OPENING ADDREBS. 7 



new industries started, and inventions and discoveries made, 

 which all tend to increase the money making power, yet while all 

 this he true there never was a time in the history of the world 

 when greater efforts have been made for the attainment of know- 

 ledge, to benefit society, to educate the peoi>le and generally uplift 

 humanity. Take religion. Tbe Churches are more active and en- 

 ergetic than ever before, and are doing more to-day to assist the 

 poor, to protect the weak and rescue the fallen than in any oth(?r 

 age. Take for example the threat work of General Booth and the 

 Salvation Army — one of the greatest moral movements that has 

 ever taken place in the history of the world. The efforts of his 

 Army have been directed on a gigantic scale to assist the unfor- 

 tunate. In every civilized country its banner is waving and zeal- 

 ous workers are everywhere straggling with vice and crime, and 

 in every possible way endeavouring to rescue the perishing, to 

 reform the drunkards and the fallen, and to inspire hope in the 

 despairing. To follow the great work of that Army creates 

 amazement and wonder. The feeding of the enormons numbers 

 of the needy on New Year's and Cliristmas days at the great city 

 centres, the bringing of joy and pleasure to the little ones with 

 Christmas gifts, and comfort and consolation to those Avho mourn 

 is only a part of the great work that has been and is being 

 accomplished. Take tlie medical profession. Never before have 

 there been so many aVjle men labouring and struggling with 

 difficult problems, and in research in order to benefit their fellow- 

 men, and conquer those fell diseases such as tuberculosis and 

 cancer, the great enemies of the human race. Since the days of 

 George Peabody, who almost stood alone h-lf a century ago as the 

 world's greatest philanthropist, how great has ' een the growth of 

 philanthropy. Millions hiive been given for religious work, 

 millions for scientific work, millions for moral reform, miliions 

 for educational work, universities and colleges, millions for medi- 

 cal research and hospitals, millions for libraries and millions for 

 the preservation of the world's peace. Rockefeller, Carnegie, Lord 

 Strathcona, Sir Wm. McDonald and others have contributed vast 

 sums for the betterment of the human race, and although it may 

 be a question as to whether Carnegie's gifts to circulating lib- 

 raries is a good policy, and a benefit to the i)eople, yet all this goes 

 to demonstrate that man to day is taking a less selfish view of life 



