Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-06-16
THE BACCALAUREATE.
Rev. Mr.. OsgOod's Sermon on
"Beaten Work."
Inspiring Words to the Young Gradu-
Rtes on the Building Up of Personal
Character

class of the Brattleboro High school in
the Congregational church at 1880 o'clock
Sunday evening. The holding of the SER
vice in the evening was a new departure,
and the evening services at the other
churches were omitted The front pews
were occupied by the teachers of the pub
lie schools and by the graduating class,
and the rest of the seating capacity was
taken up by the public. The service
opened with an organ voluntary by +. &.
Leitsinger, and the other services consist
ed of two excellent solos by f. II. Miller,
prayer by Rev. II. r. Miles and Scripture
reading and sermon by Rev. Mr. Osgood.
Syringas and maidenhair had been used
with good effect in decorating the church.
Rev. Mr.. Osg )od's text was Numbers
VIII, 4: "And this work of the candle
stick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft
thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was
beaten work" The sermon was in part,
as follows: We know, of course, what is
alluded to in these words. Our thoughts
are at once turned back to that distant
day when Moses called upon the people Of
Israel to erect tent, or tabernacle, in
the desert, Tabernacle of the congrega-
tion," so termed because in this spot Je-
hovah was supposed to make his presence
known to the leader and his followers.
We read of the gold and silver and brass
that were wrought into its structure; of
the curtains of blue and purple and scarlet
and fine linen; of the oil for the lights,
and the spices for amounting oil and for
sweet incense, and of the delicately fibred
woods of the East that were everywhere
used in such profusion.
But it is not the beauty nor the precious
ness of the material here described that
wish to lay special stress upon. "The
work of the candlestick, the work of the
tabernacle" the old records tell us, twas
beaten work" That is to say, individual
personal labor entered into every part of
the undertaking. The plant gold was
! beaten into the shape of the candlestck;
"unto the shaft thereof; unto the flowers
! thereof, was beaten work"
Beaten work The honorable labor of
the individual hand or brain. What char
acterizes this? AS l bear in mind this
story of the tabernacle | think of three
! qualities by which the personal eXertion
| thus put forth was doubtless marked.
| This beaten work must have had the mer-
it of patience, for how could these various
metals have been wrought into the forms
desired unattended by this faithful, never
ceasing care? Secondly, this beaten work
gif; of toll was consecrated by the prayer
of the laborer that it might be worthy to
adorn the very abiding place of the Most
High. And in the third place, this beaten
work must have been cheerful, loving
act of service. No insincerity, no cold
ness, no selfishness could have been in
dulged in, but shining out from every
countenance, entering into the accom-
plishment of every deed, must have been
this pure affection of the soul
Beaten work. We see it all about us in
the world today, and We place an inesti-
mable price upon II. This is an age of
machinery and inventive skill. We glory
in the triumphs of steam and electricity,
but this beaten work We glory in, too.
Glad are we TO welcome its highest mani
festations and TO take its lessons to heart.
What is the work of the scholar, Iure and
simple, when actuated by the right spirit,
but beaten work? Are not patience in this
search after truth, an earnest devotion TO
the high ends which this search subserves
and deep, lasting affection for the task
sufficient indications that this spirit holds
possession of mans being, and will be
7atisied with the best only of which this
being is capable?
Remember that the realm of mechan,
| ism has now been left behind. Mechanical
work can never be beaten work because il
lacks all personality. Nevertheless, the
! term does not fail to occupy an elevated
place in our esteem whenever merely bodi
" power, or skill, is thought OF. With re
spect to intellectual forces, on the contra
| nv, the term carries with it the stigms
| of reproach, in whatever way it may be-
1 employed. Certainly the mechanical stu
dent is not one in whom these qualities o.
patience, devotion and love shine forth
giving a freshness and an indefnabl'
= charm to everything he undertakes. No
e is there freedom or heartiness displayed
! in his labors, such as we always find is the
1 case with him who has either neve
felt the weight of these bonds, or who ha
burst them resolutely asunder in proper
I ton as the consciousness of what it is t,
e do ones whole duty in the world has beer
I awakened within him.
t Who are the best teachers in the world
: Are they not those whose work is heater
h work? In this field, if in any, must Their
e be this patience exercised which arrest
the fretful, complaining thought; whicl
s softens the hasty word of protest or com
: mand; whose presence is made known il
e each crisis that calls for utter self-restrain
J. and a perfect poise of character. TIL
;, purest devotion has its stronghold here
}, and so the tenderest love-both qualitie
I, being in accord with the highest demand
of this profession.
a Mention has been made of beaten wor
y as its might is put forth in the two sphere
a of manual and intellectual labor. But
A there not third sphere in which this sam
): uplifting service is required? That, nam,
ar ", which has to do with the moral an
A. spiritual being alone. Closely allied
this third lesson TO the two which precet
J ed it, for no person can work patiently, d.
n votedly, lovingly, who is not at the san
- time trying to do his Fathers will in sill
"a certify and truth.
4. There is beaten work demanded of eaC
as human life, even on the high ground of a
4 enlightened morality. None of us is t.
AZ Young or too thoughtless to grasp the di
al tinction between doing what one ougl
mechanically, in Difference to some conve
i, tional standard or social custom or mario
- prejudice, and that righteousness of Co
- duct which is founded on the strength
T., personal character built up little by lit
~ in the ever conscious presence of Almigh
n. God. The one virtue is apt to be pas
- ing virtue; the other full of activity. II
81 one is weak in times of temptation; Il
n ~ other strong and steadfast as the rock u
IS on which it stands.
Sc Then what can we say as to the scope
i'll. Oh