THE FIKST HALF CENTURY OF THE INSTITUTE. 47 



I replied, "there are some big farms in the United States. 

 For instance, on the Pacific coast there are wheat farms 

 that it would take a span of horses a week to draw a 

 furrow around." That is a simple fact, but the English- 

 man, greatl}^ amused, threw himself back, saying "That 

 is the biggest lie yet." There is another reason. With- 

 in ten years half a million visitors have registered at the 

 Peabody Academy of Science. In the century to come 

 that number will be greatly increased. All over the 

 country new attention is being paid to the antiquities, to 

 the old families, the old names, the old relics, the old 

 historic spots, and whatever the newspapers may say to 

 the contrary, it is true that there are in all parts of the 

 country Americans wdio look with love and reverence 

 towards the homes of their ancestors, and what they con- 

 sider the shrines of the national life. 



This celebration is unique. In no other city of this 

 size in the countiy could such an assemblage be gathered 

 with such a purpose, with such substantial reasons for 

 congratulation. But, Mr. President, you see I am tempted 

 to trespass beyond my limit. Were I to make an oration 

 instead of a speech, I should say that, in the forty years 

 before the building of our railroads, Salem was foremost 

 among the towns and cities of America in four different 

 ways (not to claim too much). She led in war, as the 

 records of her naval experience attest. She led in com- 

 merce, as all the world knows. She led also in literature 

 and in religion. Just one sample fact of the scores which 

 might be cited. Salem represented the two great divis- 

 ions of Congregationalism to such an extent that she 

 may fairly be credited with leadership. The Theological 

 School at Andover came out of Salem, as did also the 

 Plummer professorship of morals in Harvard University. 

 I have long wished that 1 might devote myself to the 



