Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-06-22
Rev. DR.. Battles al orono.

ORoNo, june 81 The commencement
ex xsIcises of the Maine State College were
continued in the evening at the Universsl.
ist church. where Rev. Amory Battles of
Bangor delivered the baccslsureate
sermon; subject. THE Scholars
Debt Text: Pay What Thou
Owest,n Mathw, Is, 2s. Rev. F. H.
Morgan Of the Methodist church, Rev. l..
A. Bowler and Rev. L. L. Robinson Of the
Cougreg ationsl church assisted in the exer-
cIses, while the singing by the college
quartet was very fine. DR.. Battles spoke
Is follows:
Pay what thou owesE. Matt. xviii: 2s
You who are about to graduate from the
Maine State College have, during all your
lives been continually receiving. Parents.
the towns where you have had your homes
the State and nation have been the liberal
contributors, that you might be amply fs.
ted for the work of life. For all these
large and generous fsvors, Whist do you
owe? Something, certainly. Yes, 8 great
deal.
First, you owe the endeavor to fill the
professions or csllings for which you have
been preparing. l say fill. Many are in
positions which they do not fill. They
simply rattle around in them. They do not
make all they might of their faculties, &C.
quirements and opportunities. They force
people who see their shortcomings to ex-
claim, What q waste of time and money
to send person to school and college to
obtain such mesgre results!' Fill your
occupations. Be all it Is possible for you
te be in them. Apply your whole energies
to your work. Do not be satisfied with
mediocrity. Set your ideal high.
Again. you owe to society, the duty TO be
examples Of high thinking-to help quicken
and purify the thoughts OF those around
you-to lift them up, if pos ib'e, above the
| fog and have thst becloud their vision and
| thus aid in sweetening the springs Of action.
You have been learning to think clearly
observe accurately and reason correctly.
What you have learned yourselves, teach
to others. Schools and colleges are not
| established and supported simply to enable
boys and girls when they reach maturity to
get a living, important as this is, but to lift
up society.
There ought to be more refinement, less
| vulgarisy; better intellectual tastes, less
sensualily; deeper love Of science, litera'
| ture, poetry, history and art, and less
grovelling in merely material things; and
better spd healthier habits Of thinking in
| the communities where you shAll live, be
| cause You have graduated from the Maine
State College.
| Tas Sste HIS given you the best IL has
W hat is there for you to DO, but to give i
.hs best you have and help fight this bssil.
. to successful issue? Just what meAsurei
you are to advocate aud vhA. actio1l
perform, this 10 no time to Indicate
Members Of the senior class. You ars
Just coming to fuihImspt Of your long
cheriehed creams This fhrobbing activity
Of life sursing ali about you, is soon &
have . new Interpretation. Instead Of
being spectators, you are to be musteret
into service and become participants in The
great battle Of life. You sre in the fresh
ness and bloom Of young manhood. II
glowing hopes. its brist-wiuesd anticipa'
tons, its glorious powers are all yours
Tho time in which your lots have been cast
opens for you opportunities such - n,
other age ever presented. The lsst is
tyears have been the best fifty years thi
world has ever known. Men have though
better and acted better, on the whole, thai
they ever did before. There never were O
many COED men and women, pfayirg 70
Hight and truth and striving to bless thei
feIIo vmen. Thefe never vas time vheI
. true word spoken-a true deed done
would tell 20 powerfully for good an
lfiehtousness. Nor was there ever such
country - ours % live in, for here, uufel
tered BY roynity u aristocr1cy. unhindere
By caste or ciass monopolies, one can hn
room for full development and for dois
| tke cumplets work Of men and womsl