The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-07
LAST WEEK AT EARLHAM.
Sermons by DIR. BashfOrd, of Wesley
an, and DIR. Burroughs, of Wabash.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
RICHMOND, Ind June 6-This was an
interesting day at Earlham College and the
attendance was unusually large. This
morning DIR. James w. Bashford, president
of Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, o.,
delivered the baccalaureate sermon. The
services began with the invocation by DR..
George S. Burroughs, of Wabash College,
followed with a Scripture reading by Presi-
dent j. j. Mills, of Earlham. He read the
parallels pertaining to the supper, the tall
ents and the good shepherd. Dr. Bashford's
subject was "Christ's Condition for Con-
quest" and he based his remarks on the
parallels referred to- From the parable of
the supper he evolved the quality of re-
captivity; from that of the talents activity
and from that of the good shepherd love-
These he declared to be the three great
qualities necessary 30 make up complete
life. In his remarks directly to the class
DR.. Bashford said:
Members of the Glass of Ninety-seven-
You stand upon the threshold of an intel
lectual, affectional and perhaps a spiritual
crisis. You have reached the heights from
which the paths OF life diverge. Next Sun
day at this hour you will be widely scat
tered. At some hour between now and then
you will suddenly realize that the class of
81 is never to meet again on earth, that you
are not to return to college, that hundreds
of familiar faces and friendly voices are
gradually to fade from your minds that
you are to enter upon new activities and
strange experiences. [ pity you If your
hearts are not stirred and if you do not
spend some hours in thoughtful, solemn
meditation during your first week after
graduation Going out upon untried seas,
l wish you to remember, if only for a lit
tie while, the parable of the great supper,
the parable of the talents and the parable
of the good shepherd. The first parable, if
mastered, will enable you to realize your
ideal of scholarship; the second will make
you successful in action; the third will lift
you to the plane of Lincoln and Socrates
and Paul, who crowned wisdom and char
acter by love and through their deaths
made their words immortal In the spirit
ual realm the fulillment of the first con-
ditiOn will make you saint; the fulfillment
of the second will turn the saint into a
teacher a reformer, missionary, a cap
tain of the worlds industries, tireless
worker for Christ; the fultillment of the
third will turn the missionary into the mar
tyr and enable you TO NIL up that which
remaineth behind of the sacrifice of Christ.
Alas | hear some of you murmuring, the
lesson is too hard for me. / cannot fulfill
these high conditions [ despair of becom-
ing Lincoln, Socrates, Paul.
LESSON FOR ALL.
But granting that fear sometimes gets
the better of your faith admitting that
you do no aspire to saintship or desire to
doris of time-though in your secret hearts
you all have aspirations-but admitting your
despair OF the highest ideal, still you desire
TO achieve some growth in character But
the secret of growth. whether the increase
be small or great, is the art of receptivity
You certainly anticipate for yourselves
some degree of activity in the world; you
covet some measure of successful achieve
ment. But external success. whether small
or great. is won by the method embodied in
the parable of the talents. Finally, | am
sure you coVet the love of some people
whether you attempt TO satisfy your heart
hunger by the love of the world or limit
il to the devotion of an individual heart
to you. But the divine art of winning the
divine art Of a single soul or Of the world
is self-sacrifcing love. Hence you will all
follow, in part at least the principles laid
down. The lesson IS for the timid as Well
as for the heroic souls of the class. But
young people, we are persuaded to expect
better things of you / am sure that in
your secret hearts you all feel your divinity
and all aspire to be kings and queens. What
better wish can ] express this morning
than TO pray that, like Christ, you may re-
celVe the spirit in great measure; that, like
Him, you may be able TO say to the Father
at the close of life: i have finished the