, -and how to be a _good ruler_ over his people. And because he chose -such wisdom, the very best gift of God, God gave him besides, riches -and everything that he could possibly desire. His horses and chariots -were the most beautiful and the strongest; his armies were famous -everywhere for their splendid arms and armor. He had vast numbers of -servants to wait upon him, and to do his slightest wish. Presents, most -magnificent, were sent to him by the kings of all the nations round -about him. No king of Israel before or after him was so great and so -powerful. And, greatest honor of all, God permitted him to build a -temple for him――what his father David had so longed to do and was not -allowed, God directed Solomon to do. David’s greatest desire before -he died was to build a house for God. The ark of God had never had -a house to rest in, and David was not satisfied to have a splendid -palace to live in himself, and to have nothing but a _tent_ in which -to keep God’s ark. But God would not suffer him to do that, although -he was the king whom he loved so much. No, that must be kept for his -son Solomon to do. David had been too great a fighter all his life; he -had been at war; he had driven back his enemies on all sides, and had -made God’s people a nation to be feared by all their foes. So David was -a “mighty man,” and while Solomon was growing up he must have heard -every one talking of the wonderful things his father had done from his -youth up――the adventures he had had when he was only a poor shepherd -lad keeping his flocks on the hills about Bethlehem. And how often -must he have been told that splendid story, which we never grow tired -of hearing, of his fight with the giant Goliath; and when he was shown -the huge pieces of armor, and the great sword and spear, he surely knew -what it was for a man to be “mighty” and “great.” And when his old -father withdrew from the throne and made him king, he found himself -surrounded on all sides with the results of his father’s wars and -conquests, and soon knew that he also was “a mighty man.” - -There is not a boy here who does not want to be “great.” Every one -of you wants to make a name for himself, or have something, or do -something, that will be remembered long after he is dead. - -If I should ask you what that something is, I suppose almost all of you -would say, “I want to be rich, so rich that I can do whatever I like; -that I need not do any work; that I can go where I please.” Some of -you would say, “I would travel all over the world and write about what -I see, so that long after I am dead people will read my books and say, -‘what a great man he was!’” Some of you would say, “I would build great -houses, and fill them with all the richest and most beautiful goods. I -would have whole fleets of ships, sailing to all parts of the world, -bringing back wonderful things from strange countries; and when I would -meet people in the street they would stand aside to let me pass, saying -to one another, ‘there goes a great man; he is our richest merchant; -how I should like to be as great as he.’” - -And still another would say: “I don’t care anything about books or -beautiful merchandise. No, I’ll go into foreign countries and become a -great fighter, and I shall conquer whole nations, so that my enemies -shall be afraid of me, and I shall ride at the head of great armies, -and when I come home again the people will give me a grand reception; -will make arches across the street, and cover their houses with flags, -and as I ride along the street the air will be filled with cheers for -the great general.” - -And so each one of you would tell me of some way in which he would like -to be great. I should think very little of the boy who had no ambition, -one who would be entirely content to just get along somehow, and never -care for any great success so long as he had enough to eat and drink -and to clothe himself with, and who would never look ahead to set -his mind on obtaining some great object. It is perfectly right and -proper to be ambitious, to try and make as much as possible of every -opportunity that is presented. No one can read that parable of the -master who called his servants to account for the talents he had given -them, and not see that God gives us all the blessings and advantages -that we have, in order that we may have an opportunity to put them to -such good use, that He may say to us as the master in the parable said -to his servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” - -So it is right for you to want to be great, and I want to try and tell -you how to accomplish it. If you were sure that I could tell you the -real secret of success you would listen very carefully to what I had -to say, wouldn’t you? Some of you would even write down what I said. -Then write _this_ down in your hearts; for, following this, you will -be greater than “the mighty:” “He that is slow to anger is better than -the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.” -Are some of you disappointed? do you say, “_Is that all?