Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-13
pr. Rroun to she araduates.

The governor returned on the 6:45 | train this evening.
 | The following is the address of Dr. l Broun to the graduating class
 With the diplomas you have just re- | ceived our connection as instructor and | student ceases, and now you are about | to begin life in a new sphere, with new surroundings to influence you and new | hopes to inspire you, carrying with you your diplomas as testimonials of work done in laying broad foundation on which to build the superstructure of kour life.
 The question recurs. what have you gained during your residence here? That, in your estimation, will be of es- pecial value in your future life. Do you suppose that 1t is the knowledge you have gained of mathematics, of physics, of chemistry, of English, or of any other department taught in the college? If | so, you are mistaken. It is not the knowledge you have obtained-not the facts you may have stored up in your mind-but rather the discipline and training of your faculties in acquiring that knowledge and the character you
 have formed in these choice years of your youth
 Tt is not the amount of food consumed that gives strength and vigor to the body, but rather it's assimilation and trans Formation into nerve, fibre and muscle. It is not the knowledge acquired, small
 or large as it may be, but rather the ef- feet of the getting, the tendency thereby given to your mental energies. the for nation of habits of accurate observation.
 of logical reasoning, the opening to
 your view of the expansive field of hu- man knowledge and the inspiration to
 work resulting therefrom. These are the
 tasting benefits, not the facts, not the knowledge, but the habit, the mental ten dencies caused by the getting.
 Let me remind you that you have no Ur0Jn6 for bxrr r.f To
 quisitions. You best know you have
 just crossed the threshold You are simply prepared to begin work, and the question now confronts you, will you do the work? Will you rest on what you have done, or will you build a noble structure on the foundation here laid? Will you look Backward or look forward?
 Win you draw inspiration from your youthful life here and work for the fu- ture, or will you let it all pass by for
 naught and bear no fruit and at last of- fer to your generation in, your mature years nothing but leaves? What have we
 here daily insisted on2 Work. What now will you find the key of success?
 Work, honest work, truthful work, con tinued work, until work ceases to be toll and becomes joy.
 Let me give you a motto to take with
 you as you sever your connection with
 this institution. I we'll remember the
 day, now many years past, when I stood
 Where you now stand today and re-
 ceived my degree from the university of
 sister state. By my side stood young
 man, who was then among his fellow
 students highly esteemed for his earnest
 Christian character and superior talent,
 and in honor of whose memory but very
 recently memorial celebrations have
 been held throughout the states of the
 south. telling in eloquent terms of the
 loss by his death to church and state, to
 learning and religion. He, true, earn
 est worker as student and man, nobly
 illustrated in his life the motto with which he closed his address before the students and faculty of that university. That motto I give you this day to keep as an heirloom: Fear God and work" Impress it on your minds by associat- ing it with the name of John A. Broadus, the eminent Christian teacher, to whom allude. Fear God and work Take | it home to your bosoms, write it on your hearts. Make it the rule of your life | Fear God and work"