Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-25
BACCALAUREHE SERMON
TO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES DE-
LIvERED LAST EVENING By
REV. w. J.. HARDNESS.
VERY ENCOURAGING WORDS
TO the Class-He Dwell Particularly
Upon the Advantages of school
Life and the Possibilities and Re-
sponsfbilities of the Future-Aarge
Congregation at Chapline Street
Methodist Church.

darKneSS, delivered the D~accdlauredte
sermon to the graduating class of the
Wheeling High School, and a large con
gregation attended. The reverend gen.
tleman spoke very appropriately to the
graduates, impressing them with the
thoughtthat they are upon the threshold
of a sweet, promising future, with the
reckoning hand of hope ever urging
as follows, the text being according to
lisa. 81: 10: go through, go through
the gates"
IF there were nothing in front of
us, nothing to elevate us, nothing to
stimulate us onward, life would be a
burden. Surrounded, as we are, with
trials and difficulties, the hope of some
thing better nerves us onward to stem
the tide and arise above the under
currents.
Hope is like the sun, which, as we
journey towards 1t, cast the shadow of
our burden behind us. Man is distin-
guished from the beast of the field by
the fact that he does o live for the
present, but in anticipation of the flu
ture. There is something in man that
demands improvement. Put him in a
hole, and by and by the hole is not
good enough for the cellar of his palace.
However degraded, he will arise until
he sits beside a cherub for intellect and
3 seraph of love. Hope is the stimu-
lus of the American nation, because,
more than any other country on the
face of the earth, men may rise, give
scope to hope, foster aspiration and
encourage all rational expectation.
A Promising Future.
Like the children of Israel, you
stand upon the shores Of the land of
Promise; beyond it the great future,
filled with expectation and joy, the
reckoning hand of hope urges you on
ward. This hope is not an Ignis-
fatuus, beguiling you into mire and
marsh, but a perpetual incentive to
progress, a force impelling you contin-
ually onward to things higher and bet
ter. AS it stimulated you in childhood
to presevere until now you are ready to
take up greater problems of life, so it
will beckon you forward as you reach
up toward your ideal in life. Don't ex-
pect ever to reach your ideal in this
life, for then further progress would be
impossible.
Individuality.
School life is not just to read and
but to awaken in each one the right
use of mind and how 10 exert our per-
%sonality. The wise teacher can do no
o than avail himself of the system
of signs and trust to the student to use
his mind.
I'VE never reach beyond our concep-
ton Of things. What the object you
placed upon school life, what its mo-
tives, it's incentives were, will govern
results. You will never rise above your
own convictions, above your own per-
%sonality. What you are, what you
think, what you desire, will be but the
criterion of what you will be.
Heaven helps those who help them.
selves,' is a we'll tried maxim. The
spirit of self-help is the root of all gen.
nine growth of the individual. We
may have our disappointments, but if
we rise above these things we will sue
coed. Where there is a will there is a
way Washington cost more battles
than he won, but he organized victory
out of defeat. Butcher was beaten in
nine battles out of ten, but in a mar
velously brief time he had rallied his
routed army. 1t is this pluck, this bull
dog tenacity of purpose and stubborn
ness Of perseverance that wins the bat
ties of life, whether fought on the field,
In the mart or on the forum.
Possibilities Surrounding Us.
WHO of us can estimate the won
derful advantages that surround the
young of to-day. Providence hid this
fair land from the old world for many
centuries. The foundation has been
laid but you are to build the super
structure. They have mixed the paints
but you are to paint the picture. Every
age has an influence owe n succeed
ing age.
Marvel as we may at the achieve
ments of man, yet the world is only
in its infancy. You have crossed the
threshold Of a wonderful age. Morally,
the walls have been broken down and
the message comes to each one to enter
in and take possession. 1t is to the
young that some Of the greatest achiev-
ements have been accomplished.
Responsibilities.
We all know more than we live I'D
to. We see duties very much more
clearly in our intelligence than others
see in our lives. Our practice lags ium-
beringly behind our knowledge. Con-
science is always ahead of conduct.
There are certain duties that rest upon
every human being. Our responsible
ty begins with life and ends only with
death No ono CON choose. b;e~s-