Chapter 10 THE SPEECH III

The crowd reluctantly clapped for Andrew, they were still annoyed about what he said to Jude.

Jude continued: "Memories are a form of knowledge. You see anything that a man is, was, can be, and will be is a function of his knowledge. Take the steam machine for example, it was decades of work by different people that eventually resulted in it. If the knowledge of how steam works was never passed on, our world wouldn't be as developed as it is today. We were able to make vehicles because of our knowledge of how the mechanisms that are involved in a vehicle works. That was how we were able to properly assemble the tools required for that mechanism to use the wonder we all call a car. Without knowledge, development is impossible. And without development, problems will remain as it is. And what each human should strive for is the solution of their problems, be it social, physical, or mental. Problems exist so they can be solved. One who can't solve his problem can never attain happiness."

The crowd went wild, they were clapping tremendously and cheering loudly for him. His words carried great weight, and incredible wisdom. They could all relate to it, usually, when someone isn't happy, it's because of a problem of some sort. Problem-solving was truly the key to obtaining happiness.

Jude kept his cheerful smile, his face didn't appear boastful in the least bit. He took a humble pose, Andrew who was trying to analyze him was surprised. Whosever Jude was, he was good at hiding his skeletons well but this wasn't the first time the young teen had experienced someone who thought he could hide his misdeeds from the public. "I am just gonna have to find the right cupboard where you hid your skeletons," Andrew mutters to himself. "I will find your skeleton, and put it up for public display."

The noise of the crowd eventually died down, Jude wore his most humble look as he continued. "The basicity of it all is knowledge. That's why the good book says, Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: But a fool layeth open his folly." Jude stopped for a while, the crowd had gotten silent. "What differentiates the foolish from the wise is knowledge. We know someone is intelligent or foolish because of the things he does or says. Knowledge is indeed the key to everything, our forefathers were ignorant of the mechanisms involved in making a vehicle, that was why they had to use animals to travel. I don't know who came up with that bullshit saying that ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is never bliss, just because you don't know something doesn't mean it can't hurt you. If you feel you are ever in a difficult situation, and you can't be helped. It just means you have to get more knowledge. There's a way out of every situation just like there was a way for you to get into that situation. Knowledge is what made nations great in the old days, knowledge is what sets great managers in companies from the meager ones. Knowledge shall always level the playing field of any circumstance no matter how dire. The only problem one should concern himself with is obtaining the needed knowledge," Jude was walking back to the podium, he could see the eyes of all those that had listened to him, they were indeed stirred by what he had said. "There's a saying, it's good to fish for a man but better to teach a man how to catch fish. I can't solve all your problems for you because I am just one man, there's a limit to what a man can do but a group of knowledgeable, and united people is truly an indomitable force to be reckoned with. It's why I spent so much money, effort, and zeal on this library, not because of my personal gain but because I desire that all of you would be educated in ways that will prove beneficial to the solving of the problems you are facing now, and in the times to come. Go inside the library, pick a book that's related to the problem that you are having, start reading, there, you will gain the necessary information, and the knowledge you need. Acting on that knowledge will solve your problems, it worked for the people before us, it has worked for me, it has worked for every successful person you see today. And if it worked for them, and I. I don't see no reason why it shouldn't work for y'all."

Everyone in the crowd got to their feet immediately, even Andrew got on his feet unconsciously. They were all clapping furiously, they were blessed by his words.

Jude Hones was indeed a man of uncommon wisdom, and deep understanding. Andrew couldn't deny it, he might not like this man but this man was fearful. He would need to be careful in matters that involved him.