“We thank Thee for this larger knowledge which has come to the minds of men, because they have been learning to study Thy works and to walk closer to Thee.  Wilt Thou, Heavenly Father, continue to enlighten this body of men and women that are represented in this great field of the world’s busy hive so that the starving millions of the world, now in our cities rioting for bread, and in the vast nations where they are crying for food, may be fed.  We pray Thee, reveal such improvement of knowledge to these who are willing to get close to Thee to learn Thy secrets and know Thy wisdom, as that unto all shall be given plenty, for replenishing our physical needs.  And help us to know, our Father, as we learn Thy will and seek to do Thy will and live in the higher courts of knowledge and wider circles of thought, so shall God reveal himself unto us.

“Our Father, we thank Thee for all the developments and great sources of utility that come through the means of this institute in the development of the resources of this country, this great State and adjoining states through the length and breadth of this favored nation.  We pray, Heavenly Father, while studying all these replenishments and seeking to defend them from the inroads of evil, of the rust and the mildew and the worm, we pray also for the beautiful homes, for the souls of the children given to our homes, that we may study their mental and spiritual being in such a way as shall keep all harm and evil and wrong from this life of ours, and so to work in the field of Thy providences, revealed in hand and mind and heart and relationships, of school and church and state and farm, and all the activities of this life’s great work, as that good shall be our inheritance.

“We pray Thee, Heavenly Father, to be with the officers of this institute.  Give Thy strength, Thy presence, and Thy discernment to these who participate in the work, the membership and onlookers, and those who come to learn.  We pray Thee, give us the revelation of Thy wisdom to replenish and build up every human family, and to Thee all praise shall be given to-day for this blessing and for Thy continued favor; and not only to-day but to-morrow and the day after and through all eternity the praise shall be Thine, in the name of Him who came into this world to give us the life of the knowledge of God.  Amen.”

“It may be,” said the Chairman, “that a State Farmers’ Institute sometimes exercises a little arbitrary power in selecting subjects we want to speak of.  I think county institutes might adopt the same plan to advantage, and assign the topic they wish discussed.

“The topic assigned our speaker to-day is ’What I did and how I did it.’  It may sound egotistical, but I want to relieve the speaker of that imputation, because the subject was selected by the Institute.

“Allow me to present Mr. Terry, who needs no introduction to an audience of American farmers:” 

Mr. Terry began to speak: