A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE1
OR a thousand years Athens was a university town.
Its several great schools of philosophy were in reality
so many independent colleges, each with a tradition, or-
ganization, and discipline of its own. The president of one
of these colleges lived in office to the ripe old age of ninety-
nine years. In a famous hymn bearing his name he sang,
“O God most glorious, called by many a name . . . We
are Thy children.” The great pioneer preacher of our own
era wrote, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave
the increase.” “I dressed his wound—God healed him,”
said a distinguished French surgeon lately of a recovered
soldier. It is in some such spirit of dependence—thus ex-
pressed in turn by surgeon, missionary, philosopher—
acknowledging out of our own personal experience, in
moments of exaltation a force not ourselves making for
righteousness, in seasons of depression a Father to whom
we pray fervently, in days of even tenor a friend within
reach, a faith within reason, a fear within wisdom,—it is in
some such spirit of dependence, sustaining intellect, energy,
courage, enthusiasm, and independence alike, that we would
face the tasks of a new year marked by the return of our
heroes, the renewal of our life, the reunion of Rice men,
the revival of learning, and great rejoicing in hope.
For the heroes have returned. Heroes of the longbow
and battle-ax. Heroes of the fire-ball and battering-ram.
1 From a Rice address.