News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-06-04
PEOPLES ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT.
The Bacealaureate sermon.


On Sunday evening Puffer NJ. E.
church was filled by an audience from
the several churches, gathered to
hear the annual sermon before the
graduating class of Peoples Acad-
envy. The church interior was pref
tily decorated with class colors and
flowers, and before the pulpit was
suspended the class motto, "By Our
Efforts We Shall Rise"
A quartette, composed of Misses
Lula Niles and Phillips and Messrs.
Phillips and Hadley, with Harry
Cowles at the organ, rendered several
selections. Scripture was read by
Rev. j. Il. Wallace, prayer offered by
Rev l. p. Booth, and Rev. G. N. Kel-
logg of the Congregational church,
presented an appropriate and elo.
quent discourse, founded upon the
words:-"What Is Thy Life?"
In a mere outline of his thought,
we find that great variety of ans
wers to this question are possible,
and each of them correct from some
standpoint. would ask you of the
graduating class concerning this,
what your conception of the chief end
of life, what your life in it's reality
purposes? Life must be made worth
the living, if lived worthily, we make
them what they are. Personality is
the force, it makes our world. We all
live on the same planet, under the
same influences, but each of us make
our individual world.
With man true to himself, the con-
ditions readily TAIL into their proper
places. Do not quarrel with your
world, yet be an unconformist, bend
circumstances and not bend to them,
put the stamp of your own individ-
uality, for life may be a success or
not. Have the controlling principles
worthy and carried through life. One
really grand idea possessing a man,
will make him king among men.
Here Mr.. Kellogg turned to thephy-
steal in education, commended the
prominence of athletic sports, and
referred to the palmy days of the
little red schoolhouse, when the
scholars were obliged to work upon
the farm, the secret of our stalwart
manhood, which has so largely come
to the world from the farm and the
rural neighborhoOds. Schools do
well to foster this manual training.
The physically strong will win and
hold the front rank. A strong mind
in strong body is what is needed.
Muscle and mind must not be put on
a par; as between the two the mind
| is the measure of the man. Some are
ready to say the world owes US a liv-
ing, but let NE say to you, the world
owes you nothing but room, and in
the case with some the world might
well exchange the company for the
room. People who trust to luck
usually experience very hard luck,
and yet life is likened unto wheel of
fortune, and prizes sometimes 90
where merit is not. Put your trust in
! honest work and thus find the wheel
of fortune. Something for naught is
a bargain not made and realized in
this world; the prizes in life are won
in fair, honest fight. Believe in thy
self whatever your talent, have faith
in it; you are like and yet unlike any
other man or any other woman. In
sist on being thyself. These powers
have not been given you for naught
That which man can best do none
but God can tell; listen to that voice,
rely on thyself, but accept and use
all helps of man, of nature, of God
Spurn to be carried on some ones
back, bear thine own burdens, do
honest, faithful work. A splendid
career awaits each of you, but you
must achieve it. There lies before
you a field of promise, the journey
is long-you have learned no lessons
so valuable as those you aret to learn.
1t doth not yet appear what you
shall be. All things are so consti-
tuted that nothing can come to you
without an equivalent in effort. No
man is born into this world but what
his work is born with him. There is
a work for us ALL Life is not round
of pleasure, but should be an unin-
terrupted giving. He that would
be the greatest, let him be the SER
want of all, living for the world a
live, manly or womanly life.
Give yourselves royalty to some
worthy work, make yourselves indis.
pensible. Selfshness is utter loss, the
more we give, the more we have; the
more man gives forth the product
of his brain, the more he is able to
produce; the more we forget our.
selves, the more we shall find our
, selves in our production of deeds
Find the work that God has appoint
ed, and having found it, let it be final
The best service in this life is not
done for hire. Truth dies not; al
this conception of life is a privilege
and should be undertaken as a priv
ilege, rather than a duty.
In conclusion, the speaker con
graduated the class upon their prog
ress and success, and urged then
to remember that whatever their fu
ture be, they are students still; never
lose sight of the prize of the hiel
, calling. Build your castles, anC
dream your dreams, and with you
best effort realize them. Like tn,
mountain climber, go up and on
, ward, not stopping for the noun
tain chasm, leap it, up and up. Feal