Orson Hyde

“ He that is at war with the rules of the English language cannot fail to give unwelcome evidences of the fact in his speech and writings.
We are bound, my friends, to deal with men as we find them, perfect or imperfect; and we are also bound to use their language as we find it and as they use it, if we put ourselves in communication with them, with the hope and expectation of doing them good and of guiding their actions. ”

“ Late, however, as the hour is, there yet remains sufficient time, if well improved, to remove the embarrassments under which you may have laboured, and to embellish your minds with jewels that will render you distinguished, whether destined to move in the humble or more elevated walks of life. ”

“ Virtue and integrity, with due respect for others according to station and circumstances, will secure to you a continuation of that glow of charity and goodwill which now animates your breasts. And when you shall bid adieu to earth, may your garments be clean and white, thoroughly washed in the blood of the Lamb, and meet with a kindly welcome in your Father's house! ”

“ To become thorough grammarians requires much mental labour. The lazy and inactive mind cannot penetrate far into the intricacies of language. You must give to this branch your undivided attention, if you expect to progress with the rapidity that you desire. It is worthy of all the attention you can give it. How often have I heard men say—"I would give a thousand dollars to understand the rules of language, and their proper application to practical use." ”

“ It is true that God generally calls upon the illiterate or unlearned to bear his name and testimony to the world. In this, the policy of our Heavenly Father differs materially from that of the world. Under his policy, none can say that the important truths which the servant of God is required to declare are the result of his great or superior learning. But the question with me is, Must the servant of God always remain an unpolished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty? I answer, No. The Spirit of God directs improvement in everything that is good and useful. ”

“ Some of you, my friends, may have a limited knowledge of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin,—some a pretty fair knowledge of German, French, and Spanish: but permit me here to suggest one important rule or caution to be observed by all who wish to be thought correctly educated. Never volunteer the introduction of a foreign language in conversation with the unlearned. ”

“ If you will all be diligent between lessons, and labour for yourselves as faithful as I intend to labour for you, you will be able, at the close of this school, to march boldly forward, without further aid, to the most elevated heights of grammatical science. ”

“ The inspiration of God sometimes furnishes the words, but more generally the thoughts only. Then a flow of correct language is highly useful to convey those thoughts clearly and distinctly to others. City Creek is a gracious bounty and gift of Heaven to this community; yet it requires no small amount of manual labour to conduct it in suitable portions to every citizen's door. The candle of the Lord was never lighted up in any man's heart to be put under a bushel. ”

“ We might just as well say that men are of no account or worth, because they are imperfect, and hence go to heaven and deal with them there as they were before they came to earth and made flesh their tabernacle. ”

“ If he understand not his own language correctly, he is often put to the trouble of applying to another to correct his sayings, and sometimes under circumstances that are mortifying and humiliating, or suffer an exposure that might be still more unpleasant and annoying to his feelings. ”

“ In consequence of the troubles which you and your parents have undergone in years that are past, some, and perhaps I may say, many of you, have not met with an earlier convenient opportunity to acquire the kind of knowledge you now seek. ”