360 Presidential Addresses 



is indeed grave, then the advantages of living in 

 the twentieth century surrounded by all our modern 

 improvements, our modern symbols of progress, is 

 indeed small. But if we mean to make of each fresh 

 development in the way of material betterment a 

 step toward a fresh development in moral and spir 

 itual betterment, then we are to be congratulated. 



To me the future seems full of hope because, 

 although there are many conflicting tendencies, and 

 although some of these tendencies of our present 

 life are for evil, yet, on the whole the tendencies for 

 good are in the ascendency. And I greet this au 

 dience, this great body of delegates, with peculiar 

 pleasure because they are men who embody, and 

 embody by the very fact of their presence here, the 

 two essential sets of qualities of which I have been 

 speaking. They embody the capacity for self-help 

 with the desire mutually to help one the other. 

 You have several qualities I like. You have sound 

 bodies. Your profession is not one that can be 

 carried on, at least in some of its branches, without 

 the sound body. You have sound minds, and that 

 is better than sound bodies ; and finally, the fact that 

 you are here, the fact that you have done what you 

 have done, shows that you have that which counts 

 for more than body, for more than mind char 

 acter. 



I congratulate you upon what you are doing for 

 yourselves, and I congratulate you even more upon 

 what you are doing for all men who hope to see 

 the day brought nearer when the people of all na- 



