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THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1920.
THE MORAL OBLIGATIONS
OF A COLLEGE STUDENT
By Julian E. Ross.
(This paper won tl.e Walter B. Hill
prize of $50.00 for the best essay writ
ten by a student of pMlosophy ut the
25120 Georgia commencement.
Although man is an independent be
ing vet lie is bound by certain laws,
immutable, written and spoken, that
guide and influence his every
Asa college student lie is even fui th. r
obligated, because of the opportuni
ties and privileges that are offered
him in an institution of learning.
On the youth of our nation, on those
Tvhose minds are now in the process of
cultivation and disciplining, depends
the future of the race. Obligations and
responsibilities must influence the
pathway of the college students of to
day. They are entering a stage of ac
tion, under circumstances more intense
ly interesting; circumstances which
demand a regenerated, purified heart;
a balance, disciplined mind; and a
love for doing good which many waters
-an not quence nor floods destroy.
They tread on ground bought with
hardships, tears and prayers; enfran
chised by toil and blood, amid an in
eituation founded by the anxious solici
tudes of their fathers.
This is the land of Pilgrims, where
the bones of more worthier men sleep
than were ever before buried in the
same length of time. The nation is
young, full of enterprise, and growing
in wealth and population. An exper
iment In regard to civil freedom, and
the destiny of a nation let loose with
nothing to check or hold it; a nation
let loose, and many centuries in ad
vance of all otlier nations, in the
science of government, at least, and
yet having the offals of all other Chris
tian nations constantly flowing into
it, is now in the making. The perma
nency of its institution, or on the
other hand, the undermining of them,
depends on the college man of today.
He is entering upon the stage of life
at a time when the mind must lie high
ly educated, e must act in a day when
public opinion is omnipotent. He is
coming forward at a time, and in a
nation, where a good education is a
sure passport to respect ability, to in
fluence and to otttce. Soon with the
teeming millions of this land lie must
mingle, and try to aid them in knowl
edge, virtue and religion as they ail
roll on towards the Judgement day. He
tins friends to cheer him on in every
worthy enterprise, who will uphold
his hands when they fall, encourage
him when ids spirits fait, share his
burdens and rejoice in his success.
He comes forward with the history
and the experience of all other nations
before him, and at his feet lie pictures
of men whose examples it will be hon
or and glory to follow. The mighty
minds that have gone before him have
left behind treasures for his inheri
tance, and the choicest gold to be laid
for the digging.
These are some of the wonderful op
portunities that are open to him; these
are some of the gifts placed within
liis reach by the God of the Vniverse.
These are Ids opportunities, yes, but
what arc Ids obligations. Men cannot
liave relations without responsibili
ties and obligations. The further he
advances along the path of life, the
more these responsibilities and obli
gations increase. While in college;
while on the threshold of active life,
lie should pause and consider well its
duties and demands, its liabilities, and
its conditions of success. Me owes that
to society, lie lias a destiny to ful
fil, for "iio one liveth unto himself” it
is written. He must play some part in
the affairs of men; perhaps he will he
one of the c4lief actors in the great
enterprises of his generation, and it
would be folly to rush thoughtlessly
ahead.
He is seeking education, therefore,
to society lie owes, ns one who lias had
the golden opportunity of acquiring
knowledge offered hitn. the duty of
putting forth his host efforts, thoughts
and actions for the improvement of the
race. As the past has left a rich in
heritance for his use and knowledge,
lie must leave an even richer inher
tance for the future, so that the mem
ory of his earthly career will linger
long behind him, like the perfume
which still haunts the shattered vase,
or the echo that survives the harp
when tin* broken chords are silent. As
a social being, he is obligated to as
sume the responsibility for the well
being of the race; to stand for justice
and iberty to all. and to have it said
of him when the sepulchre has closed
its doors upon him, that society has
profited by his life.
As an American citizen enjoying life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness
under the sheltering folds of the Stars
and Stripes, he owes it to the nation
that thus guarantees these privileges
to him. to ever stand ready to defend
her name and to uphold her honor. lie
must realize the incentives and ideals
that sent our forefathers across an
unknown ocean and made them brave
snows of the llrst winter. He must
remember that spirit of perserverance
that drove lank the savages, explored
the wilderness and established churches
and schools, lie must recall that
struggle of "TO”, that this nation, con
ceived in liberty and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created
free and equal, should not perish from
the earth.
With these memories and traditions
in his mind he should ever be ready
to smother the seditionery statements
and contaminating influences of the
innovator: to protect, and if need he.
die for the sacred principles upon
phich our nation was founded? But
eagerness to defend the nation's name
and honor is not the only demand of
a patriot. He who gives his country a
well-cultivated intellect and a pure
character, fulfils the highest functions
of a patriot.
