The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-06-12

throne, and out o! his wisdom thus !
addressed him: "a go the way Of /
all the earth: he thou strong there I
fore, and show ,hyself a man."
This was the theme of David's
baccalaureatc sermon to Solomon;
the opening exercise of Solomon's
commencement, who was now tol
come out from the happy days of
childhood and lay hold upon the
reins of government over a "stiif-
ncckcd" and rebellious Kingdom.
The great resp onsibilities of life
would soon thrust themselves upon
him, and ii WAS necessary that the
erstwhilc boy should now show
himself man.
And SO in the present age, we
have, year by year, u noble army
Of youth, who putting behind them
the innocent days of childhood, and
sundering the ties of common sym
pathy as classmates, step out from
our public schools to begin life of
responsibility and to answer the
call of duty as citizens of the world.
There is no moment of life more
serious; no time when good, earn
est advice from wisemen should be
more needed: never ought the
heart be more sincere. We trust
that those to whom were addressed
the earnest words of the preacher
last Sabbath night were doing their
parts as eager listeners and willing
hearers.
Amidst profusion of flowers, in
whose beauty and fragrance all
nature smiled; surrounded by in.
terested friends, and those who
held them dear; the class Of '05
gathered to hear instruction as a
class for the last time. II is need
less to enter into detail as to the
programe. With hearts softened
to sympathy by music, and the
soul attuned to the praise of Ma
tures's God at the vision of Ma
ture's loveliness, they awaited with
receptive minds the words of the
speaker.
Rev. w. II. Wright, pastor of the
U. B. church, in sermon full of
wise thought and earnest truth,
addressed the class. His theme
was "Tntegrity of character" and
the sermon was woven round the
text: :"Let integrity and upright
ness preserve me; for L wait on
thee" Ps. %: 81.
With deep sense of the re pom
sibility resting upon him MS the one
who should give to them as class
their last advice, he made an earn
est and eloquent appeal, that their
lives should be rounded out into
perfect manhood and womanhood;
that there should be no half formed
characters.
The word integrity was seen to
con tain the word integer, a whole
number; and as it was known that
Il number of units could be sub
tracted from an integer and still
leave an integer remaining; SO it
was shown that to him who had
integrity of character, reverses
could come as they will; earthly
possessions be taken away; friends
forsale; enemies annoy; and even
life itself be taken; but in the great
Beyond, free from the cares and
privations of life the roundabout,
fully developed soul would still
preserve its integrity of character,
being perfect integer. Nor was
| it maintained that only hereafter
were the benefits of integrity of
character to be realized. But by
whole-hearted action, and soulful
being, the world should receive
showers of blessings all to uncom-
mon; and the human integer should
be blessed by the fractions of hu-
manity for having brought wole-
some influence to bear upon the
world.
AT the close Of the sermon, Miss
Irma B. Wright, in n voice of ex-
quisite sweetness and purity ren.
dered the solo: "God so loved the
world" and as an echo to the SER
mon there seemed to sound in the
melody, the story of Gods love to
man in giving the only perfect
Gift, which made it possible to
know the true integrity of charac-
ter.
And now as the DEMOCRAT bids
farewell to the class of '9j it can
only urge upon the class deep
contemplation of the truth present
ed in the baccalaureate sermon,
and as it welcomes the members
/ into a new life of awful response
billiies, 1t can but wish that the