THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 135 



conduct in terms of his swiftly succeeding- emotions fails' to take 

 account of the fundamental facts and laws that grow out of the 

 nature of intellect and the necessities of character. Present feeling 

 is by no means all that there is of life, although too often many 

 are persuaded that it is so. The making of civilization is a gigan- 

 tic task upon which the past, the present, and the future are all 

 engaged, and in which the past, the present, and the future all have 

 an interest, out of which interests grow rights. The observer of 

 the surface of life, the impressionist, does not get an understand- 

 ing of things as they are, but only of things as they at the mo- 

 ment appear to be. 



If this University has not taught to every graduate to whom it 

 offers today the hand of fellowship the lasting lesson of thorough- 

 ness, it has in so far failed, no matter what else it may have done 

 for him. He who has schooled himself to go to the bottom of 

 things, to follow up every hint and to pursue to its end each im- 

 plication, has begun to get a true notion of the interdependence of 

 nature and life. In this way he learns the lesson that beneath 

 superficial differences lie hidden, yet controlling, likenesses and 

 unities. He comes to understand that however dift'used the light 

 of experience may seem to be, in reality it comes from a single 

 source. He catches sight of the significance of principles, rules, 

 laws, and he finds out how^ these principles, rules, laws manifest 

 themselves in various and diverse ways that are a part of their life 

 but are not all of it. 



The thorough-edged intellect is one that has learned these les- 

 sons and that has formed the habit of acting upon them. It is 

 not satisfied with assertion demanding to be accepted as proof; 

 with desire urging that it be identified with need ; or with tumultu- 

 ous clamor claiming to usurp the place of sober and reflective pub- 

 lic opinion. It asks for reasons, it seeks for controlling principles, 

 and it knows how to set about getting them. It is my earnest hope 

 that these lessons of thoroughness have been so well learned and 

 so pondered that they will shape the life and conduct of each one 

 of you, and thereby bring new strength and new satisfaction both 

 to yourselves and to the communities that you will serve. 



May success and happiness attend you one and all. _ 



