Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-04
WAS CHRIST'S IDEAL.
DR.. Fair Holds Up the Woman OIL
Canaan as an Example.


HE breaches TO YOUNG LADIES.
The Gifted Presbyterian Divine De-
l. Iivers the Baccnlaurente sermon
Before the woman's CoIIege--other
Features of the commencement
ThIs Is commencement week with the
Woman's College, marking the close OF
one OF the most successful sessions III
the history OF that institution. The at
tendance has been large. the health OF the
young ladies has been good. and Dr. Nell
son and his able corps Of assistants feel
Just pride in the excellent progress made
along all educational lines.
The final exercises began last Friday
night with the entertainment by the
classes in expression. The baccalaureate
sermon was preached at Grace-Street
Baptist church Sunday night by Rev. Dr.
James Y. Fair, the class exercises occur
red yesterday morning. and the final mu-
slcale last night, and the commencement
takes place at the Young Mems
Christian Association Hall tonight. This
will be the crowning event of series OF
most eminently successful celebrations.
and most OF the young ladies not residents
OF Richmond will leave for their homes
tomorrow, some carrying highly-prized
| diplomas. and others only for the vaca-
| tion, at the close OF which they VIII re-
turn to resume their studies.
THE COMMENCEMENT SERMON
DIR. Fairs sermon was heard By an
audience that crowded the great Grace
Street auditorium As a compliment to
| the school services were omitted at DR..
| Fairs church and at all OF the Baptist
| churches in the central portion OF the
| city. The seats Immediately I'm front Of
| the platform were occupied by the young
| ladies OF the college and the trustees
and faculty The fair students, all dress
| ed I'm white assembled in the lecture-roOm
| OF the church and marched up TO the audi
forum preceded by the faculty and the
several ministers who took part in the
services Or. Upper, president OF the
Board OF Trustees, sat In the centre OF
| the platform, and on either side OF him
| were Drs. Fair. Hatcher, Landrum, and
Cooper. and Rev. III. y. Bagby.
The choir sang an anthem, after which
| the congregation. DR.. Landrum offered
prayer: 80 Worship the King" was sung.
| Or. Cooper read from the Bible. and
prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. BaCby.
| Or. Fair WAS then introduced by Or. Tup-
per. He took his text from Matthew XIV.
| %: "And behold woman OF Canaan came
| out Of the same coasts and cried unto
| Him. saying. Have mercy on me. .
Lord. thou son OF David: my daughter IS
Wit 1atf nd Ia D. o.
| THE familiar incident that this text l.
| extracted from presents Chrst's IDEAL OF
woman. II ] can 50 picture her that you
viii not only admire but strive 10 emulate
her / will have performed my task we'll"
The ideal woman. he said. is not present
ed in the world, nor in the home. but only
at the foot Of Christ, was the woman
Of Canaan
THE WORLDS IDEAL WOMAN.
Or. Fair drew a beautiful word picture
OF the worlds ideal woman. placing her
upon a throne surrounded with flowers
with radiant skies as "A background, and
an object of admiration. He then pic
tured IN comparison Herewith Chrsts
deal-tha woman PROSTATE on the sands
appealing for succOr for one in distress
Woman's sphere, he continued, was not a
political nor a worldly sphere, but
spiritual sphere. He said he did not want
spheres of woman's usefulness but. on
the contrary. he asserted that woman
was capable Of moving I'm any sphere Of
life. Wherever. said he, man attains
emlnence, by his side will be found
woman. In every sphere she has been
great, but her highest greatness is In her
faith. The tempter will whisper TO her
that her greatness Is in her beauty and
her worldliness, but God will teach her
-. 81 Co. L. Ia faff 4
woman without faith. he asserted with
emphasis, was a paradox OF which he
did not care 10 ne told. He wanted not
| 10 hear OF woman who had never knelt
at the foot Of Christ Returning to the
text the preacher said that the ideal
woman was presented as kneeling al the
foot Of Christ Why was she there? he
asked and then answering the question
he said she was there for the purpose OF
seeking a blessing-not for herself To
her there was something higher than self
| She was there TO secure the blessing Of
Christ upon her home, TO bring His heal
| ing touch upon her suffering daughter
This, he said, was a lovely example of
unselhshness.
SEEKING TO HEAL SIN.
The woman was seeking as her life
work 10 heal sin, In her earnestness
taking no denial. willing TO sacrifice her
pride and lay her head in sand il only
others might be benefited thereby.
After commenting on the woman Of
Canaan for some time DR.. Fair said that
she was but the prototype OF many
women whom we have in our midst and
come I'm daily contact with, but our per-
capabilities being blunted We do not see
them. lie gave a beautiful description
of mothers death-One who had done
her full duty upon earth-and said for
| her no crown was too good. Continuing,
he heaped encomiums upon the head of
| woman. and said: How many on earth,
how many up yonder in Heaven. ascribe
| their salvation to her fdelity ] believe
woman has saved this world. She has
stood immoYable as n rock, and i'm this
respect has been like unto her Maker.
But oh! my God. let her forsake her
place: let her abdicate her throne. and
woe to the home woe TO the Church, woe
to the world Not By the might OF hes
enemies, but by the wrecking OF her
homes did Rome fall Not by the lack
of valor i'm her sons was this caused, but
by the lack OF plety of her sons. Let
woman abdicate her throne Of purity, ana
the mass OF corruption which Will sweep
over this earth will be awful OF contem-
plation. Can you tell me why it is that
the flower has to be crushed TO get its
entire sweetness why it is that the grain
dries before the harvest; why 1t is that
the gold goes into the flame before IL
attains its true value? No; and just so
can't tell you why woman. always sweet,
does not appear sweetest until she Is
crushed in self-sacrifice.'
WORK FOR THEM TO DO.
After setting forth that all who truly
seek Christ may find Him, Dr. Fair asked
pardon OF the young ladies for seeking an
ideal in the lowly. but he expressed the
hope that they would follow her example.
saying If they would be saved they must
follow in her footsteps. Il have" said
he, higher ambitions for you than to
become ornaments in society, TO be mere
butterflies. Those who strive 10 do their
duty here have but little time for these
frivolities. They are for the weaker
minds. You are TO make your influence
felt"
The preacher spoke Of the paradox Of
calling the closing Of a session the COM
mencement. and made very pretty COM
parison, setting forth that death. the
closing OF this life, was but the COM
mencement OF nobler life beyond the
skies. las one by one we complete the
curriculum OF EARTH" he said. Eve may
be gathered in the great school above