The herald., 1897-06-22
PASADENA

PASADENA, June N.-(Regular CORE
spondence.) The commencement exercises
of Throop Polytechnic institute were held
this evening at the opera house. and the
program passed off very pleasantly, the
chief feature being the address of Rev.
Burt Estes Howard of Los Angeles. Throop
orchestra, under the leadership of Harold
Simpson, furnished the music, and their Sc
lections were very well rendered, showing
much conscientious study on the part of
the members, who are students in the
school.
Every seat in the house was filled long
before the curtain was raised, and the
orchestra entertained the audience with
selections until the hour for opening the
program. 1t was representative audi
ence, Pasadena's best citizens being out
in large numbers. for all are interested in
Throop polytechnic and its students. When
the curtain was raised the group on the
stage was seen to comprise the trustees,
the faculty and the members of the grad
uating class, who nearly filled the large
stage.
Rev. DR.. Fife offered prayer. after which
President Edwards announced a chorus,
might Shades No Longer" RossinD,
which was very acceptably sung by about
twenty-five young ladies and gentlemen,
with orchestra accompaniment. Rev. Burt
Estes Howard, the speaker of the evening,
was then introduced by President Edwards
and his subject announced as 1.-THE Pres
ent Drift"
Mr.. Howard's address was a mastery
one and a synopsis does not begin to do II
justice. He said the spirit of the age was
one of criticism, one of questioning; that
Z 1t required no great observation to OBJ
serve the actual revolt against the old
theological dogmas and creeds, and that
day of judgment was at hand when these
old beliefs would have to give some reason
for their existence before they would be
accepted by an enlightened public opinion
When all come to see that forms are moth
ing but the attempt of principles to ex-
press themselves. then they will be willing
to forsake the old forms when they have
outgrown their usefulness being solicitous
only to retain the eternal principles. When
our theories fail to fit new facts we must
be intellectually honest and change the
forms. In spite of the boasted liberty" of
which we talk. liberty is the last thing we
desire, and instead of that we set up some
infallible authority-if not an infallible
pope, then an infallible book-and then
bow down before 1t and cry out to Baal to
save us. We should never forget that the
existing order OF things may be the worst
order of things that could be. 1t was the
disturbance of the existing order of things
that caused the cruciflxion of Jesus Christ
end SO it has ever been. Men have been
prone to resent change, even to the sword
and the pillory. The worst enemy of the
better Is the good. 1t was not a rabble that
forced Socrates to drink the hemlock. 1t
was the scribes and Pharisees-the ortho-
dox churchmen Of that day-who crucified
Jesus Christ--never forget that. What
ever associates men together in divine
sonship and human brotherhood must
be let into our hearts, even though 1t break
up all the old theological forms. The
questioning of the old theological dogmas
and creeds now so universal is not sign
of spiritual decadence but quite the con-
trary. for it is reaching out for a closer
knowledge of God, and should be encour-
aged by all means. These cleaner. fresher
and better ideas are being spread by So
cieties and bodies of men organized for the
purpose, and they are influencing the mass
Of humanity to an extent little thought of
by the conservative people who are always
opposed to anything other than that which
they have once accepted.
Mr.. Henry H. KIamroth then favored the
audience with baritone solo entitled
Hearts Springtime" (Wikedel.
President Edwards then awarded the
diplomas to the members of the gradual
ing class in few well chosen words. dur
ing which he said If he were giving
motto to the class 1t would be: "Whatso-
ever man soweth, that shall he also
reap
The graduates are:
College-Joseph Grinnell
Academy-Ca F. Barker, Ruth Ellen
Baker, James Edmund Barker, Kate FAY
Blick, LYDIA d. Conger. Ray Everett Con-
ger. John Arthur Farnsworth jr., Frank
Baldwin Jewett, Blanche Johnston, Will
lam Sedgwick McQuilling, Edwin J. Polk
inhorn. John O. Reed. Emma Russell,
Charles Willard Stimson, Richard A. Vose.
Sloyd Normal Course-Lizzie e. Batchel-
der, Ada F. Blanchard, Ada c. Cleveland,
Mary A. Cook, Sarah c. Combs, Pearl B.
Fisher, Lucy May Holbrook, Ida M. Mel
lish, Mary Maynes Smith, Charles H.
Wright.
CITY COUNCIL
At this afternoons session of the city
council about the only thing Of Importance
was the passing of a resolution of inten-
tion for the sewering of the eastern part
of the city. The resolution provides for the
construction of fourteen-nch sewer from
the corner of Los Robles avenue and Glen
arm street to the corner of Lake avenue
and California street. Also ten-inch sew
ers between various points on Lake, Mo-
line and Madison avenues and California
and Colorado streets. Also eight-inch
sewers on parts of Lake, Hudson, Moline,
Madison, Oakland and Galena avenues and
Center, Eldorado, First, Colorado. Herki-
mer, Hull, Walnut and Villa streets The
resolution further contained description
Of the assessment district to be formed