The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-07

Z
been anticipated There were many
vacant seats in the auditorium. and
none of the galleries were occupied.
The graduates wore happy smiles
and the University colors, red. white
and blue, which distinguished them
from the juniors and sophs who formed
the background. The faculty of the
university occupied the boxes.
1t was almost $50 when Apostle
Richards took his seat on the stage.
with President Kingsbury and Profess
sor Cummings on either side.
The music was furnished by the
Harmony Glee club, who sang as the
initial selection, My Old Kentucky
Home" Prayer was offered by Pro-
song by the Glee club. the baccalaureate
orator was introduced.
APOSTLE F. D. RICHARDS
began by modestly expressing regret
that the task had not been placed in
ADLER hands, but it was an honor, he
said, to speak to graduates of Utah 5
first institution. He had followed the
progress of the institution with inter
est, from the time of its organization
before a territorial statute was granted
Utah, and he had felt pride in watch
ing the steady increase in its enroll
ment of students.
Addressing himself specially 10 the
graduates. Mr.. Richards expressed
young ladies among them, and was
especially gratified in the thought that
women in Utah now had the suffrage.
The graduates. he said, were about
to begin active life in a singular
century. Its achievements rivalled the
seven wonders of the world, which
were pointed TO as the great monu-
ments OF antiquity. The science OF
chemistry had made phenomenal prog
ress. In this connection he remem-
bered the first steamboat on the Hud-
son, and the people on that occasion
had supposed some saw mill had
drifted on to the water. The present
perfection in the use of steam was a
comparatively modern Development
The use of steam had gradually en-
larged. until it went from the steam
boat to the ironclad thG! plows the
sea and the engines which rush to and
fro across the continent.
THE AGE OF ELECTRICITY.
The speaker recalled his own school
idays and referred to the immense ac-
quirement of knowledge in all avenues
Of science. He wished 10 impress on the
living in the bronze or stone age. but
in the age of electricity. Since the in
cident of Benjamin Franklins kite. the
electric current had been harnessed,
and now its marvels were apparent on
all sides.
All this advance in science. he con-
tinued, teaches a lesson to the young
man or woman beginning the struggle
of modern life. 1t means the young
people now must rise to a higher plane
than their ancestors in order to keep
pace wt-h progress.
With all this other knowledge which
is coming to the world, theology must
not be overlooked or placed in the back
ground. Gcd has revealed all these
secular improvements, but at the same
time he has increased the spiritual
knowledge of mankind.
Mr.. Richards then referred directly
to Mormonism and the new light which
the sect had brought into the world
He related the incident Of Joseph
Smiths finding the gold plates. and
the external evidences in North Amer
lea going TO prove the truth Of the
Book ot Mormon.
This record" he said, tells all
about the people on this continent, and
is one OF the best gifts OF Goo. He gave
US a bible of the western continent
which corresponds exactly with the
old Bible"
He referred to the good and evil use
of knowledge. and cOunselled the grad
yates to have high aim in life and to
seek God as well as secular knowledge.
TENDENCY TO sELF-GLORIFICA-
TON.
The tendency of knowledge, he con-
I tinued, is TO indulge in self-gloritica-
ton instead of acknowledging il as the
blessing OF God. 1t is God who has
wrought all the marvels in. science
which surround us These are the evil
dences of God. and should convince the
people Of the truth Of the Bible and the
revelations which have been given.
These great strides in science should
make the people humble instead of fill
ing them with pride
You" he continued, will raise up
d race of prophets and rulers. A great
future awaits you and 1 ask that the
Lord may bless you. that new laurels
may come to the University of Utah
Glass day exercises will be held at
the university this morning. beginning
at 10 O'Clock.