The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1879-07-02
'79 Frs.
GRADUATING GALORE.
Large Audience, Good Production
and all in Order.

Large Audience, Good Production.
and all in Order.
The graduating exercises of our
school have become an annual event
of no small Importance in Dowagiac
circles, and is anxiously looked for.
ward to by all interested parties.-
The occasion last Friday evening
was no exception to the rule, and in.
deed seemed to out-de all former
ones. At seven o'clock the church
was full, then the aisles were filled
with chairs, then every available
space was occupied by people, who
stood patiently through the long ex
ercises. The stage was beautifully
decorated, and was occupied by the
class, thirteen in number, some o.
the teachers, the board and ministers
AT little before eight o'clock the
exercises commenced by a piece o.
music, rendered by Miss Phillips
soprano; Mrs. Beckwith, alto; Mr.
III. Dsfendorf, bass; and Mr.. J. e
McNair, tenor.
Rev. Mr.. Jacokes offered prayer.
MANS INSIGNIFICANCE,
was the salutatory and was well
handled by Mr.. F. HI. Codding. He
greeted his class mates for the last
time as fellow laborers, and the time
was now at hand when they could
prove to their friends that the time
spent in school had not been wasted
hours.
Teachers; the burden of thirteen
scholars is now removed from you
Your labors have been faithful, earn.
est and appreciated.
Members of the board; you have
chosen the teachers who have pilot
ed us to this point in our career as
scholars. May our future course
prove that you have not erred in your
selections.
Citizens and friends; your honest
work and enterprise have given us
the chance of cleaning knowledge.
To you we owe much.
Early philosophers recognized the
necessity Of self knowledge, yet even
after being studied for ages, the
mystery surrounding the human
mind is as unexplainable as ever
Even the seat of thought seemed un-
known, but was located in the head
by Plato. Then see the vast mum
Der of beliefs. The materialist grasps
at the substance and declares there
is nothing else. The nihilist declares
all chaos. But as soon as the mind
becomes aware of its own existence
1T then reaches out after other truths
He sees the lowest form of animal
and vegetable life, and observes how
the animal subgugates and places
lower forms of life within it's power
and FROM thfs Dase minds iufer that
man is the browning piece in natures
plan, that all was made for him alone,
But let him gaze at the heavenly
bodies wheeling through space, and
realize that beyond even the scope
of the most powerful telescope, 9TH
.er worlds are wheeling in their or
bits, till he exclaims with the philos-
'opher, II an as grain of sand on
the beach, while the great ocean OF
truth lies UNEMPLOYED beyond me-"
When will man rise from all forms
of degradation and vice, and profit by
the beautiful life of truth and virtue?
The past ever rises before US, the
present ever greets us. But the flu.
ture is a bourne insurmountable and
beyond mortal ken.
Mr.. Codding has clear, pleasant
voice, easy manners, good enuncia
ton and was listened to with pleas.
ure.
LIFTING THE VEIL,
by Miss Alice Barney. The veil Of
the future is heavy and impenetrable.
None know what it may disclose
Long ago the veil rested on the face
of the earth and none knew the Sc
crets there contained. Geology broke
the seal of Natures book, and gave
some idea OF the wonderful unfolding
of life after natures great, wise plan
AS winter is to Nature, so do &C
cumulation of forces incite our in
tellectual life TO higher and better
efforts when the, spring-time of &C
ton ,dawns. This is the great age Of
civilization and the seeds of though,
and culture are scattered broadcas,
over the land. Men are armed tol
deeds Of daring. Yet still there are
should end ever must be many un
lifted wells, nature ever hides heI
works and plans from human eye
AS none can see and measure the
growth of the lilly, SO does every
thing wear veil of secresy. Man is
no exception to the rule. Thought
feeling, aspirations, hopes are ever
behind the vel, and we know Of them
only by outward signs which some
times express what words fail to
convey. The rough exterior may be
a. tCil W ~AO 11Oct cCuoiIlfC ucdI
some sorrows are too deep for word
or sign. Ali what visions behind all
these wells there is for the Almighty
eye to explore. And we can feel
some day that the veil will be lifted
and we shall know of these bidder
mysteries.
Miss Barney touched on some deeI
truths that could but be apparent Il
all. Coming as they did with easy
manners and an earnest delivery
made the hearty applause well merit
ed.
WORLDS,
by Miss Lillian Brownell. The aer
Hest history proves that as soon Al
rooc1- Looor 1oup IN n,an'c N