The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-17

a
4 nation without power"
| In closing DR.. Grose said any ontlino
of the Power Of an Idea wonld seem
strangely Incomplete were he to make
no allusion 10 that Idea which has af-
fected nore' powerfully than any other
The lives and the businesses and
eternal dcstinics of men that great
central Idea Of all human history and
hope, the Cross
with all your getting. fail not 10
get understanding. Amid all your ideas
and activities. in the twists and turns
of life in the vale or on the ridge fail
not TO take your bearings 10y that high
est. that heaven given Idea of the Cross.
Guided by il, the divine power shall
| work together with the human. and the
| success YOU win shall be not alone for
earthly, but for eternal life.
In awarding diplomas and comforting
degrees DR. Garter. made q short speech
10 the graduates. full Of sound advice
and wise observations gathered from his
own long experience.
In the life of almost every graduate
there is one day when he is hero. II
is The day of his graduation He has
anticipated il most eagerly. The crowd
music and flowers. In the life of the
genuine hero. however there are two
heroic periods. The first is before
graduation. Many of them struggle
lagainst poverty, and obstacles that seem
almost insurmountable. One of tho
greatest men | ever knew lived on less
than 30 cents Il week during part Of
his college course, but when he died he
was the honored president OF the very
college through which he had struggled
There are two objects for which
man goes to college--to work and 10 he
worked upon. If you have worked sue
cessfully since you have been here YOU
have been worked upon succl ssfully.
''fhe second heroic period is after
graduation. This is the real contest
getting Il place and acquiring success
There are many difficulties before you
many disadvantages. You have been
here to acquire knowledge you must
now go out and apply it,
Graduation is but the commencement
of education. The diploma dos not
imean that you've learned all there is to
learn. Your mind has only been SO
trained as TO make ir good soil for
ideas"
The subject of President Meserve's
pnrting address to the graduates was
| The Present Duty Of Professional
Men He said:
Il cannot send YOU out into the world
without bestowing upon You the bless
ing of your Alma Mater. and making
| some suggestions that may be hcIpful
in adjusting yourselves to new condi-
tons thai have been brought about by
Legislative enactment within a few years
in some of the States aud more recently
| n this Commonwealth When | came
to Shaw five years ago Tomorrow, i
/ was informed that the eolored man was
treated better and the relations between
the races were more kindly than in any
other State where the col0red people
are found in considerable numbers. i
need not tell you of the change of feel
ing on your part and those YOU repre-
ssBi dnring the past few months. caused
by the enactment of the separate coach
law. the proposed amendment 10 thel
Constitution of the State limiting the eX-
lercise Of the elective franchise. and tile
persistent and systematic withholding
Of praise from colored soldiers and the
Imagnifying OF their shortcomings. With
tout discussing the causes, political and
social in their nature. though much
more largely political than social. that
have brought about the feeling of de
spondency, DESPAIR and even of bitterness
on Your part, these conditions must be
recognized by YOU and statement OF
them is necessary that | may point out
10 YOU the direction in which duty lies.
Tbs white man has resolved that the
| negro when travelling. shall not ride
IN the same coach with him. and that
IA large portion of the colored voters
shall be denied the eNercisesof the cleo
tive franchise. These are the new
conditions. | have great hopes of the
race even under these conditions. for a
race that has come through two hundred
and fifty years of scrvitilde and III n
single generation Of freedom has built
churches and schools. has acquired
three hundred millions dollars worth
of property and has sent ont into the
practice of medicine eight hundred men.
after passing the examinations of State
examining boards. composed wholly of
white men. certainly possesses qualities
that will. in the long run. enable il TO
win along all lines that make for perma-
nent and substantial advancement.
The professional man. as he goes ont
into his life work. has to-day nm nm
| uSuitliA iufHblidilt bhAA ~ pCt iVl 81 "
the community iii which he locates. ! He
must be more, much more, than law
yer. a doctor or pharmacist lie
must, above all else he model of
rood citizenship. His moral character
must he above, reproach. He must be
la stranger to the saloon and all that
the saloon stands for. both politically
and socially. His relations with women
must be as pure and clean as the un-
trodden snow. The school. the church
and the family must find IN him its
staunch defender. There must be a
constant appeal on his part. by example
and frequent appeals by word. to the
sense Of right and justice of the Anglo
Saxon, an appeal that sooner or later
always wins. He must be Il conselya-
tor OF law and order in the community
and array himself against rowdyism and
all vicious elements. This will require
ut times Il loss Of what men call popl-
larity and will give rise 70 msundes-
standings and abuse and even persecu-
tions. but time VIII vindicatg You and
there will be yours that supreme salts
faction that always comes from duty