The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-20
ERSKINE COLLEGE.
THE bsth ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT.
Perfect Success In Every Way-FIne
Speeches-.Good Mu"ic-.splendid
Andience-Loye and FelIOwHhiP.


the spacious auditorium and were successful
and gratifying In every particular.
The seating capacity of the auditorium
proper Ia about twelve handred, aa6 5s on one
The windows are large. The ventilation
and acoustics seemed 10 be perfect; Al.
though the hall was Iea Tsh people, 'ne
The speakers were perfectly heard by those
who sat farthest oil. Nearly every seat
was oceaped sdton and eSeryoiSS ySisS vas pad 10 the
different orators. In the old Lindsay, Hall
there was always more or less noise, and con-
fusion, but In the new hall yesterday, the
ofTs. The T nshers w were polite and attentive in
seating the guests as they came In.
The Collge building itself is g large and im-
posing structure. II Is about lSO feet IN length,
a sIo lover. YER In The one is the telescope from
which observations are made OF the heavenly
bodies, and in the other ts large CLOCK, on
the dial Of which time 1s indicated, ana whose
bell strikes the hours for the people lot miles
The tower on Lindsay Hall has been taken
down. and the blocks OF granite that were
used in the great high steps w the hail were
Yesterday was one Of the most pleasant OF
the many pleasant days that we have spent IN
The speeches OF the young men received
much commendation from their hearers;
Among the graduates was Mr.. l.. G. Bran.
yan OF Due West, who distingnishsd himself.
The Anniversary grafton by hev. ss ono =: d; q;
those learned addresses which are full Of
thought. He Is an optimist In the fullest and
and broadest sense, believing that everything
is ordered for the best and that as time passes
we progress In all that 'elevates and ennobles
mankind. Believing In development ne nee
essarily believes In evolution. The success.
sive ages are better than their predecessors
NNHrr Nf
had yielded to a newer form, which we would
re-est abiish, ir we could. The unrest OF the
people-the agitation and commotion ny
which they were excited-was eVl1ence OF
impending development and precedent 10
Improvement. As We progress In knowiedge
aud virtue We learn The broader humanity
which inspires US with the greater desire 70
work sill more and more In harmony WIN
the original design and will OF the Almighty.
The physical and the moral elements, without
reference to the late OF particular individuals
and particular things, as q whole, work 70.
gether for carrying out the will or the creator
DR.. Grler followed with his annual address
to the graduating class. BE spoke with more
than his usual fire and eloquence, ana Inn
speech was better than the others: We take
pleasure In presenting bis speech In full
DR.. Strong says, In his latest work that Of
charta three wrote their names and twenty
three made their marks; and, be adds the av-
erage lab0rer In the United States today is
more intelligent than many great noble
dences OF general intelligence Ia found In the
marvellous Increase Ia the circulation OF
newspapers. In 1850 the estimated cireula.
ton OF The dailies WIS ten 10 each tnhabitant
tant or i.iB,OOO,OOO. In 1890 It was 50 to every
one OF the population. or 1881 ,OUO 600.
This means Information among the masses,
and that means agitation. Many plain
reference to every great movement In Church
and State as his representative Ia Congress;
He 10 NO longer an ignorant newer OF wood
and drawer OF water. ,
There can be no question that this general
In formation has created q spirit OF unrest and
discomfort. There is An upheaval among
wage workers which threatens the most Inn
portant industries OF the country. Not un.
frequently factories are closed, city car lines
and great railroad trains are stopped, inhict.
Ing serious incon venience and great loss upon
every department Of business. Because OF
these things there are those who insist that
Gated that II is an evil unsettling the founda.
tions of our social order. There is just
enough truth in this statement to give II cur
rency. The general principle involved Ia fun.
damentally false. It 10 virtually to say that
Ignorance Is better than knowledge, that bar.
barism 10 better than civilization, that the old
sailing vessel is better than the steamship,
a prsssions is to the hour is better than the Hoe
patent, which prints, pastes and folds four
page paper at a speed OF 1900 70 the hour:
No, we do not need less intelligence, bnt we
by the principles Of Christianity. Even Mr..
Huxley, doubter as he Is, goes 30 far as TO say,
II hold that any system OF education which
deals only with the intellectual side Of our
nature, and leaves the rest untouched will
prove delusion and anare, just as likely 70
produce cropof unusually astute scoundrels
as any thing else" 1t is more surprising still
when he says, "In my belief unless child be
tion will come to very little." Unless the
spirit Of inquiry and investigation and dis
cussion, so widespread In this country be con-
ciples there may well be the most serious ap-
prehension Of the final outcome: The RENE
dy Is not the attempted suppression OF knowl'
edge, but the implantation OF correct prinei'
pies. Christian education will solve prob
lem which is perplexlug great many people.
There is no place for us as nation but In Q
practical recognition OF the ten command
ments and the sermon on the Mount.
tinguished advantages. Some one says TO be
an AngloSaxon, to be an American, TO be q
Christian citizen. this is to stand on the top
most round Of Yop have
culture. You are therefore the sworn enemy
OF diRorder, Of Vice and Ignorance and all un.
godliness. These are TO be fought, not With
long range guns, but In close quarters. The
nest egg. The locnsts lays their, eggs IN the
sand. They dig hole q few inches In depth
and deposit g bag containing over one hun
dred eggs, Every egg 10 locust. II the tar.
for him to do but to 60 out and find the places
where they have laid their eggs. MY young
friends you must seek The homes OF the 10.
for out Of it are the Issues Of life. II you
think 1t too great work to become giant
killer. every one OF you may strike down
some OF those little foxes that destroy the
than destruction. The best way to get men to
we'll
And now let me soy, finally, the only way
that In your heart. 1t is the cieanest hands
which remove the foulest stains. He who
knew no sin. who was holy, harmless and un:
defiled came to destroy the works OF the devil
workers with him must be like him.
PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS.
(Here DR.. Grier handed the diplomas to the
members OF the graduating class, and then
said j
And now with the presentation OF these d.
plomas We touch each other for the last time
the chain is not broken. There are Ties OF in.
terest and affection and influence which shall
survive the wrecks Of time. II we would, We
cannot finally separate. We shall follow each
other. Some mutually ineffaceable impres
sion has been made. May IL abide In oul
hearts and lives not only as blessed memory
but as fruitful inspiration " worthy efforts
and good deeds. Thus he that soweth and ht
that reapeth shall rejoice together.
Carrying Our Troubles.
compare the troubles which We
have to undergo in the course Of The