The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-06-22

tions. the characters of which are largely
moulded by the pre- ceding. Heredity IS
not always decisive, but nevertheless its
ihhnence is strong.
The twentieth century, upon the
TIN eshhold of " hich We are, will undoubt
eddy witness great changes Among
thinking men there is general recogml-
ton of the unity of society and the con-
sequent responsibility of all its members
This recognition brings with it hope
of great and comprehensive reforms.
These must be attained by sometime
higher than common interest, strong as
that motive may ne. We are to look to
the higher law, the law of Christ. Let
us each make some contribution, how
ever humble it may be, toward the adj
vancement and perfecting OF the race.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
ting out the narrowing lust of gold
x ng out the thousand wars of old
ting in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant men and free,
he earger heart and kindlier hand
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring In the Christ that Is to be-
Miss Edith Eldredge, the vale
dictorian of the class, was the last
speaker. Her subject was
THE SPHINX.
1t is a Gear night, the stars shine
brightly. the desert sand gle cams white
IN tn ir light, the level plain loses itself
in shadow darkness and silence. In
the centre looms the head of a mighty
sphinx Beside it kneels man, aged
and toil-worn with his ear to the lips of
the mopst-r. such is the picture of the
artist. 1t has a strange story to reveal.
1t has seen the time before history began,
it has seen Egypt slowly merge INTO its
civilization. King have risen and fallen
before it. 1t witnessed the decline OF The
Kicgdom, and the tragedy of Cleopatra,
but now it lives among its em-ries
alone
When we take our stand beside the
syhinx, and gaze across the desert, we see
Egypt as it is, but thoughts come crowd
ing ahont Egypt as it was. Now, Egypt
has fallen. 1t has lost its strength and
nobleness, and others better and drawer
have come t. take their place.
Now tor the pres mt. Ic Is difficult for
us to look with calm, dispassionate eyes
upon our era and tell Whither We are go
ing in this headlong rush. Great social,
poiiticai aud re igious problems are
working, and before our eyes. There Is
the great onward sweep of the national
world with its mighty questions OF gov
eminent, international trade, labor and
capital We are plainly 10 king forward
to an era of material and sci -ntifc won
ders. We are slowly coming TO future
of intellectual greatness. We should
look forward to a bright future; if we
have no hopes, We shall realize none.
l.
history, past and present, imagination,
hope, combine and answer. We see what
is to come next, but what is tn come in
the end, we cannot fathom Is our fate
to be the same story. industry, wealth,
corruption and decay? Many think 80.
hut what of that, is it not progress? Does
any one say we are not farther advance
to lay than ancient Rome in the days of
her greatest glory? Shall we grudge to
the civilization of the future its glory,
be ,ause it is built, it may be. upon our
downfall? No! Let the sphinx looking
back upon our past be able to say that
we have forged bright and enduring
link in the chain of progress. that our
labor has not been In vain, that things
worthy have remained, and truth and
duty have conquered the ages.
When Miss Eldredge had finish
ed her Grafton, she delivered the
valedictory address to her former
schoolmates. The Glee Club sang
again, and then Professor Hosmer,
in a short speech, presented the
members of the outgoing class with
their diplomas and gave them
some good advise as to their future.
Rev. DR.. Coyle pronounced the be-
nediction, the band played again,
and the class of '94 was a thing of
the past.
All of the orations showed care
full and earnest preparation, and
were given in way that bespoke
a liberal amount of training on the
part of the speakers. Each grad
yates received a number of bou-
quets of flowers, and the platform
looked like a garden of roses when
the programme had ended.
Life savers on the French coast