Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-06-07
ADDRESS TO CLASS OF '9s.

The Presbyterian church was we'll
filled Sunday evening with an audi
ence composed of the faculty Of the
High School, the Board of Education
and the friends of the graduating class
of that institution, who had come to
hear the baccalaureate sermon to be
delivered by the pastor, Rev. G. II.
Johnson. The evening service opened
at $50, and after the usual devotional
exercises the pastor entered upon his
address to the class, which occupied
seats in front beside the suDerintend-
ent, Miss Fenno.
Rev. Johnson chose for his text the
following from Rom. Il: l, ?, which
he treated in a truly inspiring man
ner:
II beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that ye pre-
sent your bodies living sacrifice,
holy. acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world
but be ye transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove what
is that good, and acceptable, and per-
feet will of God.''
The theme Of the sermon was self
seeking VS. self-sacrifce. The follow
ing are a few extracts:
ssIt is natural for US to think our
selves as the center of all existence.
and that all things should contribute
to our welfare. We forget that every
other person is just as truly a center
as are we, and that our claim upon
his services is no greater than his
claim upon US.
Every young person standing as
you do tonight at the commencement
OF life's sterner duties has right to
expect and seek great things. The
word of God does not cramp your no.
BILE impulses. 1t does not restrain a
righteous ambition. God has great
things for you and wants you to seek
great things, but warns you that IN
your search you forget not Him. The
greatest of all great things are those
that are great for God. It is danger
Gus for us to seek great things for
ourselves, because that which we deem
greatness may bring to us discomfort
and misery. David found no comfort
in the armor of Saul. If greatness is
designed for us it will come without
our seeking. Again we do not know
what is truly great for us. While
seeking what we suppose Is of real
value we may lose what is the most
precious of all. We deem material
things the greatest, and in seeking
these, looking earthward, we lose
sight of Heaven. God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to con-
found the wise, and things that are
despised hath God chosen.
"Our correct knowledge of things
ia based upon our knowledge of God.
Mans chief end is to glorify God.
Gods only begotten Son while upon
earth had no holier purpose than that
''the Father might be glorified in the
Son. The glory of the eternal God
is our sublime privilege. "Herein is
my Father glorifed, that ye bear
much fruit" The highest and noblest
life is that which is regulated by the
divine will.
Holiness is not the chief end of man.
Purity should not be sought because
purity is admired, but because impur-
ity is sin and distastefQl to God. No
bility of character is admirable, but
the end of character building is no,
it's nobility. That life is not com.
plete, however pure, if it fails to con.
tribute to the welfare of humanity
Character must have the power of in.
fuence, and influence is something
more than example. Example is pat.
tern. It says: Here am I, follow me.
but contributes no assistance to you
in your attempt to follow it. Inhu-
ence is q force, it impels an act. >s s.
Nature with her beauties and mel.
odies and @fruitage is pregnant with
energies that are constantly contrib.
uting to the welfare of man. Nature s
supreme purpose is the glory Of God.
Her fidelity to this purpose necessf,