Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-06-04
THE SERMON
PREACHED, LAST EVENING, TO THE COL
LBGB GRADUATING CLASS,
By Rev. DR.. Randolph, Of The Fourth Street M.
Church-His Definition Of True Educa-
ton Most Happily Kads

by Rev. DIR. Randolph, st the Fourth
Street NJ. E. Church, last evening, was
''The Real Education, or what Consti-
tutes an Educated Person" The speaker
congratulated the young ladies before him
upon having completed their college
course and reached so near the season OF
commencement. The term commence
ment seems paradoxical, and is yet sig
nificant. 1t might at first thought be
considered flushing point But the
term is appropriate. The real commence
ment of life is when the time ofpublic
activity and responsibility comes School
life ia much like an introduce
ton to a stranger. We greet him
with the common civilities and may
extend the hand of kindly recognition.
But there is necessarily no commencement
of friendship or mutual interest. This
only begins when the bonds of a common
sympathy and thinking are woven. SO
the school course really only introduces
us to that potent being called Life, and
brings us to kindly greeting, but we only
know life aud develop life character and
energies when we are thrust out with the
wears of work before us. The beautiful
DAYS of educational training may be COM
pared TO the ascent of some mountain side
TO the point where the plateau stretches
away in its interminable sweep. Those
who push forward find themselves at one
moment in tanglewood of shrubs and
grass, where the utmost strength OF hand
and foot is required to push aside the OBJ.
struction and find the way through, and
vet with many a gleeful word or strain OF
music the task is accomplished. Now there
is woodland with vast ranges OF trees
amid whose shadows there might seem
to lurk the forms of fairy beings, and
whose tops are vocal with the songs Of
birds and where the feet fly hastily over
shaded walk. Now there is an open spot
where the greensward is bright with sun
beams and the route easy and careless.
And so with changing scenes the traveller
pushes on until he surmounts the height,
and looks ont on the long way which Is
lost in the horizon. This Is commence
ment. Many tapglewood OF difficulties
has been struggled through with merry
heart, many a woodland OF ancient
forms has been passed wherein have lurked
the phaptoms of old-time life-shadowy
forms of authors whose works have
seemed WEAKNESS to the souls Of genera
tions of students, aud then many bright
vacation time of green-sward and sunshine
and brightness, delightful places where no
trace of care was found-and thus the
ascent is made and the real commencement
of life reached-the place where the vast
plain of coming years lies in the hatness
of common things, with weary ways to be
trodden to the far-sway end. 1t is right
here that the question may be asked, what
is education2 That is real education such
as serves the purposes OF lie and
results in permanent good? Inc
speaker here referred to the mystic
line that crossed the graduation day, over
which the person finishing school course
is supposed to step into the possession OF
an educated nature. To-day the world
will not call you educated, tomorrow you
bear away q paper On which Is written
few words Of attestAtion to the course &C
and Immediately You are
ciassed among the educated ones. You
have heard of the finished education. what
is il? A boy of eighteen walks away wltha
college diploma A young girl carries OIL
the attestation of board of trustees to her
routine work, and each is master OF
finished education. Is such an idea all
ADEQUATE conception Of educationP Too
much cannot be said of tine value OF coli
lege courses of study, but they 90 not en-
body the true idea, and no true life Will re-
yult from the so-called finished education.
What is true education?
First Iii is not alone the attainment OF
The old statement, "kuowl-
edge is power" is not true. To simply
know thing gives no power. We know
that the earth turns on its axis every day.
How many of us fiud any element OF pow
err in that? What person ever found pow
er in anything he happened to know,
in itself considered A bootblack,
says Lord Mscauley, may know
more facts than Lord Bacon.
That does not give the boot black power.
It is little the most learned one knows,
and mere facts may burden the mind.
The FIRST great element of education Is not
knowledge, but the power TO comprehend
the value of knowledge. A person, in the
first place, is truly educated who can COM
prehend that knowledge is the great pos
session and Is thereby melted to seek 1T.
Each fact is only of value 90 leading TO
others. Newton was greatest, not in
but in pricing so highly and
seeking so nobly the knowledge OF nature.
Second-It is not found in the success
ful completion of college course, however
thorough. A course Of study may be
pursued with no ambition or desire to
earn. The student may rejoice to throw
,side the book and feel that he Is never TO
be troubled with that study again. How
MANY study Latin or mathematics without
. regard TO the high character Of the train
NO. The whole idea is to get through
md bury the books in fOrgetfulness. Saeh
course is not necessarily education; 1t Is
but only as it briggs out the Sec
md great element of education, that IL,
he capacity of hard work. Carlyle de-
ined genius as the capacity to take pains
Hard work, nobly done, Is the secret oil
educated lives. What 10 honor IN the
,reat educators is not their acquire
nents, but their intensely trained energies. |
These two elements, comprehension OF The
value of knowledge and capacity to work |
orm the arch of education. Put under
he arch an individuality with high pur-
,oses and you have the whole conception OF
rue education. You could not put there
he college graduate IS such. 1t would be
ike putting bisque figure in the place Of
marble statue. The individuality |
worthy to stand under the arch must be
ried in life's struggles and have the cul- |
ure of exalted purposes. Thee purposes
ask preparation Of the noblest kind for
very place in life, and to an correct and
,ersistent performance of dnty. The truly
ducated are the truly faithful in re.
ponsible places. Let fall over such
igure in such an arch the light OF the
Gospel of Christ, and illuminate it with
Irvine truth, and you have the ideal OF
he CREST life. Such an education - the
My one worthy to be sought, and must
'e sought through the years. When won
{ means q constant progress. When the
olle,a life roos5as hsak into the mast az \