The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-14
NEWBERRY COMMENCEMENT
ANOTHER vRRN SUCCESSENL SEss,ON
DRAWS ~ \ CLNSS.
Interesting Excrrisrs En,sr,a,ning to AZ,
tentlants-Niuch lntcrcat shown IN
tho ntion-- hic Sormona
aud Addresses

Tho commencement exercises u
| Newberry College were begun on Sun
day at 1890 o'clock in the largo ant
| spacious opera house, which was com
fortably filled with people from tho
town and county, whose interest in this
noble institution never lags.
Tho closing session OF Ncwberry Col
lego has been II most satisfactory and
successful onc--thc present graduating
class being composed OF l6 young men,
followed by q Juniors, % Sophomorcs
and so Frcshmen-l6l including the IL
in the preparatory department and the
past-graduatcs.
All the churches OF the city were
closed on Sunday in order to give
everybody an opportunity to attend
and hear tho baccalaureate sermon on
Sunday morning and the address TO the
students at night
The devotional exercises wore con-
Quoted by Rev. DR.. j. B. Fox, pastor OF
the Lutheran church.
a select choir, composed Of Mrs.
Peter Robertson, Mr.. and Mrs. S. b.
Jones, Rev. and Mrs. w. X. Sigh,
Miss Emma Wilson, Mr.. Eduard
Scholtz, DR.. f.. c. Jones and Rev.J. w.
Speak, furnished most excellent and
appropriate music at both morning
and evening" services.
The baccalaureatc sermon was
preached by Rev. J. a. Sigh, of
Slighs, Ncwbcrry County. The SER
mon was plain aud practical one
forcefully delivered, his text being
taken from job %: %, "Bchold the fear
of the Lord, that is wisdom, aud to de-
paat from evil is understandings
He said: The text shows us tho first
step to true wisdom and the test Of
common sense. The fear Of the Lord
in Scripture signifies not only that
piouS passions OF tilial reverence for
our Heavenly Father, but it is frequent
ly put for the whole OF practical reli-
gion. The fear of the Lord in this
connection implies all the graccs and
all the virtues OF Christianity-al that
holiness OF heart and life which is nee
cssury ~ the enjoyment of everlasting
life. So the sense Of the text is to
practice religion and virtuc-to adopt
that conrsc OF life which bcgcts peace
OF mind IN this world and confers upon
one everlasting happiness. This is
wisdom, true wisdom, the very begin
ming OF wisdom. or the first step to-
wards il. And until we begin here we
can never attain il: ali our wisdom
withou; this. so far as eternity is con-
cerned. does not deserve the name, and
will eventually lead to or end in sad dis
appointment. TO depart from evil, TO
eSchew il, is the test of good under
standing, for without this, however
cunning, shrcwd and far-seeipg YOU
might be in other matters, YOU have
neglected TO choose the most impor-
tant. the one thing most useful.
God in his wisdom has made this
world and placed us here as candidates
for eternal life. 1t has pleased Him TO
place good and evil, life and death be-
fore us, and He has left these TO our
free election. But at the same time
He has provided for us q great saliva
ton, and has sent into the world His
Holy Spirit 10 WOO men unto everlast-
ing life. Notwithstanding this our
happiness or misery is made by Him to
depend upon ourselves. That there
fore which is OF the greatest concern to
any and every man is to make a wise
and prudent choice concerning these
things. Choose you this day says God
whom you will serve-choose good and
not cvil-choose life and not death.
My young friends: | want to say be-
fore closing this discourse that In life
you will either please or displeasc, by
your conduct and walk and CONVERSE
tion, the great God with whom YOU
have to do. What blessed thing TO
please Him-to have the appreciation OF
Him from whom there Is no escape.
And | want to say, too, that have
nothing to say against earthly great
ness, earthly grandeur and the heroism
of earthly warriors, OF which we hear
SO much in these days. have nothing
to say against the accumulation OF
wealth when properly and Justly OBJ
tanned and rightly used. / have moth
ing To say against what the world calls
true nobility Of character, Or OF that of
families, and surely cannot say any
thing against storing tho mind with
useful knowledge that pertains to
earth and which adds go much to our
comfort and pleasures while we taber-
Daclc in the flesh. | could and would,
il IT were opportune and fitting, say
much in favor Of all these things, for
they are not TO be dcspiscd, and q
proper ambition TO obtain them is
praiscworthy and commendablc, cape
cialiy in the young.
But ] want TO say to you, my young
friends, before closing, and trust that
it will make lasting impression on
your hearts, want TO say that there
is mobility Of character, greatness
of mind and heart, and q superior
knowledge controlling both soul and
body, and riches that do not pertain to
earth within the reach OF man-oi
every man-.that are far superior, that
are transcendcntly more important,
grand and glorious than any and every
earthly consideration. TO possess those
now in part, with full assurance that
they shall be perfected in tho future
and be fully and eternally conferred
upon you in the great hereafter IL n
blessing and pleasure that the pen or
tongue OF man can never describe, "for
eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither hath the heart OF man con-
cciyed the things which God hath pro-
pared for them that love Him.
Young men, In going out into tho
world 70 discharge your duties as mcm-
bers Of society and rs citizens OF this