The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-05-27
just opening, bright with brilliant

hopes and ambitions, and SO far as
they we're lauGab.e he trusted they
m light be fully realized. Founda-
tions had been well laid and rare
opportunities had been enjoyed for
acquiring the knowledge which may
ripen into wisdom. He urged them
to remember that these opportuni.
ties were so many talents committed
to their care. for the right use of
which they would be held strictly
| accountable. 49,. ....:
Those who have made the proud
est success of this life, not in acquir-
ing wealth, power, or distinction but
who have been laid to rest with the
tears of a nation or of a small circle
of friends, in all ages, have been
those who have been actuated by the
spirit and precepts Of God anu of the
Savior. This is the end of knowl-
edge, the realization of wisdom.
The speaker was listened to
throughout with the closest atten-
ton, and by none with more pleas
ure than the graduating class. The
imperfect report above given con-
tains but few of the salient points
of the admirable ad dress.
DIR. VAN ANDA's LECTURE.
On Friday evening DR.. Van Anda
OF Minneapolis, delivered very
thoughtful and scholarly lecture on
"Christianity rs "a social factor" The
influence Of christianity upon the
family and state has always been
most beneficial. Society exists as
the result of the wants and fears of
the human race. Society is made up
of many factors, ambition, love. self
protection, patriotism and score of
other elements combine to influence
it. Greek and Roman civilization
overs pread the earth as the result of
ambition, and the love of discovery.
Patriotism has raised up heroes and
heroines in every nation; love Of
beauty has developed artistic cul-
ture. Christianity is power in
molding and developing social life.
Ideas demand expression for their
perpetai!y, and the more important
the idea the more forcible the ex-
preston. An idea expressed and EN-
phislzed bya word, a gesture or the
fash of an eye has set empires
ablaZe.
The religion of Jesus Christ APP
peals to the noblest sensibillties of
man. AS system of religion 1t sat
isles the feelings of the heart and
appeals with force to the intellect.
1t is all-satisfying. 1t is the religion
Of love,and love is the foundation of
society as found in the family. Love
is of two kinds-self-love and unself-
ish love, both equally pure in their
proper spheres. Marriage when con-
tracted as the means of securing
meney or any other advantage Is not
that union of which it is said "what
God hath Joined together let no man
put asunder." But such marriages
too often result in heart burnings,
unlIappiness, dissensiens. separations
and divorces. BY such a marriage
Gods law is broken. The only true
home life is found where woman is
exalted to the lonored position of the
beloved equal of the man-a help
meet for him; and only rs christian
ity has elevated woman does she &C.
cupy that position in the home. In
Greece. with all its refinement and
its learning, woman was no better
than a slave, and motherhood was IL
reproach rather than an honor. The
wife WAS often less esteemed than
women of impure lives, and in the
pagan Orient this estimate of woman
still exists. Of the 14O.O00,OOO wom-
en- of India, 4O,OOO.0OO are slaves.
The philosophers of Rome and
Greece not only sneer at women, but
declare them TO be inferior to man in
every respect. Greece, in conse-
quence of this universal opinion, pro
duced few NOBLE women. Rome was
more favored prior to its corruption
by Greek civilization. Roman wom-
en- were for the most part noted for
their pnrity- and delicacy, but the in
PRODUCTION of Grecian thought de-
moralized the women of the I'm perial
City. Marriage ceased to be observed
as sacred, and divorce became the
rule. Children were considered nuis-
ances and encumbrances, and were
neglected or committed to slave
nurses. Home-life ceased. Marriage
was entered into from motives of
policy only and legacy hunting be-
came business. The percentage of
unmarried men alarmingly increased
and the evil was sought to be rene
died by imposing an onerous tax up
on bachelors. Sensuality naturally
resulted and run riot. There were
noble exceptions, of course, and Rome
had many true women and exempIa-
ry mothers under the repablic, but
under the empire they ceased to ex-
ist - The destruction of children WAS
at the will of the parents, and in
Sparta there were public inspectors
who permitted only such to survive
as were physically sound. The Rom
an father had absolute control of his
children even when they became
adults, and could sell them into slav-
cry or put them to death at will. Pa
reLtal love of necessity was weak-cit-
izenshi p was the highest aim. But
the New Testament taught another
doctrine. 1t says marriage is desir-
able. One man and one woman may
be so indissolubly united that the