The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-15
COMMENCEMENT AT SEWBERRY COL
LEGE.
The Baccalaureate Sermon by DIR. Wolfe
Big Crowds in To"n-An Inter-
esting Programme.

The Baccalaureate Sermon by DIR. Wolfe
Big Crowds in Town-An Inter
esting Programme.
The commencement in Newberry i:
full upon US. The week has been cleal
and sunshiny, but not too hot. The
churches in town were all closed on Sun
day in honor of the commencement
occasion. Many visitors from abroad are
here. The town is fairly alive with
charming and beautiful young ladies
and handsome and interesting beaus
The programme for the occasion IS an
interesting one.
On Sunday morning the barcalaure-
ate sermon was preached in the opera
house by the Rev. f. J. Wolfe, d. D.,
of Gettysburg, Pa, to one of the largest
audiences we have ever seen assem-
bled there. They began coming, in or
der to secure good seats, AS early as
9 O'Clock, although the service was not
10 begin before II O'Clock. Every
available space was occupied and many
could not get seats The entire lower
fioor-parquet and dress circle-was
one mass of pretty bonnets, beneath
which was the sweet faces OF New
berry's charming women. 1t was a
lovely scene viewed from the reporters
corner. Here and there only might be
seen man.
The sermon was scholarly, able, and
forcibly delivered. His text was, Lead
me to the rock that is higher than :"
found in Psalms 81: ,. He spoke for
fifty-seven minutes and held the most
interested attention of the vast audi
ence. He spoke first Of the universal
consciousness Of higher being, and
second of the human aspiration after
God-this highest Being, aud of a de-
sire sor communion with it. and showed
the unattainableness of this commu-
MON by human effort alone. These
three propositions were elaboralely and
logically argued, and at times the
speaker became truly eloquent. There
was nothing startling or strlkingly new
in the sermon, but the 'old, old story'
was told in style that was finished
and ornate and at the same time strong
and forcible. In conclusion the preach
er said the only way to reach the
heights of this rock which is our sal Va
ton was through the efficiency OF be-
lieving prayer. That even with that
we could not scale the heights, but the
rock could come down to us and iift us
up. And this had been accomplished
by Christ coming upon the earth and
making communion with God possible
through believing prayer.
On Sunday night the installation OF
Prof. A. G.. Voigt as professor of theol-
ogy in the seminary took place in the
opera house in the presence of large
congregation. The address was deliv-
cred by the Rev. DR.. J. Hawkins, ed
itor of the Lutheran Visitor. An
address was also delivered by Prof.
Voigt.
JUNIOR CONTEST IN oRAToRY.
On Monday night the Junior Contest
in Oratory took place in the Opera
House. Long before the hour for the
exercises to begin the audience began
to assemble, and by half:past eight
every seat in the house had been taken
and standing room in the aisles was at
a premium. Every member of the
Junior Glass is required to take part ID
this contest. In the present class there
are eleven young men.
The first speaker was Mr.. Geo. 5.
Bearden, of Columbia. S. G. Subject:
1.-THE first stroke, half the battle" The
speaker showed that the success or
failure of one in life depended largely
on how we'll the battle had been
planned and how vigorously the first
strokes were delivered. One source OF
Napoleon's success was the skill with
which his campaigns were planned.
AS so much depends on starting right,
the young man should neglect no op-
portunity of fitting himself for the
active dr'ies Of life. The excellence OF
the Greeks az soldiers was largely due
to the thorough training they received
in the athletic contests and games:
The next speaker was Mr.. n. D.
Bodie, of Clouds Creek, S. G. Subject:
"The present financial crisis.",s After
discussing various theories to account
for the present depressed condition Of
the country, the speaker reached the
conclusion that the present financial
crisis is due largely to the credit system
inaugurated at the close ofthe late war.
The next speaker on the programme
was Mr.. E. A. Carlisle, of Newberry,
S. G. Subject: 'Ebb and Flow" In
order to attain the highest degree of
success possible the propitious moment
must be seized and utilized. Napoleon
having failed to seize the propitious
moment on the field of Waterloo, saw
the mighty achievements of former
battles crumble to dust on that luck
less day.
Mr.. s. L. Cash, of Newberry, the
next speaker, showed how Fashion"
is gradually losing the hold it has had
on the world, and individuals and ma
tions are casting off its shackles. -.
Mr.. J. L. Caughman, of Caugh-
mans, gave brief resume Of the his
tory Of "Our own State' from the days
when the savage Red man roamed in
unrestrained freedom over hill and
valley to the dark and troublesome
days of the reconstruction period, and
showed how at all times South Caro-
lima and South Carolinians had been
true to themselves and lived up to the
lofty standards Of the heroes OF the
Revolution. ...s E-:EEs
"The instability of human govern
mentn was next discussed by Mr.. J. H.
Harms, of Sava annah. History has
been nothing more than the record of
the rise, growth and decay of govern
ment after government, and the signs
of the times are such that it would be
we'll for our statesmen to heed the voice
Of history and avoid the quicksands in
which so many States have sunk to
rise no more.
Mr.. B. L. Jones, of Newberry, S. g.,
discussed Reality vs.. For1nality." One
of the great dangers of the present time
arises from egotism and vanity, and
the selfish striving after office andpow-
er for purely selfish ends, as illustrated
in the lives of some Of our leading
men.
The next speaker was Mr.. J. D. XII
nard, of Prosperity, S. G. Subject:
"Success the reward of fidelity" .".There
are two kinds of success, positive and
a negative. For positive success it is
necessary to labor increasingly. New
ton and Copernicus are distinguished
examples of positive success attained
by unceasing effort and toll, often in
the face of scoters and against the ac-
tive onnositiOn of their cOntemDOra-