Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-14
BACCALAUREATE SERMON
Before the Graduating Class Of the
cony High Schoo'.
nes. J. ). Williamson Addresses Pupils on
the Lie Awaiting Them

"es. !. >. Williamson Addresses Pupils Of
the Lie Awaiting Them.
| inere was large audience in the
/ congregational church, Sunday even
| ing, to listen to the baccalaureate SER
mon before the graduating class OF
the Cony High school, The members
] OF which there are %, were present and
We're seated together, with the princi-
pal, Prof. c. S. Cook, and the several
teachers and Hon. ]. H. Marley and
Hon. Lendall Titcomb Of the board OF
trustees of the school. There were also
present many of the parents, with
friends, to attend the exercise, which
included the church services, with spec
ial singing, appropriate to the occasion
| The class has been a bright one, in
| Guides number of pupils of exception
al ability. On this meeting, one of
much seriousness to them, about to
embark as they are on life's ocean, they
listened with close attention to the SER
mon, given by one with whom they are
well acquainted, and who has their
best welfare at heart.
The singing was furnished by the
quartet of the school alumni, and was
excellent with Miss Maude Sanborn as
organist The quartet consists of Miss
Addie Weeks. Miss Alice Knowlton
Mr. Blaine Owen and Mr.. Lester Part
ridge. A solo. given by Mr.. Owen, was
very warmly appreciated by all. The
front of the church was prettily dec
GRATED with plants and flowers.
The following is the programme of
the evening:
| Doxolosy.
Lord 5 Prayer
Responsive Reading.
Anthem. Choir
Scripture Lesson.
Prayer.
Organ Response.
Sermon. Rev. j. S. Williamson
Anthem.
Benediction.
Rev. Mr.. Williamson's text was Rev
lations, tx: BE thou faithful unto
death and l will give TO thee the crown
of life He spoke, in part. as follows:
The book of Revelations was born in
a dark period of persecution and is re-
lated to the life of the early Christian
church as the historical novel of the
book of Daniel is related to the life of
the Jewish church. 1t came to the
churches of it's time with the clarion
call to. duty uttered in many voices of
appeaRwith its imagery, sublime SYM
boism, and an equal richness and
grandeur of ethical ideal.
Let me warn you against two eX-
tremes which you are to shun: FIRST
the extreme that the rewards of life
are only after death. that this world is
a vale of tears-a dreamy waste, where
sorrow and disappointment constitute
the major part of existence. The sec
ond extreme is, that truth is so vast
that duty becomes obscure; that 1t Is
a sign of ignorance to be tirnl-that
positive convictions are a type oil
rudeness: and that moral truth is
kind of fog bank, none of which can
be CRASHED by the mind and is only
good for improving the scenery.
The truth lies between these two;
that man was made for God. and God
EXISTS for man; that, in this world,
there is to be realized the kingdom Of
God--the good time when His VIII VIII
he done on earth as it is in Heaven
This is the parliament OF man. Ihls
is that for which the human soul nun
gers. For this society travels IN VAIN.
| To this ideal, life from the lowest ceil
M to the breaking heart of Christ,
| bears witness.
| The acceptance of this moral ideal,
| the Kingdom of God for this World
and working for its realization consul
| tutes the only true religion, the Only
| accentahle worship of God-the only
! 1ast;np service of man. The crown OF
I;fa 10 s;mnlv an increase of life. more
oa,,acitv vitality and effectiveness
The reward of learning, for instance,
| is simply the power to learn othef res
cons The use of capacity develops ca
| nacity. There are, therefore, no ao-
| iourned rewards in the pain OF ilie.
! Every day is payday. This being true
we are sacredly bound to make the
| faithful effort to develop our natures
/
| along all lines of our being, agreeaple
80 the shirt of Jesus Christ. For TINS
| end it is essential that we possess the
| three virtues: Courage, appiica'ioii
| ond Industry, and singleness OF pur-
pose.
| Ar this point the members Oh ihe
| class rose. and Rev. Mr.. Williamson
continued:
You have completed a course OF stun
| in one of our educatlonai iis',.u.'o H. :,
Vet in a true sense your educatioh mas
-, hag,n You owe it to yourselves
md "a the world to jealousy guaru
60 own health of body and contin-
w uonr mental development. ever seek
ing new light and ever ready TO auap'
your life to a wider view y, &c ra-
Tbns only can you be faithful as ,e
~ ,ha education of your lie anu
- richest and its hottest aspects.