628 
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
e< Bat in the organization of this complex being, Man, there 
is an element of far greater importance than his mere sen- 
tient nature. This it is which ennobles him ; which separates 
him from the rest of the material creation ; which marks him 
out for an immortal destiny, and links him with God. This 
wonderful principle is Thought , Spirit, Soul — a Divine inspi- 
ration, which has a destiny above and superior to that which 
can but live, feel, reproduce, die. This it is which gives to 
man his superiority over all else that exists ; which gives 
him the idea of the beautiful, the great ; which points him 
out as destined by Providence to preside over the onward 
movement of humanity : which, in the hour of the final 
destruction or transformation of all that is material, shall 
mount upward towards the regions of hope, and lose itself in 
the unfathomable mystery of immortality !” 
Thus you see on what your responsibility rests. You can 
no more evade it than you can cease to be ; and as the future 
stamps the man, so the present may be considered the most 
momentous period of our lives. Depending on what our 
desires and affections are set, so will be our conduct. The 
object of worship always determines the character of the 
worshipper. Those who worship Baal-peor, will become 
libidinous, and those who worship Moloch will inevitably 
become cruel. It, therefore, is now your duty so to act as to 
obtain knowledge. This should be the only object kept 
steadily in view by you. Locke has appositely remarked, 
that, (£ the great business of education is not to perfect a 
learner in all or any of the sciences, but to give his mind 
that freedom, that disposition, and those habits, which may 
enable him to attain any part of knowledge he shall apply 
himself to, or stand in need of, in the future course of his 
life.” Few of you, I fear, give this the consideration it 
merits, while too many think that what they have to do 
while here is simply to get the diploma. Take my advice, 
get knowledge, for by so doing you will insure the possession 
of your diploma. And get as much as you can, remembering 
it is only to will the thing, and it is done. 
Self-culture will do much towards this, but at the present 
day there are so many aids to the acquirement of information 
that it is a disgrace to be ignorant. 
(To be concluded in our next.) 
