Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-06-02
ADDRESS OF ". R. KIRKWOOD, D. D.,
OF WOOSTER UNIVERSITY.
To the Graduating Class of the st
Clairsville High School,
May 26, 1891.
YOUNG LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:


to you tonight the Diplomas granted
you by that Board in token of your work
finished in the schools of st. Clairsville.
The intrinsic value of "a diploma is
small-a little parchment with little
printing-is all. The thought expressed
in that printing is what gives the value.
These diplomas certify to work done-I
trust honestly, honorably, nobly done.
They certify to character formed-I trust
formed in-lines of intellectual and NOR
al beauty and nobility. Work always
develops character. The word Charac-
ter is transferred from the Greek, and
means to carve into form. Your work,
done in your homes and in the school
room, has been all the time writing its
lines on your mental and moral nature.
If that work has been carelessly done,
the character, whichis the fruit of the
work. has been marred, in proportion
to the low quality of the work you have
done. IfyUur work has been thorough
ly, nObly done, the resultant character
will be proportionately true and noble.
1t is just as in the case of the sculptor
and the marble. Thus far, each of you
has been sculptor, doing your work
under the direction of your teachers.
You have not wrought with the mallet
and chisel on marble No such perish
able material has received your forma-
tive touch. The imperishable material
of your own individual souls has receiy-
ed and recorded each touch in the pro-
cess of your work. You have been
shaping your own souls into forms OF
mental and moral beauty or deformity,
according to the measure and duality
of your work. And, permit me to say,
there is beauty that is baneful. The
Venus of Milo is the great masterpiece
of moral beauty and purity in marble.
There are others, beautiful too, ,>but they
lack the nobility, the glory, of moral
beauty and purity. So is it in the culture
of the soul. Unless it has this high
moral beauty,--all it's ether forms of
beauty are baneful. 1 trust you, each
one, have this high and noble type of
character. embracing not only the out
lines of mental beauty, but those of NOR
al beauty as well. hope this for your
own sakes because. as the years pass,
\ thia aorvin0 xu uhiob u0u do or, va.,r oorls
tells on your bodies also. Physical beau
ty is made, or marred, by the mental and
moral beauty or defOrmity of the soul.
The soul writes the full impress of its
character on the bOdy-in the face-in
the whole bearing of the man or wo-
man. This is an important matter for
you; because on it will much of your
usefulness and happiness in life depend.
If the lines of moral beauty and excel
lence are plainly written in your faces.
the honor. the love. the trust of your
fellow men will be freely given you.
| But if the lines of moral deformity are
written there, you will go through life
missing all the honor, love, and trust of
your fellows, and missing all the high
est and noblest joys of life.
Though you graduate tonight, your
education is but just begun. You have
only made fair start. Your great work
lies yet before you. An old writer says
'Call no man happy till he's dead" The
reason is, that an unlucky, careless move
may destroy all his fair character. The
Venus of Milo has lost her arms, and no
living sculptor is able to restore them.
A sad catastrophel But sadder far is it
when mortal mars the work of his life
by false act. Alps on Alps of culture,
in the development Of character, lie be-
fore you; but must warn you that the
upward path lies along many giddy
precipice, over many frightful crevasse,
where false step means ruin. Keep in
mind the glorious heights, strive for
them, and look well to the.way in which
you go. See that every step is securely
taken. So shall you steadily rise-so
shall you avoid fatal fall.
Will you kindly permit me to mention
two ways which are dangerous? The
| first is Business in commerce,
law, medicine, theology, or whatever it
may be through which you seek to gain
money. There is abroad everywhere a
spirit of eager haste to be rich. This
spirit grows. The more it is INDUCED,
the more rapid its growth. 1t hardens
the heart; it blights the life; it shortens
our days; it Injuries our fellows; it
works corruption in society, in the state,
in the church; it leads to broken VOWS,
polluted souls, perjured honor; it lays
| its filthy touch on the marriage altar
and pollutes it; it equally pollutes Gods
altar; it turns everything to the service
of Mammon. There is sorrow and death
that way.
The second dangerous way is love of
pleasure for its own sake. Pleasure is
good when it is fairly won. But pleas
ure is coy damsel who cannot be won
by seeking her for herself. There is
false, delusive pleasure that may be so
won. But every draught you drink from
her cup will leave the bitter taste of
poison behind. True pleasure comes
through the discharge of duty to God
and man. Duty done, without thought
Of pleasure, leaves you resting under her
smile. / may not weary your patience
by pointing out how multitudes err
herein. / wish you could all now spend
four more years in good solid work in
college, broadening your. mental powers,
developing your natures into grander
forms, and fitting you for doing the
work Of life more nobly. Let me beg
you to consider well this point before
YOU launch into business to make money,
or to win pleasure. There are nobler
things than these for you to do. The
way is open for you. Will you choose
ite trust you will. know the bound
ing hopes that beat in your young hearts,
the noble purposes that thrill your souls,
and 1 sympathize with you in all these,
while pray that every noble aspiration
which you cherish may be fully realized.