The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-18

eek nave Deen interested III Oul
ONE college, then let us put on re-
ord its commencement exercises, that
ur friends abroad may know what we
re doing for the education Of our sons. |
On the first page may be found
setch Of the college, together with
ut OF the buildings and also a portrait
f the honored president, the Rev. DR..
Jolland.
BACCALAUREATE SERMON.
Commencement 1sGSr0perh rheSa2 On ..l
unGay Ysssehe 49, The sermon to the grad
q al i'ts t.efg class by the Rev. DR.. S. w
owen, of .Hagerstown, Md.
= The exercises were held in the Opers
House, and the large hall was filled t
overfowing by the citizens of the com
munity and their visiting friends. Al
the churches were closed land the mem
bers and ministers ofall denomination
participated in these exercises. The
weather was hot, but the rain had set
tied the dust and it was not disagree
able.
Elegant music was furnished for the
occasion by a special choir under the
direction of Mrs. Peter Robertson. The
opening anthem, ''They that trust II
the Lord" was beautifully rendered.
On the ros5rum were seated the Rev
DR.. Owen, orator of the day, Rev. DR.
Cozby, of the Presbyterian church
Rev. Geo. A. Wright, of the Baptist
church, Rev. w. w. Daniel, of the
Methodist church, Rev. H. P. Counts
of Georgia, Revs. J. II. Wyse, Il. w
Bedenbaugh, W.. A. Julian, NJ. J. Ep'
ting and 7. O. Keister, of the county
President Holland and Revs. DR.. FoS
and A. J. Lowers, of the college and
Rev. w. c.. Schaeffer, of the Lutheran
church.
The devotional exercises were con-
Quoted by Rev. w. G. Schaeffer, with
prayer by Rev. T. O. Keister.
The preacher selected as his text.
Luke IS: 26. For / say unto you that
unto every one which hath shall be
given, and from him that hath not,
even that he hath shall be taken away
from him."
DR.. Owen presents a striking and
rather fine appearance. His manner
is easy and graceful, and for forty-five
minutes he held the undivided atten-
ton of his large audience. His word
painting was beautiful and his manner
impressive, and at times he was touch
lngly eloquent.
No synopsis Of the sermon can do the
preacher justice, but the main points
may be given to outline the trend of
the discourse. He said in substance
that every reader of the New Testa-
ment was familiar with the parable Of
the text. The faithful servants in
creased in proportion to what they had
received, while the unfaithfuI one
gained nothing and consequently lost
that which he had. This is constantly
occurring. Every one who faithfully
and diligently cultivates his powers
finds them becoming even more active,
and finds himself growing richer in ca
pacity to know, to do and to enjoy.
While he who does not, finds himself
ever less able to do anything useful,
honorable, good.
Taking it for granted that it would
be desirable to better our future
greatness and usefulness, the under
stand the things which make for
preacher announced his theme to be
"self culture" Self is the eliminating
point where manifold paradoxies meet.
Nothing is more esteemed and despised,
fastened and forgotten, guarded and
neglected than Our own wondrous self.
No where are the majority Of men
greater strangers than athome. They
visit and view the orchards of their
neighbors, but do not care to visit and
view, to plant and to prune their own.
There are worlds and fields with O
ones self that need to be conquered
and cultivated, but to do so one must
be brave and courageous.
The first aim that should influence
one in the pursuit Of an elevated and
enlightened self culture, because pre-
paratory and auxiliary to all others,
is self dominion. The preacher here
presented a beautiful word picture of
how man was lord Of creation and had
brought all nature to his subsection,
and bow the greatness of the past in
things had grown and crum-
bled to ruin. These things in ruin pre-
sent sad picture to contemplate. But
a sadder sight still is the debasement Of
the nature that once bore the image of
God. Now it is in view of this condi-
ton Of mans nature that we should
know that true manhood not to Say
real dignity consists in the attainment
and exercise of self dominion. Unless
we reach and occupy the high summit
Of proper and perfect self-contr0l We
are impotent and insignificant, untu-
tored and undignified.
Unless above himself he can erect
how mean thing is man,
Our second aim shoul'' be self
You conquer the territory
Of self not to place it under the inspec-
ton and direction of q foreign prince,
out to exercise over it personal king
ship. Your mind is your kingdom.
\ on are an autocrat. Now that books
md periodicals on all subjects Of hu-
nan thought are multiplied with cleo
ric swiftness and extraordinary cheap
less, self dependence is rare and re-
narkable virtue. Men are lost in men,
:arried away as the barge of a flowing
tream. Our intellectual, political and
eligious notions are bequeathed by,
md built upon, few master minds.
Iost men are willing captives OF
stronger nature. Great minds
re for our inspiration, not for our
Their thoughts and dis
overies are not as costly furniture
o bedeck and beautify, but as useful
lutriment TO strengthen and to ma
ure the mind, must, by hard applica-
ion and much eXertion be transmitted |
ato wisdom ere it supplies mental and |
noral force. must not lose your per-
onality in another. In climbing a hill |!
may be greatly aided by giant, but |
roe unto me if for this service / am to |
ay the price of mastigation by his
Struggle to be men, and get
pom the terra tirma of mighty and a
,D, l,,e ea1f IararIornn