The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-27

"A time when the glorlous career OF thls
| institution was threatened with 1mml-
nent financial disaster came so promptly
| to the rescue and have spared no means
necessary to make the college tirst-clasS
in every particular
To these patrons of higher education
/ for women--hcrc stands, i'll the perpetual
ton of this institution, monument more
glorious than that which rcars its stately
column on y0ndcr battlefield.
The highest and most vital essential Ill
the education Of the young woman OF the
present is true soul culture.
! After all. the fashioning or none
soul is the real work Of education.
| To this, all other culture must tend.
, That education which fails at this point
is Il defective education. 1t is to me Il
very impressive fact. that OF this entire
class of young ladies who to-day graduate
from this institution, every one is
Christian young woman.
! Young ladies. let me emphasize this fact;
the end of all education is the culture
and growth Of beautiful souls. That
beauty which is the most charming and
the most lasting is the beauty OF holiness.
An unchristian educated young lady Is
an anomaly-a discord in the sweet har-
uony of nature. What is the
mission Of the educated young woman of
the present? The very vantage ground
she occupies of enlarged educational facil-
tiles and privileges, correspondingly en-
larges the scope of her mission. Many
of the barriers and restraints that i'll for
=, mer years deferred woman from proper
! spheres of useful work have been re-
81 l.. . ,,,i lnt ,fh
| and Christian work are opening up 10
her There seems now to be greater
disnosition do give the women n fair
| chance than at any time III the hlstor!
of Christian civilization. The world has
never witnessed such demand as Is
! now upon us for educated Christian
young women as teachers in our schools.
| 1t is coming to pass that Christian wo-
men largely constitute the educating
power of this country. Look abroad, II
YOU please. i'll our common schools anu
Sunday schools as we'll as other schools
and YOU will see that our women are
now doing most of the teaching.
And yet. young ladies your mission Is not
alone to teach in theschools. From many
a couch of suffering and many home
where darkness reigns. there comes ii
pathetic cry for sympathy and help that
/ finds IT'S readiest response n woman
heart.
! From the days of Eden until now the
{ loving hand of gentle women has never
| failed in its tender ministeries to the
! needy and the suffering. Somehow there
! is a divine longing in the heart of wo-
manhood to suffer if need be. 10 relieve
/ the sufferinss of others. No age has
| oponed such wide and effectual doors to
satisfy that longing as the age IN when
we live. Not only from the lazarettos
and benighted regions of our own eouh-
fry but from the far off land of pagan
darkness comes the plaintive wall that
nleads for the touch of woman's helping
hand. White unto the harvest Is the
| missionary field that offers its abundant
, sheavas TO the consecrated zeal OF the
! christian woman OF to-day-and
woman moves to rescue pagan woman
through the power of the Redeemer
cross.
! Rut lot me remind you also of that up
: I;ftinp and saving influence that heaven
Z ra,,chs,a Eos TO Won over man. The time
viii, nerhaps come to each one OF you
! u-han from your throne of queenly power
Won will guide and shape the destiny ol
some manly heart brought beneath your
! sway I'm this fast and feveush age, TINS
| age Of close and sharp competftloh M
commercial life, this age or muitipii'n
tomntations to allure from the paths Oh
truths and honesty, life's shores are
z+uo,,-r with the wrecks Of men who nave
conc down under the fury OF the pl'iless
storm. ,,,
! uybera is no human power under heaven
49, ha,;ns tn measure with the hallowed
;r1uance of a. true cultured Christian wo-
man. NOT only to keep down the base tiia'
l. man Int ito teach him high and none
tbouobts and courtliness and love OF
truth and all that makes a man. II -
, said. that in the older times, when hhe
I yo,no, knight went forth to champion the
J cause Of the oppressed his armor was
bound upon him by the woman whom lie
loved: and that henceforth her name was
bic watchword. and he was vowed to pur-
;tv and honor in the strength of his devo-
t;on IN her So men are going forth today
&c knight-errants for God, panoplied with
tho sacred influences that come from the
hearts and lives Of noble Christian
women.
| And now let me add III conclusion, one
very important part of your mission is TO
HELM save the age from the curse OF IN
fidelity.
This is an age of unbelief German ra-
tionalism Americam;zed, and so-called
higher criticism. and latitudinar.anlsm
: in its most dangerous forms, and repudla-
ton of the faith of the fathers are run
ming riot and threatening the foun-
dations of our hope If the fidelity and de-
ro+;or of oducatad Christian women were
ever needed, they are needed now.
What would become of the church or
God without the faithful heart and tire
less hands of woman?
Whoever else may fail in zeal and work
for God, she never fails: whoever else
may falter and waver under the pressure
of adverse influence, she never waivers;
whoever else may throw away the Bible,
she binds it to her heart, and rcyerences
and cher;shes its sacred truths.
Behold. young ladies. the breadth and
scope OF your mission. We come TO-
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