Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-06-27

by grand purpose. Florence Nightin-
gale in the hospitals of the Cremia, and
Martin Luther in Germany, are illustri-
Gus examples of lives made glorious
through the inspiration of a noble cause.
On the other hand consider such men as
LORD byron and Aaron Burr, who seemed
devoid OF any noble aim in life. How
grand the results of the lives of men who
nave acted under the influence of noble
purposes. Without q noble aim in life,
talents. wealth, and opportunities are
thrown away.
Miss Addie Teeter discourscd upon the
Legend Beautiful" A monk was pray
ing IN his cell when there appeared to him
the vision of the Savior just as he used
and towns of Palestine. AS the monk
gazed with delight upon the sacred form
the convent bell rang the hour when the
needy were fed at the gate. The monk
ilcsltated to leave the presence of the
Christ, but finally obcycd the dictate of
duty. AS he fed the hungry he seemed to
hear the voice of the Master saying,
whatsoever thing thou doest, to the
lowest and the least, thou hast done unto
me-" When he returned to his CELL he
found the guest was still there, and the
monk understood that had he stayed the
vision would have fed. He feels that to
.'Do thy duty, that is best, leave unto the
Lord the rest We may learn from this
legend that we arc not to spend our time
merely dreaming about duty but in the
active performance of such lowly duties
as come to our hand. Love of such &C.
ton will grow with practice. If faith
fulness be our aim we shall find pleasure
in doing our duty, even though success do
not crown our efforts.
The subject of Charles Squires' Grafton
was '"The Influence of Sunbeam" 1t
is impossible to fully estimate the beauty
OF the sunbeam. or compute it's relative
practical bearings. We admire the power
OF steam in the engine and all other mod
ern mechanical appliances, and as we re-
fleet that the motive power is the product
OF the sunbeam, We are filled with wonder
and surprise. We go back to the carboni-
ferrous age when the earth was covered
with gigantic vegetable growth. On
this luxuriant growth the sun was shin
ing In his strength, and effecting wonder
full results. The carbon which we have
in coal was floating in the air as a gas
composed of carbon and oxygen. In the
minute laboratory of the leaf cell, the sun
beam exerts its mysterious force in
separating the carbon from the oxygen,
and the consumption of the former in the
formation of the complex molecules of
vegetable tissue. The force that binds
the molecules is exactly the force Of the
sunbeam. Indeed it is the same force
which when the molecule is broken up
becomes manifest, as light, heat and mo-
ton. In the lapse of time this vegetable
growth of a past age is locked up in the
safe repositories of the earth for mans
use. The violet, the rose. and lily, are
unfolded and painted by the power of the
sunbeam. All the world is lighted, and
blessed, with innumerable benefits through
the agency of the sunbeam. The lamp
light, the gas jet, and the electric light
are but sunbeams in disguise.
William Willard delivered an Grafton
on Puritan Sternness." The Puritans
were deep thinkers. They produced ideas
were not idle fancies. They were the
moving principles of their lives. To
these principles they adhered with re-
markable tenacity. Sternncss and sever
ity marked their course. Can such stern
ness be justified? Should we respect him
more or less for his prevailing spirit of
severity? For what did they expatriate
themselves from England, and what
caused them to brave the perils of the
deep, and the arctic severity of the wild
New England shore? They were prompt
ed by resolve to found government
with both civil and religious liberty as the
corner stone. While they did not believe
in the right of kings, they did think that
true government was only reached where
divine laws were enforced by political
laws. To found such government was
their aim. They could not dethrone
liz
Their government was necessarily like its
founders. They had not learned tolera-
ton from persecution, Intolerance was
the mistake of the age, rather than of the
Puritans. They sought to protect them
selves from undesirable accessions, and
secure loyalty to their government by
strict laws. Still sternness had its good
results. 1t begot reverence for law, and
this trait of character was transmitted
to his posterity, thus securing the perpe-
tuity Of its government. He was not
morese but cheerful; he was strong in
body and mind; he was potent to over
come his savage foes. Amusements were
forbidden, because unnecessary. Without
sternness, the Puritan would not have
been the bold and fearless champion he
was of Christianity. Our duty is to honor
rather than censure the sterling traits of
Puritan character.
Miss Margaret Whitton delivered the
valedictory address, and an Grafton on
Work" She said: Usefulness is the
unvarying purpose of the creation of all
objects, animate and inapimate. God
has made nothing without having in mind
some place for it to fill or work to do. To
man He has given the ability to discover
that for which he is best fitted. Some
men decide there is no work for them to
do, simply because they will not take the
pains to discover their appointed tasks.
Work is duty required of God. Its be-
neficent results more than compensate for
the WEAKNESS we experience. Idle men
| are of no use to the world. Work is
a source of happiness for it pro-
notes health. Work brings relief
from many of the trials and vexa-
| tions of life for it calls our attention from
them. Every grand achievement in the
history of the world is the result
the product of indefatigable toll. Work
| is a shield from the evil and temptations
which surround us, 1t gives us the mas
terry over evil passions and appetites.
True work is worship. No matter how
humble, it has something of the divine.
The tiny bird sings praise to God. All
nature reflects the wisdom of the great
Creator. Let us say with Mrs. Browning,
who knew so well the value of work:
Get leave to work
In this world; tbs the best you get at all
For God in cursing gives US better gifts
Than men in benediction, God says
| sweat
For foreheads, men say crowns, and Sc
we are crowned.
She paid a glowing tribute to the fidelity
of the school board, the ability and zeal
with which the principal and his corps OF
teachers had performed the responsible
duties of their stations, words of encour.
agement to the undergraduates, and an
exhortation to her classmates to act well
their part In life, that they might merit
the welcome Of the Great Teacher, ''Wel
done, good and faithful servant"
After the delivery of the oratlons, Rev
c. D. Relden. In behalf of the Board Of
Education, distributed the diplomas t.
the following named graduates, members
of the class Of '88:
Cora Ann Chadbourne,
Katie Farmer Gibson.