_ I thought he -was about to tell us how we could make lots of money.” Ah, if you would -only believe it, and follow such advice, such a plan were to be far -richer than the man who can count his wealth by millions. But look at -it in another way. What sort of a boy do you choose for the captain of -a base-ball nine or a foot-ball team? What sort of a _man_ is chosen -for a high position? Is he one who loses all control over himself when -something happens to vex him, and flies into a terrible passion when -some one happens to oppose him? No; the one you would select for any -place of great responsibility is he who can keep his head clear, who -will not permit himself to get angry at any little vexation, who rules -his own spirit――and can there be anything harder to do? I tell you “no.” - -So, I have told you how to be successful, and at the same time I tell -you, there is nothing harder to do; and now I go on still further, and -say you can’t follow such advice by yourself, you must have some help. -Is it hard to get? No, it is offered to you freely; you are urged to -ask for it, and you are assured that it is certain to come to all who -want it. Will such help be sufficient? Much more than sufficient, for -He who shall help you is abundantly able to give you more than you ask -or think. It is God who tells you to come to him, and he shall make -you more than “the mighty,” greater than he which taketh the city; -yes, for the greatness he shall bestow upon those who come to him is -far above all earthly greatness. He shall be with you when you are -ready to fly into a furious temper, when you lift your hand to strike, -when you would _kill_ if you were not afraid; but when the wish is in -your heart, yes, then, even then, He is beside you. He looks upon you -in divine mercy, and if you will only let him, will rebuke the foul -spirit and command him to come out of you, and your whole soul shall -be filled with peace. Why won’t you listen to his pleading voice, and -let him quiet the dreadful storm of anger? And when the hot words fly -to your lips, remember his soft answer that turns away wrath. Then -will you have won a greater battle than any ever fought; for you will -have conquered your own wicked spirit, and by God’s grace you are a -conqueror. And the reward for a life of such self-conquest shall be a -crown of life that fadeth not away. Won’t you accept _such_ greatness? - - * * * * * - -Such are the words he would have spoken to you had his life been -spared; and he would have spoken them with the great advantage of a -_young man_ speaking to _young men_. Now they seem like a message -from the heavenly world. It is more than probable that in copying for -delivery he would have expanded some of the thoughts and have made the -little address more complete. Perhaps it would be better for me to stop -here; ... but there are a few words which I would like to say, and it -may be that they can be better said now than at any other time. - -I want to say again, what I have so often said, that a boy may be fond -of all innocent games and plays and yet be a Christian. Some of you -may doubt this. You may believe and say, that religion interferes with -amusements and makes life gloomy. Here is an example of the contrary; -for I do not see how there _could_ be a happier life than my son’s -(there never was a shadow upon it), and no one could be more fond of -base-ball and foot-ball and cricket and tennis than he was; and yet he -was a simple-hearted Christian boy and young man. And with all this -love of innocent pleasure and fun he neglected no business obligations, -nor did he fail in any of the duties of social or family life. In -short, I can wish no better thing for you boys than that your lives may -be as happy and as beautiful as his was. - - - - - A TRUTHFUL CHARACTER. - - April, 1889. - - -Can anything be more important to a young life than truthfulness? Is -character worth anything at all if it is not founded on truth? And are -not the temptations to untruthfulness in heart and life constantly in -your path? - -It is most interesting to think that every life here is an individual -life, having its own history, and in many respects unlike every other -life. When I see you passing through these grounds, going in procession -to and from your school-rooms, your dining halls and your play-grounds, -the question often arises in my thoughts, how many of these boys are -walking in the truth? - -If I were looking for a boy to fill any position within my gift, or -within the reach of my influence, and should seek such a boy among -you, I should ask most carefully of those who know you best, whether -such and such a boy were truthful; and not in speech merely (that is, -does he answer questions truthfully), but is he open and frank in his -life? Does he cheat in his lessons or in his games? Does he shirk any -duty that is required of him in the shops? When he fails to recite his -lessons accurately, is he very ready with his excuses trying to justify -himself for his failure, or does he admit candidly that he did not do -his best, and does he promise sincerely to do better in the future? -And is he one who may be depended upon to give a fair account of any -incident that may come up for investigation? Sometimes there are wrong -things done here, done from thoughtlessness often; may such a boy as -I am looking for be depended upon to say what he knows about it, in a -manly way, so as to screen