Rock Island Argus., 1900-05-28
SERMON TOSTUDEHTS
Rev. Bartholomew Conducts Bac-
caIaureate Services at
Augustana.
OF 10NFEsSING CHRIST.
Words of Wisdom to Young
Just Beginning Life's
Battle.
POWER OF 0oNFEssING CHRIST.

c'ass of 1900 of Augustana College
and Theological Seminary was deliv-
cred last evening at the chapel by DR..
F.. F. Bartholomew. whose eloquent
words impressed all who heard them.
DIR. Bartholomew took his text from
Luke XII, chapters TO =.
The words of the text are part of a
discourse addressed by the Savior to
His disciples. The Savior speaks of
the dangers and difficulties which His
true disciples would encounter. and
of the sufferings and hardships they
would have TO endure in the perform
ance of their duties.
The words of the gospel are emf
nently appropriate to the present oc-
casion. said DR.. Bartholomew. Here
is chosen band of christian disci pies.
who. after years of training, are now
about to enter upon their life mission,
and in the name of the Master to take
upon themselves responsible duties of
several vocations. Constituting these
words in = specific sense and apply
ing them to this particular occasion,
draw from them the theme of our
meditation Christ before
the world. the opportunity and duty
of christian disciples as graduates.
1t is the duty, as well as the privilege
of every child of q cd, to confess Christ
before men, but in a preeminent de-
gree does the college graduate have
opportunity 10 confess Christ before
the world.
Help to shape Human Affairs.
40 the tens of thousands of gifted
youth annually going forth from our
higher institutions of learning are
opened positions of influence and
power for shaping the course of hu
man affairs. such as do not come to
any other class of people. The coll
lege or university in the nature of the
case must ever be u high reservoir of
power, from which flow down
streams of intellectual, social and
moral influence which determine more
deeply than anything else the current
of the worlds thought and life. In
those institutions are collected the
bright, talented, earnest. hopeful
young men, who. bye-and-bye, will
stand in high places and will have a
powerful voice in the councils of the ma
~
percentage of distinguished men in all
branches of the public service have
had a college training. These facts
show how great the scholars oppor-
tunity is to witness 4 good confession |
before the world. 1t is part of Gods |
system to bring His strongest and |
best qualified servants into promi- |
nent places, where their influence |
may have the widest possible radius. |
Gods chosen servants should stand |
before kings and not before obscure |
men,
To-day our Savior sends forth His \
gifted. well trained disciples armed |
with the effective weapons of truth
and thoroughly furnished unto every |
good work.
Crown OF Christian SchoIarshIp.
There is no greatness among NOR
tails comparable to that of confessing
Christ before men. This is the crown
and the glory of christian scholarship.
In this is summed up everything that
is truly great and noble and high in
human character. Many of the worlds
ripest scholars and most distinguished
men have cherished this conce ption
Of greatness and have made this the
shining goal OF their lives. Who are
of mankind. those whom
the world will not allow to be forgot
ten ? Not those who were bent on
selfish ends, who planned ambitious
schemes .foI self aggrandizement; but
hose who have been the humble ser
wants of mankind, who, in lowliness
of mind, have surrendered them
selves to the good of the race for
christ's sake. Among the great men
are Noah, Abraham, Moses, David,
samuel. patriarchs aud prophets.
They are the heroes of the faith, OF
whom it is said the world was not
worthy These heroes lived in the
rast empire of faith forgetful of self.
obedient TO God. consecrated to the
service of the Lord. content to be
witnesses unto Him Who sent them
nto the world for this purpose.
Daniel confessed the name of his God
before NebuchadneZzar and his cor
-upt court. John. the Baptist. was a
noble confessor of Christ. He came
or witness 10 bear witness of the
light that all men through him
night believe 1t was his highest
lonor, and he considered it his mis-
ion in the earth TO bear record thstt
Tesus is the son of God, and
he Savior of the world, and to point
Tjnners unto Him. OF this faithful
Iervant it was said among them that
re born of women there has not risen
. greater than John the Baptist.
rhe apostle Paul held everything else
L - I. -, I
he name of Christ before the world.
lie was a man of scholarly attain
aents- He had high social standing.
1e had the. prospect Of brilliant
.zreer. but all ihese he yields that he
nav CONFESS Christ before the rulers
# the Jews before kings and mobiles.