As in memory he secs the linage of
that sweet-faced mother who watches
his every effort, his every advancement
and every honor lie makes with a
thrill of pride, he must remember the
obligations due her who went down
thru the valley of the shadow of death
for his existence. He must remember
those long years of painstaking care
devoted to properly fitting him to meet
the responsibilities and the issues of
life. And to that father who has de
voted long years of toil to his main
tenance ami education, he also owes
an obligation.
Asa university student, he is obli
gated to uphold and maintain the
honor and integrity of his school, and
to do nothing derogatory to her name
or reputation. He must ever main
tain the illustrious standards set
bv lier honored alumnae. He must up
hold her ideals, support her curriculum
and her instructors, and conduct him
self in a manner worthy of a student
of tlie University.
To ids own well-being and existence
lie is obligated many fold. On him
alone is placed the responsibility of
obtaining as comprehensive an educa
tion as possible. As education is the
symetrieal development and adequate
disciplining of the mind’s faculties, so
the aim of the college student should
l>e to sow the seeds of Intelligence in
the human mind, to mould the divine
capabilities into symetrieal proportions
and graceful forms, and to nurture its
crude energies and give them direction.
Thru education the intellect and physi
cal nature of a human being is tilled
for the best performance of all his
duties and obligations. Thru educa
tion he is prepared to know and do
the things that he should know and
do, and thorough disciplining in this
is valuable both to the student and to
society. But education has even a
broader motive than this. The object
of training the mind should tie to en
able the soul to fulfil her duties well
while here and to stand on high van
tage-ground when she leaves the cra
dle of her being, for an eternal exis-
beyond the grave. The train
ing of the mind is one of the funda
mental necessities of man, but how
many students realize this. Many, in
stead, seek excitement, games and en
tertainment. Tilt* minds of those who
follow these pursuits become unelas
tic, sullen and skeptical, and no lon
ger discern and relish tlie truths
evolved by the processes with which
they should be employed. Imagina
tion, finding no genial atmosphere,
puts off its wings, and becomes slug
gish, while the powers of invention
remain as if chilled with perperual
winter. The irresolute and unreflect
ing man should awaken to self con
trol, and realize his connections with
humanity, and his social and moral
obligations. 41ml he would become con
scious of anew, noble impulse. The
college student should bestow upon
the capacities with which nature lias
endowed him, a diligent and pains
taking culture and a laudable ambi
tion to attain whatever mental excel
lence he can through the earnest use
of his time and opportunities.
In tlie pursuit of education it is
first necessary that tlie student who
aspires to the best mental development
and culture, follow pure and elevating
motives. Every college student should
have an incentive that will appease all
the solicitudes which beset liis career,
and should arouse an essential manli
ness in him to overcome the illusions,
base appetites and passions which cor
rupt and enslave. He should seek the
serene majesty of truth; the calm pro
cess of reasoning exhaulted into un
conscious intuition and dominant, clear
intelligence.
Man is incessantly employed in weav
ing tlie web of liis own destiny, and
each throw of the shuttle draws af
ter it u thread, which may become a
clew to guide 1 ,m through life’s luby
rynth, or a symbol of the dismal ca
tastrophe which comes to those who
leave to chance and fate the control
of interests, which Heaven entrusts
to each human being for himself.
After all disciplining and educating
the mind must he the students own
work. No one but himself can do it.
And nothing in the world is of any
worth which has not labor and toil
n s the price.
Moreover the student owes it to him
self to profit as much as possible by
the experiences of others. But the
average student begins his career by
experimenting for himself, not where
his progenitor left off', hut where he
commenced. By thus disdegarding the
lessons of experience, he must learn
for himself, must make his own mis
takes, must gain wisdom from adver
sity, caution from imprudences, tem
perance from excesses, industry from
want or from avarice. Unmindful of
the teachings of experience and age.
he is prone to judge by appearances,
and yield to the seductions of the pres
ent. He does not fear that idleness,
had company, disorderly habits and
incessant profligacy are real dangers.
Youth presses on to find out for him
self. With His eyes open to conse
quences, fully instructed in the ways
of duty and safety, and with the holy
maxims on his lips, he moves onward
in liis folly with utter indifference and
recklessness. Young men owe it to
themselves to accept the decisions of
experience on hard fought out prob
lems.
A student owes it to himself and
society to abstain from all temptations
that will he injurious to his body, mind
and soul, or to his purpose in life. In
college, domestic ties are necessarily
suspended, and the man, so powerful
before to restrain from the wayward
ness and inexperience of youth, falls
into the inefficiency of enfeebled, un
snsrained sentiments. The path of
life is beset with many temptations.
He must meet them every day. he can
not go around them or go past them,
without being solicited by them, and
nothing hut a conscience exceedingly
strong, will enable him to meet and
overcome them. Indolence perhaps
will make its appeal to him, offering
to secure pleasures of rest without the
effort that justifies rest and makes it
welcomed. When a man shuns effort,
he is in no position to resist tempta
tion, for idleness is the devil’s work
shop. Only that is passive which is
dead, and all the many evils of life
come thru the unguarded door of un
resisted temptations.
