The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-10


mon to the graduation class of Utah.
The chancellor and regents occupied
seats on the right Of the stage, the
wives of the professors the seats on the
left. while the members of the faculty
We're seated on the stage. Commission
er Lewis and Superintendent Mills
paugh were interested listeners, and
the graduates occupied seats in the
parquet
Through d mishap the singers failed
TO appear. and the musical selections
were omitted.
After an impressive invocation by
Professor Matthews, President Tai
mage delivered his sermon, which was
listef% to with wrapt attention from
the opening until the close.
The Sermon.
Following is a fairly full report OF
the sermon:
The present occasion is in no sense
an innovation on college customs in
general. Rather is it in accordance
with d custom which has proved of
WI )lesome effect in institutions that
are older and greater than ours. We
haWf gathered here, not so much in
response to common usage, however,
as to answer the calls of propriety
and present necessity. 1t were well
perhaps that such an assembly as this,
a general gathering of our academic
family with friends and well wishers.
could take place within the walls of
our own scholastic home. But this
cannot be, for though the university
halls are spacious, and though lodging
and living room is provided for all,
there is no apartment beneath the in
stitution's roof in which all the sons
and daughters Of the family can meet
at one time. ] speak this not as
vsaiI of distress, nor as the odtpouring
fofNcomplaint, rather gladly indeed, as
proof of our increase of numbers and
as evidence of the prevailing earnest
ness in attendance. 1t is better that
large rooms prove too small for Us
than thai small rooms afford space TO
spare.
Therefore we are here; now as to the
excuse. or rather the reason for our
coming together. 1t appears to be
proper that as the work OF the year
Is drawing near the period of tenn
porary suspension, when most of the
classroom routine. and the toll of al
lotted service is behind us, We meet
in some general capacity to review in
thought some phases Of our pleasing
lab0-- axhe struggle and the triUmphs
OF ths&7tar. and perhaps 10 indulge
prospeS 80, glance on the small frac-
ton ofFthe road of TIE future, which
may he visible though but only so
from orr present vantage ground. The
quiet and peace of this day of rest are
we'll suited to the purpose of our
meeting.
And now. fellow students, as I az
dress you in behalf of your professors
and teachers-fOr it is not possible that
each speak to YOU at length desire
To put aside all foTmality Of method
and manner which might interfere
with the attainment of our present
object | do not intend to add yet an
other TO the lectures and set addresses
to which You have listened in the halls
of instruction, nor to discuss in any
detail any special theme of philOsOphi-
cal scientific or other such interest,
nor 10 attempt the presentation of
thoughts that are wholly new. Surely
this lesson is numbered among those
YOU Nave learned, that through the
frqLity u weak powers of assimil-
ZEtion characteriZing human nature,
IfeDetitiOn is often essential to COM
prehensiol of truth. We are not infre-
quently benefited in listening TO that
which we already know. 1 believe the
claims OF novelty in instruction are
oftimes oVerstated.
regard the occasion as also others
incident to the rounding off of our
years work; as sort Of hating place,
at which we pause to refresh ourselves
for future labor, and in no sense as an
ending of effort or final conSumma-
ton Of purpose
Graduation day is near at hand.
With all Difference to those who look
but az the surface of things, who
grasp but the superficial meaning of
- nd
which the occasion is known, 1 confess
| like much that misunderstood term
designating a day CT days in the stu
dents life-commencem
In truth It is what the name implies;
not finale-rather a shifting of the
scenGTtO provide a setting for another
actsfst about to begin in the drama
of our lives.
The bit of paper or parchment, at
tested by Official signature and orna-
mented by seal and ribbon, is often
interpreted too literally. know We,
that, whereas this student has salts
facterily finished or successfully
completed the work prescribed, now,
therefore, we award him this diploma"
etc. COmpleted-hniShed? This is but
conventional form. How few there are
who read between the engraved lines
OF the precious document the true sig
mica whereas, he has well begun
his work and has given evidence of his
it, therefore we gladly, though almost
tremblingly, certify thereto and bid
him God speed in the struggle that
lies before him.
What are all the endings of work on
earth but beginnings--Or finishing? p
they are commandments. A start to
greater effort, to higher endea yor;
graduation; step by step advancement.
Such is indicated by the very word;
from class to class, department to de-
partmeni; and the end-there is none
in sight Our school, dignified as it is
by the name university, like every one
of the kind is after all but a prepare
tory school for the great educational
institution of life's experience and
trial Ano Of the pupils, the best
amongst US, those even of whom we
speak as strong and able, are but
feeble graduates from the primary
curses Of the great establishment AS
wfeslneet with those who, perhaps years
a H1 left the clasS-rcoms in which we
,,stfn work, with alternate smiles and
signs; as we count their victories won
and the defeats they have borne as
those who are still in their novitiate
mingle with the elder brethren and the
more experienced Sisterhood who have
passed to higher orders, those who
have received the post graduate de-
grees. which the practical department
of life's great college alone can give
surely we experience some check tC
our disposition to rest in dangerous
ease through undue satisfaction with
the past, believing that all has beer
done. Our relatively more advanced