Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-06-12
HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT

{
summer vacation. Commencement OK.
ercises. Will be held at the Opera House
Thursday evening" The graduating
class numbers thirteen and its members
are not surpassed In thoroughness. of
work done by any that have preceded
them.
The Baccalaureate sermon was preach
ed atthe NJ: +, church Sunday evening
by Rev. johnson. The sermon deserves
and we present it to our
readers this week.
AUSTIN, MINI, June 10, 1889.
{ WHEREAS the Rev. Mr.. johnson 80
kindly accepted our invitation to address
the Glass Of SO on June 9th.
Resolved; That we the class of '99 ex
tend our thanks to the Rev. Mr.. johnson
for his kindness in addressing US.
Resolved; That we respectfully re-
quest Rev. Mr. Johnson to allow us to
have the address printed.
Resolved; That copy of these reso-
lutions be presented to Mr.. Johnson.
=, ALLIE MCINTYRE. Sec.
u. Let Thy hand help me; for ! have chosen
A prayer to God for help justified on the
ground of choice already made. 20 God. I
let Thy hand help me-"
take it for granted that each of you as at
THIS time you pass out of the period of tute-
iage, as yo1 STEP outside the sphere where the
the teacher's help has aided you, realizes the
two following important truths which are
both involved In the Psalmist's prayer and
I. That your lives are governed largely by
laws externally imposed.
H. That your own strength is not sufficient
to enable you to perform all the duties Of life.
must have Impressed these truths upon your
minds and hearts. If you could have kept an
account of the number Of times that during
this" do that of the number Of times you
had cried almost impatiently, fretfully. Oh!
some one help me do this or that" what list
Of commands imposed. Of helps implorod. you
erned largely by laws externally imposed;
that you are unable by your own strength to
perform all the duties OF life.
parents constant direction, aud held up by
their continual help. In youth we join to pa.
rental control and care the oversight and
direction of others-the boy who learns
school has that of his teacher-whatever it is
decided we shall do the ruling of others
largely directs. the help Of others assists US.
school experience to salts sly yourselves how
far behind your present condition you had
been had your own sweet will and inclination
altogether ruled, had but your own strength
fyour school life.
am careful to call your attention to these
truths, and to remind YOU that their existence
mas 1een sufficiently demonstrated in your
past life because want you at the outset
OF this address to place yourselves in the
right, attitude with respect to Gods COM
mands and help don't want any to think
that it is only when we begin to talk about
God that the thought Of externally imposed
commands and offered helps suggests itself. 1t
is not the invention of religion nor of the Bible,
nor or the church, nor OF religious teachers; !;
1t is not the fond conceit of man that teaches
that you are governed by laws not of your
oWssnaking, that You .standsin need, in order
rightly to perform the duties OF life OF help
from outside. If imagination can call up
world without religion, without the Bible,
without the church and religious teachers;
is pl eased to call the impositions of man, of
man-made institutions; if in moments of
thoughtless impatience man asks to be let
alone, to be u law unto himself and the
speedily arises before him the reality of life
the reality in which he is constantly affected
by the will and ruling of others and helped
by others aid. It is this reality of life that
has called into being both religion and church;
Bible and religious teachers and the hosts
OF counsels going before us in LIES great
progress and saying "ths is the way walk We
in it." Blessedhelpers all of these, enabling
US to meet the realities of life.
You who have journeyed thus far on your
march from the cradle to the grave. along in
that grand procession moving on from earth
to heaven-yOu who have experienced the ig-
norance, weakness and helplessness OF infan-
cy. and have been brought to the vigor of
youth, with Its enlargement of intelligence,
Its increase OF strength, cannot think of the
past without the sweetest, prOudest memories
OF the dear counsel and help of a loving moth
er, the thoughtful direction and assistance of
an Interested father; you who are on the eve
of bidding farewell to school and teachers and
close companions, cannot recall the event of
TINS period OF intellectual growth and expan-
constant comm and "do this" Of the teacher'e
kindly interest and Willingness to help you on.
t. SO say again, take it for granted that
eacn OF you realize these two important truths
laws externally imposed. II. That your own
strength is not sufficient to enable you to
perform all the duties of life,
the present joins % hands With the the pass and H the
future, This period in which you bid fare.
well to the past and turn to welcome a sure
live,. ~ O 49, wa
Now, don't think because this is a crisis,
because you are to face new scenes, to enter
newsurroundings, to meet new circumstances
misunderstanding Of the sort You will be
your own selves just as truly tomorrow and
neXC week as you were yesterday and last
week, changes are to come in your lives but
are to experience those changes.
Lot me speak of one change. In the past
s"I your attitude TIT to e externally imposed com
you have felt yourself more or less under
the influence OF a sort Of physical compulsion;
in the future your attitude to these is to be
II ought to do this or that-a sort of moral
suasion. In the past physical force might
have been applied to secure your respect
and obedience to the commands that your
circumstances imposed. To the Thought.
lesaness OF youth and the unfortunate in
difference OF parents must be charged per.
haps with some of you in the past dis.
respect to the commands that necessity has
emDlazoned along the way Of progress. Re-
PROOF and correction have been needed. Per.
haps the school board did not allow, or the
teachers self-respect did not permit the
application of the rod. but it has been by the
application of some forcible measures that
a proper respect to the imposed laws Of your
circumstance has been secured.
One OF the changes. then, in your life. one
of tine moves on the pivot OF this crisis will
betO swing you round out of the section OF
phS sical compulsiOn into moral suaslon.
1t Is not the rarent, the teacher, the master
that shall stand over you declaring''y you must
fulfill the requirements of the laws OF your
circumstances-but it will be the declaration
of your own self, proceeding from the inner
recesses OF your being. ~ ought to fulhl
these requirements. This is all important
CHANGE The externally imposed commando
are still about you; the need OF help to fulfil
them Is still a fact of your being, but your re
latiun to them is altered.
Let US now notice that there is certain re.
latton existing between these externally i'm