The college student owes it to him
self to abstain from gambling, that
desire to get something for nothing.
Burglary and larceny have the same
motive. In all forms of gambling, to
win is to lose, for the winner’s integ
rity is placed in jeopardy. The appeal
to chance is adverse to individual pros
perity.
He owes it to himself to abhor licen
tiousness, the search for the unearned
pleasures of love, without love’s du
ties and love’s responsibilities. The
way to unearned love lies through the
valley of the shadow of death, and the
path is white with dead men's bones.
Just as honest love is tlie most pow
erful influence for good, so is love’s
counterfeit tlie most degrading. Open
vice brings with certainty, disease and
degradotion. To associate with the
vile, is to assume their vileness. A
man’s ideal of womanhood is fixed by
the women he seeks, anil by his ideal,
we may know tlie degree of his man
hood.
The student owes it to himself to
abstain from intemperance, the desire
to secure through drugs the feeling
of happiness. It is the maddening de
sire to destroy the nervous system for
the tingling pleasure felt as the struc
ture is torn apart.
The strength of life is increased by
conquered temptation, and we can call
no man virtuous until he has won such
u victory. To yield to temptation lie
causes it promises pleasures, without
the effort of earning, it to put trust
in a promise that has never been ful
filled in the history of all ages. Un
earned pleasures are mere illusions,
and as they pass away, their final le
gacy is weakness and pain.
We should not devote ourselves to
over excesses of pleasures. Xo appe
tite can be continually gratified, which
does not turn to be an enemy the mo
ment it has become our master. Con
science can he deadened and murder
ed in no way so readily as by indul
gence in the baser pleasures. If we
would at once seal our degradation
for time and eternity, and forever blast
every hope of peace, goodness or use
fulness, we have only to give way to
the demands of passion, and drink of
those stolen waters which are sweet,
and eat the bread in secret which is
forbidden.
One may often see a student of hope
ful intellect, good disposition, aspir
ing ambitions, and diligent enough in
the work of intellectual improvement,
yet at the same time adieted to asso
ciations and pleasures that debase and
enfeeble all the energies and capabili
ties of his nature. Fine powers are
tasked to little purpose so long as
suicidal indifference to the moral forces
of our nuture is indulged in. The hours
of relaxation are no longer the refresh
ment hut the poison of the weary mind.
The susceptibility of youth, stimulat
ed by new, exciting circumstances and
associations, the intensity of institu
tional life acting directly upon the in
tellect and the moral and social feel
ings, must produce some effect upon
the character. It is because young
men are free agents and weild for
themselves a controlling authority over
the formation of their character, that
so many shameful catastrophes darken
flie history of an institution of learn
ing. A great responsibility therefore
rests upon a man while a student, be
cause then he is forming His charac
ter and habits and setting his stand
arils. Every unholy desire that he
conquers: every good thought that he
treasures up for future use: every
moment that he seizes as it flees and
stamps with something good, and ev
ery influence that he excites for the
honor of God and the good of man,
aids him to strike for higher and still
nobler efforts. The ship that outrides
the storm with the greatest ease, is
the one which has her anchors out,
her cables stretched and he sails full
ed. before the strength of the storm
has reached her.
In the building of character, the col
lege student owes it to himself to
think clean thoughts and do cleali
deeds. The soul derives its character
and its tendencies still more from
cherished thoughts and feelings, than
from all external influences. That
will become a great, mind which is in
the habit of revolving good thoughts.
Those sentiments which find welcome
during seasons of repose, not only
mark, but make the real character of
the mind. He who delights to think
low. impure thoughts to himself, is.
or soon will lie. thoroughly debased.
Xor can all the liberal studies and able
teachings supply an antidote for the
poison that spread and works within
him. On the other hand, he who
nourishes in secret an ardent love of
truth, justice, mercy and purity: whose
heart warms with the thoughts of do
ing good, or suffering in a good cause;
whose indignation burns at the sug
gestion of a base action, or a selfish,
dishonorable motive; who would blush
-o plot or counternance a deed which
he would be unwilling to meet before
he eyes of all men and God; such a
power, which will some day come forth
in the form of an overwhelming in
fluence and eloquence, under which per
secuted innocence, or the cause of
truth or patriotism will delight to
reach shelter.
But greater than all of man's obli
gations that I have heretofore men
tioned, is his obligation to God. The
Divine Teacher cannot provoke jeal
ousy or envy, and the proudest spirit
does honor to his own nature when he
listens to the Almighty, or practices
the doctrines of the Prince of Peace.
The loftiest minds, the most cultivat
ed intellects and the most solid judge
ments, have bowed at the altar of God
and have been quickened and enobled
by the waters which flow from His
mound. To God, then, the student is
obligated to carry out the laws as
taught in His Book, remembering that
success is an attribute neither of
chance nor destiny, but the award of
Divine Providence to deseretiou, to
I virtue and to labor.
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