the innocent, and, if necessary, expose the -guilty? In other words, is he trustworthy, worthy of trust, can he be -depended on? - -It may not be easy for one at my time of life to say just what a boy -ought to be, if he is to make much of a man. But we who think much -of this subject have an idea of what we would like the boys to be, -in whom we are especially interested. And if I borrow from another -a description of what I mean, it is because this author has said it -better than I can. - -“A real boy should be generous, courteous among his friends and among -his school-fellows; respectful to his superiors, well-mannered. He -must avoid loud talk and rough ways; must govern his tongue and his -temper; must listen to advice and reproof with humility. He must be a -gentleman. He must not be a sneak or a bully; he must neither cringe -to the strong nor tyrannize over the weak. To his teachers he must be -obedient, for they have a right to require obedience of him; he must -be respectful, because the true gentleman always respects those who -are wiser, more experienced, better informed than himself. He must -apply himself to his lessons with a single aim, seeking knowledge for -its own sake, and earnestly striving to make the best possible use of -such faculties as God has given him. He must do his best to store his -mind with high thoughts by a careful study of all that is beautiful -and pure. In his sports and plays he must seek to excel, if excellence -can be obtained by a moderate amount of time and energy; but he must -remember, that though it is a fine thing to have a healthy body and -a healthy mind, it is neither necessary nor admirable to develop a -muscular system like that of an athlete or a giant. Whatever falls to -his hands to do, he must do it with his might, assured that God loves -not the idle or dishonest worker. He must remember that life has its -duties and responsibilities as well as its pleasures; that these begin -in boyhood, and that they cannot be evaded without injury to heart and -mind and soul. He must train himself in all good habits, in order that -these may accompany him easily in later life; in habits of method and -order, of industry and perseverance and patience. He must not forget -that every victory over himself smooths the way for future victories -of the same kind; and the precious fruit of each moral virtue is to set -us on higher and better ground for conquests of principle in all time -to come. He must resolutely shut his ears and his heart to every foul -word and every improper suggestion, every profane utterance; guarding -himself against the first approaches of sin, which are always the most -insidiously made. He must not think it a brave or plucky thing to -break wholesome rules, to defy authority, to ridicule age or poverty -or feebleness, to pamper the appetite, to imitate the ‘fast,’ to throw -away valuable time; to neglect precious opportunities. He must love -truth with a deep and passionate love, abhorring even the shadow of a -lie, even the possibility of a falsehood. True in word, true in deed, -he shall walk in the truth.” - -I say then to you boys, do your best; be honest and diligent; be -resolute to live a pure and honorable life; speak the truth like boys -who hope to be gentlemen; be merry if you will, for it is good to be -merry and wise; be loving and dutiful sons, be affectionate brothers, -be loyal-hearted friends, and when you come to be men you will look -back to these boyish days without regret and without shame. - -Something like this is my ideal of a boy. I am very desirous that your -future shall be bright and useful and successful, and I, and others who -are interested in your welfare, will hope to hear nothing but good of -you; but we can have no greater joy than to hear that you are walking -in the truth. Some of you may become rich men; some may become very -prominent in public affairs; you may reach high places; you may fill -a large space in the public estimation; you may be able and brilliant -men; but there is nothing in your life that will give us so much joy as -to hear that “you are walking in the truth.” - -Truth is the foundation of all the virtues, and without it character -is absolutely worthless. No gentleness of disposition, no willingness -to help other people, no habits of industry, no freedom from vicious -practices, can make up for want of truthfulness of heart and life. -Some persons think that if they work long and hard and deny themselves -for the good of others, and do many generous and noble acts and have -a good reputation, they can even tell lies sometimes and not be much -blamed. But they forget that reputation is not character; that one may -have a very good reputation and a very bad character; they forget that -the reputation is the outside, what we see of each other, while the -character is what we are in the heart. - - - * * * * * - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - ――Printer’s, punctuation, and spelling inaccuracies were silently - corrected. - - ――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - ――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN AND -BOYS *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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