The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-06-19
PATRICK MILITARY INSTITUTE.
Third Annual Commencement-s sernbn by
Rev. VIM. Grier, d. D.--speeches by the
Cadets-Address by Col. j. j. Dargan-
Graduating Glass, Etc

Cadets-Address by Col. j. j. Dargan-
Graduating Glass, Etc.
The Patrick Military Institute, an in
stitutiou that Anderson is justly proud o.,
has Just closed another prosperous session,
and the third annual Commencement be-
gan last Sunday and was concluded Wed.
nesday morning. The occasion has been
looked forward to with the most pleasant
anticipations by the cadets as we'll as tho
| friends and patrons Of the Institute. and q
large number Of visitors have been here to
enjoy the exercises with us.
One of the most interesting features Of
the exercises every year is, Of course, the
Commencement Sermon, which was
preached this time by Rev VIM. NJ. Grier,
D. d., the well known President of Ers-
kline College, Due West, S. c., in the
Methodist Church on Sunday morning at
IL o'clock, The day was most beautiful
one, and, rs all of the othor Churches of
the city were closed, an immense congre.
gation was present to hear the eloquent
and distinguished divine. Every nook and
corner of the spacious Church was utilized,
and the aisles were filled with chairs, but
even then many persons had to be turned
| away for want of room to accommodate
/ them.
Shortly before the services began, the
cadets marched into the Church and occu-
pied the seats which had been reserved for
Them Immediately in front of the pulpit.
| Col. Patrick and the other members of the
faculty took seats inside the altar. Or.
Frierson occupied a seat on the pulpit plat.
form with DR.. Grler, and assisted In the
services,
After the usual services preceding the
sermon, DR.. Grier announced as his text,
I Timothy, G:l2-6rst clause of the verse
"Fight the good fight of faith.'
AS an introduction to the sermon prop
er, DR.. Grier said the eombative elements
in man is strong and universal. It is
among the earliest manifestations. Our
children fight while yet in their swadling
clothes. Since the fall this combative ele-
ment enters largely into human progress.
It needs to be sanctiied, consecrated to the
cause Of truth and righteousness, but
without it there is no grand achievement.
The Apostle asserts that this fight of faith
is q good fight. What is there that makes
it such? What is there in this principle
which not only relieves conflict Of Its hor-
rors, but which even sanctifies it?
l. This principle recognizes and insists
on the supremacy of spiritual over the
| material, the unseen over the seen, the
eternal over tne temporal. Whatever high
qualities may be displayed in the acquisi-
tion of worldly coed and earthly success,
he makes fatal mistake who bounds his
existence by three score years and ten.
as far as possible, the highest faculties OF
4 our nature. It makes conscience lie and
| death an eternal sleep.
Q. It is good because Its Weapons are
! spiritual and not carnal. Moral and spir-
itual victories are often won on the battle-
fields of earth, but this is not the divinely
appointed method Of building up the
Kingdom of righteousness. David put it
all in nut shell when he said to Goliath
'tThou comest to me with sword, and q
spear, and shield, but I am come to thee
in the name Of the Lord Of Hosts, the God
] Of the armies whom thou hast defed."
| The Church has to deal with moral evil.
1t cannot be dealt with on the principle OF
! physical force.
8. 1t is good fight because of the char
acter of those engaged in it. a bad cause
may have good men in it, and good cause
orally Judge of the character of q cause by
the character of those who fight for it.
Those enlisted in this cause are men and
women of whom this world is not worthy.
In times past they counted not their lives
dear for him whom having not seen they
loved. They did not seek conflict, but
when it came they endured to the death.
Is there no inspiration in standing with
such goodly company and fighting for
tho emp pire of Christianity. The Apostle
thought 80 when he said: Seeing, then,
that NO are compassed about with so great
q cloud Of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight and tue sin which doth so easily
beset us.'
This idea of conflict invests the chris.
tian life with the utmost seriousness. The
Scriptures are saturated with it-in its
! imagery, its eXhortations and its prom
ises Is there not q tendency to an iucor-
| rigible frivolity in our American life !?
Scenes the most sacred, events the most
affecting, truths the most solemn are re.
| garded fit subjects for the humorist. The
noblest qualities of our nature cannot
| thrive ia an atmosphere like that they
wither and die for lack of nourishment.
Let US go back to the old Apostolic idoa,
that sin is dreadful evil, and this world
| is under its awful curse and as the groans
of the dead and dying come up into your
ears, I beseech you gird up the loiDs of
your mind and fight the good fight OF
faith"
OF course, the above is only brief sy-
nopsis of the sermon, which was eloquent,
pOWer1ul auQ QsuE6eSClYe turouGUOut. 1uo
forty.five minutes it occupied glided away
rapidly, and the large congregation would
have listened to the eloquent divine for
an.hour longer with the greatest interest.
On Monday night large and cultured
audience greeted the cadets at the Institute,
the spacious chapel being filled to its ut
most seating capacity, and many persons
standing around the doors and windows.
The rostrum was tastefully and beautiful
| ly decorated, tho beautiful flowers
and evergreens giving evidence that
fair hands had assisted the cadets. A
large State flag covered the rear wall, and
above it, in large gilt letters. were the
words. ''Truth, Duty and Honor" On
the LETT Of tho flag was large picture of
Gen. Lee, and on the right one of Gen.
Hampton. Several small United States
flags were also arranged in the decorations.
Seated on the rostrum were Mayor Trlb-
II ~