The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-06-27
70 PUBIC sonooL easpuArEs.
Rev. ALBERT N. keiRwin. Pastor OF
West Presbyterian Church. Delivers
the First Baccaiaureate Sermon

Rev. Albert N. KeiRwin. Pastor OF
West Presbyterian Church. Delivers
the First Baccnianreate Sermon.
Send Out Thy Light was the ap-
propriate voluntary very finely sung
the direction OF Mr.. Clymer. The
hymn and prayers were on "Over-
coming by Faith" Like the wayey.
dulcet strains OF an @olian harp, play
cd upon by an Intermittent breeze,
was the enrapturing and soothing
melody OF the offertory hymn, Rock
OF Ages" rs arranged by L. o. Excelis.
Mr.. Keigwin hoped the first delivery
OF a baccalaureate sermon to the grad
uating classes of the Wilmington High
Schools. though necessarily voluntary
on the part OF the church, since the of.
Ulcers OF public education could not In
troduce religion into the schools, would
lead to an annual custom through the
volunteer preaching of ministers. Al
though the brother who had expected
to have the classes present In a body
had failed by sickness, there were in
dividual candidates for High School
grauuation present AS we'll as pupils.
His text was / John V; 4; For what
soever is born.of God oyercometh the
world and this Is victory that overcom-
eth the world. oven our faith LILO Is
conflict. The rule OF success is stick
to chosen occupation and fly from
no difficulty. Whenever a difficulty
arises meet and master 1t. One of
Wllmington'5 leading manufacturers
was once poor orphan boy withou ut
three dollars. when he first came to
this city. He shrank from no duty,
gained special mechanical knowledge
and skill until he rose to he a high
saIaried foreman and then partner.
The text suggests the ideas:
i. mat q manly course In overcom-
ing difficulties Is necessary.
Poverty is the nurse of manhood
and womanhood. few of those who
have rich expectations succ eed be-
cause the sar:e nurse is employed.
Their parents love them we'll emo ugh
to teach and train them to work as IL
they were poor.
II. Since faith is the power neces-
sary to overcome we must acquire
faith.
We are born in gristie and grow into
bone. cur faith grows by exercise.
Its characteristic is overcoming. Faith
is really an acquired power. 1t il tho
muscle and sipew of the soul 1t is a
most vigorous power broadening and
itensifying the soul.
Our schools equip us with the know
ledge and confidence OF how to over
come commercially and socially. Nor
aland intellectual victories are import
ant. FOR the practical DEVELOPMENT
OF our own people to succeed in our
own country, American schools are
not inferior to European. Tho Busi-
ness College is an American invention.
Our Wilmington schools arc excellent
The World has reached the pinnacle of
wisdom in the public school idea OF
educating the people to govern thcm-
selves.
10 destroy 1t would break down the
nation In Il couple of generations.
hight education develones the whole
being, including all the mental facul-
ties; 1t developcs the mind TO plan,
the heart to hope and the will to exc
cute. Moral education is thug ht in
our schools by the example of the
teachers. :
Faith is merely u persistent conf
dence that can only be acquire Il in
time. 1t Is "A vital force of the soul.
II Is a confidence necessary before
effort can be made. 1t is feeling OF
strength and confidence in an inner
Consciousness OF power. Every man
WHO has succeeded has felt this inner
force which puts forth industry,
energy and effort.
But no one should think we have
set forth all there Is of lite.
III. There IS special laith needed.
This spociil" faith brings tho victory
OF the ovnrcOmer. Ii is the faith that
comcth Of God. While the educational
forces develop n faith sufficient to
overcome i'll commercial ard social
struggles there are greater and higher
cahquests to lie won. What gives sue
ces5 to nun is n faith larger than his
environment. No trtle man or woman
will halt half way. Weare not limited
TO the attachments OF this life. In this
conflict the evil force to 10 overcome
is far greater.
IL you use the hest means to OYER
come in business and social effort wh,-
not in this more serious conflict Here
the textbook is tho Bihlo and the
teacher the Holy Spirit. 10 meet and
ranquish the arch enemy OF your soul
you must have Jesus Christ. You
must have faith in the Son of God.
You must have firth in one higher
than yourselfin the Christ of God
as graduates from school into larger
field you are more than ever before to
remember that the Bibio Is your first
and best textbook. May you all en-
joy faith that is triumphant when
the world is laid in ashes.