Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-18

AAiSAuo VI OAu oCtuduy THAN that
which wa the occasion of the bacca-
laureate sermon for the ffty-ninth
annual commencement The services,
as usual, were held at the historic old
Christian church in the village and it
was filled to its utmost capacity. The
decorations of college colors, green
and white, and of those of the class,
blue and red. were artistically arrang-
ed oye head. The seats reserved for
the class were covered with white.
The whole room was redolent with the
odor of pine and the perfume of flow
ers.
The services began with music by the
choir, followed by the invocation by
Prof. Geo. Munro. The Scripture read
ing, XII. c: Cor, which followed, was
read impressiyely according to revised
version by Prof John Munro. Before
the introduction of the speaker the
choir rendered Il Shall Not Pass
Again This Way"
A. B. Jenkins, President of the Uni
versity of Indianapolis, one of Beth
any's greatest living alumni, was
then introduced in an appropriate ad-
dress. He said in part:
Permit me to congratulate you, class
of 1900, on your attendance at Beth
any College, the most beautiful place
in the world. All the old graduates
will tell you of the ties of pleasant
memories which bind them to this
place. l scented its spirit from afar.
AS l crossed Indiana, l came through
Ohio, down the river to Wellsburg,
out the old turnpike across the fami-
liar bridges and through the old tun-
nels. How my heart thrilled with
tender recollections. No place in all
my travels affords such a beautiful
drive as that old turnpike, no place
is pervaded by such a spirit as that
which one feels at Old Bethany.
This morning I take as the basis of
my remarks the words of Rome nc,
XIV ", Il am debtor both to the
Greeks and to the barbarians, both to
the wise and to the unwise." l invite
your attention especially to the last
clause, both to the wise and the un-
wise" Christianity places no prem
ium on wisdom, gives no preference
to intellectually. All other religions
give prominence to those who know.
The leading man in India is the Brah-
man, their wise man. In China, the
learned man, the Mandarin, is the
leader. Even among the Jews prefer
ence was given to their scholar, the
Rabbi. At me time at the feast OF
the atonement on the occasion of the
high priest entering into the holy OF
holes two Rabbits passed as the chief
priest ~reappeared and what was his
establishment to see the multitude fol-
low the Rabbi, showing the premium
they instinctively placed upon Wisdom,
All this has been changed in Chistian-
ity. We have passed from the
t~houghtless, from the wise to the I'M
wise. AS Paul states it God hath
chosen the foolish things of this
world to confound the mighty" and
hath not God made f%oolishness the
wisdom Of this world"
All this time the church has been
trying to test men by what they know
but when Christ is truly followed this
is all changed. Even now we are Of
ten filed with the Greek spirit. We
give instructive regard to intellect
But Christs test is not what do you
know, not what do you believe, no;
what do you think, but what you are
In this age, the world asks not what
do you believe, but what can you do
Christ's test surpasses that of the
world in that it takes into full &C.
count that the mans beliefs, his prin-
ciples, his personal responsibility to
his God makes an infinite matter
The heart must be right if the worlds
question, What can you do?" is
rightly answered.
AS l said before, we often yet cling
to the old Greek thought, intellectual
ity.
| think sympathy toward these I'M
wise ones OF earth ought to be In orr
hearts; towards those who do not
know, who have not the light we have.
Who of US are wise In all things? All
OF us are wise in some things. all OF
us are foolish in some things. Ten
nyson says: Help thy vain world TO
bear with the weak" We involun-
tarily admire a man who p~lunges for
ward, regardless of consequences. even
into excess and sin. We appreciate
his daring spirit as we admire the
spirit Of a runaway horse. But it Is
so hard for US TO bear and forbear
with one who Is foolish, who IS weak.
intellectually is not wisdom. We
often hear il said Of one, he knew the
Bible from cover 10 cover. That NAY
be true, and yet he may not be truly
wise in the Scripture; he may not have
the sDfrir nf the wifi cnan+ar of I Cc~