The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-22
COLLEGECOMMENCEMENT
cl,ri.t the Crown of nTanhood-The Board of
Trustees in session--medais Delivered
Notes from the Campus.

iece chapel and an overhowing house hears
maoni6ceut address by a great orator
The feature last night was the annual ad-
dress before the literary societies and the
award of society medals. DR.. James Nelson
presided and opened the exercises by an APP
uropriate address after which be introduced
A. the orator Dr. IT, NJ Ellis Of Baltimore,
who IS 80 widely known aud 30 much admired
by all Richmond people. DR.. Ellis speaks
with great power and feeling. using the terse'
epicrammatic style always 80 striking IN the
hand OF master. His subject he announced
as Christ. the Crown Of Manhood"
Following IS an epitome Of his address;
Life IS o comprehensive work, star up 70
God stage upon which man and angels
God and demons work out the plots OF oUy
and destiny. genius and grsce9. l.te 10
preparation for hfe-for that whlch hes DS-
Sond death There are built INTO every ny
more possibilities than any OF as have q! oAinca
al. The aim Of lite should be the lulneS7 "a
SUCH A c0LLEGE
The studeutsw were congratulated upon their
GOOD fortune 10 securing preparation 5 ~ otu
sucb n college Of Christian learning theH
,rido In claiming Richmond tohese aS eIe'
slnia mater devoted upon them inc Iospous'-
IUI
upon her tho honor she hau piaceu upon
when YOU came here for your work OF
oreparation much depended upon your IN
ttrnctors now everything depends upon you.
81, e are measured meas ed 10y his needs; fur
ther on his power and capacity de-
fermine his benefit. There iS CUT mo
tho wall Of the house Of Parliament Engianu'
the standard of measure Tor the brtsn
Al. me ltfs sos
urs for real manhood: Ny purpose Il 20
show that Christ is such q standard, because
he is the realized ideal Of humanity whose
urofoundest needs can be met only in the IN
carnatiOn of Christ. From the manger 70 the
throne his life was the unbrOken assertion ia
word and deed Of the largest truest manh-
ness Christ is Gods standard OF what man
ought 10 be- true manhood cannot DO
built on selfshness. As soon attempt 10
erect lighthouse on bank or SOD.
'NOu may be told the whole world lies De-
fore YOU Not so, young gentlemen. II you
bave chosen your life work Your work ~
What lies before You, and what you should
ask of the world is room enough IA whlch 10
dot A mans Willingness TO WORK ana ms
ability 10 work give him a right 70 1--we. Inc
logle of life is this. No necessity, no struggle;
NJ struggle. no heroism. no heroism, no VIC
tory. NO victory no advance; no advance no
character. no character, no growth; no
growth. no success
Carlyle said The one monster IN the
v.o~Id is an idle man. As man you have,
reybans as much TO do with selecting your
motives AS your selected motives have 70 DO
with Won Settle this IN your mind tonight,
that in all this world there Is nothing 50
much 10 be desired as a manhood ID Christ
Jesus.
YOUR LIFE WORK
Accent your chosen life work as a sacred
calling and let the writing Of CHRIST pe upon
H. and his spirit within 1t dignity ana traus-
figure It, If It is calling III which you can
not do your best drop u at once and take That
80 which you can do your best.
Apart from Christ true manliness is impOs-
bible while in fellowship with him the temple
OF manhood like that of old upon Mouah,
will rise with nOlseless slide from stone 60
stone. but more glorious III its beauty and
more costly IN its material Don't expect %
cross bridges before you reach them, as ne
does who waits % be before he tries 70 be and
o. DO before he tries TO do.
Young gentlemen, when YOU have made
vonr last analysis OF the spiritual forces, the
mental stimulus the moral energy, the best
igeslsa man needs IN order 20 make OF NM
se't All he is capable of being: when you nave
summed up all these YOU Will find that OF ali
who have lived there Is but one man IN whom
these clemens were combined and embodied
in character the man Christ Jesus.
Think honestly and sincerely and then as
INDEPENDENTLY and as fearlessly as you please.
You must be true to yourself 10 be true 70
Christ A Christian who does not think IS no
less a fool than any one else who does not
think Not 10 think and 10 think indepen-
identity. is to stand still. Again think bravely
and Loyalty 90 truth, for all truth IS GOD 3, no
matter who put his label on IT, Putinto your
work. therefore, the best blood OF your hear,
the very life of your brain Don't quench
vour desire to know God unless you have
made I'D your mind TO commit intellectual
tuicide. Thinking Is the condition of man
hood. Cramming never made a man. STUFF
goose and he is only a stuffed goose.
ESSENTIAL 10 MANHOOD.
Faith is AS essential b. true manhood as is
sourage OF hOnestv 1T is no moro the fOun-
detion Of society than It Is the backbone of
character. Religious questions are pressing
in upon intellectual life on al sides to-day,
and Young men especially must meet these
questions with fair and satisfactory answers ;
questions such as these What Is truth
MAY j know what truth isf Who and what
is God is the Bible his word What have
TO d. with Christ Is this life all If there
is O future what is 10 90 me These questions
are ia the air and you cannot avoid them
Their answers furnish material for heroic
character Being helped that we may help
others is 40 the bottom the law of faith in
the nature of things al unbelieYing life If the
barrenest OF al lives.
MAY suggest that doubling is not reason
ingy AN thoughtful men have moments of
uncertainty and doubt. The danger Is not
here, but when We become content with our
doubts rest IN them and parade them.
There can be but two courses respecting
the Gospel that contains the elements of per
feet manhood. We must honor our manhood
by accepting it, or stultify our manhood by
rejecting It,
intellectual power is being constantly
FILTERED away ia aimlessness. My parting
word IS q word from Augustine Join myself
% the eternal God, and thou thysef shalt be
eternal All hail, young men Stand fast
Quit YOU like men, for as sure as Christ was
crowned your browning day is coming, and
that crown will DO given you if you are faith
ful.
MEDALS DELIVERED.
After the address the society medals were
delivered. Joint Orators" medal 70 II. T.
Williams of Fairfax county; Joint Writer'S
medal 90 Garnett Ryland of this city. Both
these gentlemen are members Of the Phlolo-
pian Society. The Mu Sigma Rho Best De-
bater's" medal was delivered T. NJ. l.. Dan
son. Of Richmond, and the medal for i'm
provement in debate 10 W. ID. Duke, OF Rich
m0nd. OF the Phl0logian Society r. j.. bud
lev OF Franklin county. received the Best
Debater's" medal and Mr. \. }. Allen, OF
buckingham county. the medal for improve
ment These are all very handsome medals
ranging in value from $3.50 to S25.
Ihe trustees were IN session all day. al