The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-05-30
EAGLE WINGS.
Rev. Will N. Burgess Delivers the
BaccaIaureate Sermon in
His Happiest Style
A Large Congregation of People
Give Rapt Attention to the
Eloquent Preacher.
THE SERMON IN FULL.

en- two wings of great eagle.
Theme.-How can woman elevate herself
The text is taken from the description
of what John saw concerning the church.
The woman with the sun upon her head
and the moon beneath her feet suggests
the brightness OF the new dispensation
as compared with the lack of light in the
old. The woman" here represents the
church, but we do not so use the word
on this occasion for we mean to speak
of woman and her possibilities of to-day
Woman has not in the past history OF the
world, occupied the high place for which
she was intended, simply because she
has been kept from doing 80 by the
Lords of Creation. Her mind has not
been allowed to develop, hence she has
not been competent to perform the great
duties devolving upon her. and she has
been called inferior and 'weak'-when
1t has been merely the lack OF exercise
of her powers which has ''atroplied'
them. Some few women, here and there
by their inherent talent have overcome
all obs acles thrown in their way by cir
cumstance and environment and by
what they have accomplished, we can
see what may be done in the future,
when woman no longer belongs to the
class of the downtrodden.
First-Knowledge is power A power
by which we take high place in society.
We are no longer elevated by any other
lever than that Of wisdsm. The day of
the aristocracy of wealth has gone by,
and that Of culture has taken its place.
In the professions-th knowledge Of
specialties makes greatness. One mind
may be as strong, as well fitted by nature
to grapple with the problems that life
brings to all, but il not as well equipped
by training and study, it cannot accom-
plish the same work, because it is not
developed. The same may be said Of
trades, and, indeed, OF all vocations Of
life, for il we are able to do our work
we'll, no matter what that work may be,
We shall certainly rise, step by step, till
we occupy the high places which are
waiting for those who are faithful over a
few things, and the influence we may
exert over others, as well as ourselves is
something that can never be known till
the secrets OF all hearts are revealed.
Physical strength no longer counts, as
against that power which comes from
knowledge.
Second-Physical strength is necces-
sary, however, even in woman.
Wild flowers and lily white hands are
spoken of and praised by poets, but Gods
sunshine and Gods free air are for
woman as well as for man.
II these be neglected there is lack of
symmetrical development, and as the
mental and the physical go hand in
hand, we must cultivate and develop
the physical in order that the mental
may thrive. Every thought. is the death
OF certain number OF molecules OF the
blood. These molecules are produced
by the power OF circulation, and this
circulating fluid is propelled by that
great engine, the h. art. How necessary
then that we breathe in pure oxygen TO
Keep this engine supplied with fuel and
motion. This pure oxygen must be pro-
cured from Gods great storehouse, the
grand "outdoors."
Third-Intellectu strength.
By this, woman may become great. 1t
is not for her to lead armies to battle and
to victory-not for Ler to gain fame by
the shedding of the blood of her fellow
man. The victories OF peace are hers,
and 1t is her privilege to become great
by using the powers that God has given
her. Her mind which is in no way in
ferior TO the mind of man. The jewel is
not less pure because contained in a
smaller or weaker casket.
She can endure as much suffering, yea
more than those called the stronger sex
She can hide her grief behind smile
and the history OF the world proves to us
that when she has had an equal chance
she could stand beside her brother in the
intellectual warfare, and keep step with
him in the pursuit OF knowledge.
Less than hundred years ago little
girl in a town in Scotland found an old
book filed with such character as KY
"A. 12X-7Y=l0A. She was much
astonished at these curious statements
but alone, and almost unaided, she mas
tered the problems and became one o
the foremost mathematicians Of her day
Her father was necessarily much away
from home and the training OF the chile
rested chiefly upon the mother, but sh,
found her little daughter, Mary Somer
vile to be an apt and studious scholar
1t was uncommon at that time for I
woman TO be classical scholar or |
mathematician. Yet she became al
adept In Latin and Greek, and in 1888
published her Mechanism OF the Heav
ems" this was followed two years late
BY "The Connection OF Physica
Sciences" and Notwithstanding its auth
or was woman, this became tex
book In the universities. Two othel
very important works were published b!
her. All four Of these have taken higl
piece In the scientific world. See how
far she lifted herself on the wings tina
God had oiven her. the inteIlectua