No. 4.] AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 271 



these rural farms and rugged environments. History is 

 ever repeating itself. May not the generous hand of Massa- 

 chusetts and the Massachusetts Agricultural College be the 

 uplifting power and avenue to usefulness, power and honor 

 for generations yet to com*' '.-' 



We are at the close of the nineteenth century. Mighty 

 events in history of remarkable character have tilled the year 

 just closed. I am one of those who believe that the mission 

 of this country is not to inclose itself in a shell, but to push 

 its mighty power in the advancement and civilization of the 

 world, so that men of every nationality may be brought into 

 a better condition morally, intellectually and commercially. 

 And I further believe that this country of ours, with its 

 marvellous resources, its great wealth, its educational ad- 

 vantages, fails of its high destiny if it does not leaven the 

 whole world with its advanced ideas and attainments. Gali- 

 leo was arrested because of his advanced ideas ; Columbus 

 was returned to Spain in chains ; Garrison was imprisoned 

 because of his anti-slavery sentiments ; Lovejoy tasted death 

 because of his faith in equal rights. They each in turn 

 wrought a mighty work. It may be that McKinley and his 

 compeers are building better than they know or realize ; that 

 before us in the close coming } r ears is to be a mighty march 

 of events, led by the Anglo-Saxon race. If it is the destiny 

 of this country to open the way to a higher civilization in 

 the West Indies and the Phillipine Archipelago, with its 

 10,000,000 inhabitants, and to introduce new methods and 

 ideas in farming and procuring the natural benefits of the 

 wonderful climate and soil, who will be better equipped to 

 lead the work than the graduates of the agricultural col- 

 leges? They are men of practical knowledge. Thoreau 

 said, in one of his books: " Why! to my astonishment I 

 was informed on leaving college that I had studied naviga- 

 tion. If I had taken one trip down the harbor I should 

 have known more about it." These men, speaking figura- 

 tively, have not only studied navigation, they have taken 

 the trip down the harbor. Their training is in a practical 

 line. 



With all the modern facilities for travel and communica- 

 tion, is not the way opening for a great missionary work in 



